While I was standing in my kitchen taking a coffee break, I noticed an unopened fortune cookie left over from a recent takeout dinner. When I opened it, I read, “Aim for the sky because even if you miss, you’ll still be among the stars.” This reminded me of a recent post by Shiraz Baboo:
The scariest thing you’ll ever face is your own potential.
Fear of failure is real — but fear of success is sneakier. It’s the fear that you won’t be able to handle what comes next. Or that you’ll outgrow your circle, or that you’ll lose yourself. (Energetic Magic, March 12, 2026)
What’s Next?
As some of you know, my main focus now is on Antiretirement with the tagline for women too smart to retire. I am encouraging women who may be approaching retirement age not to take a traditional retirement but to stay active and engaged by contributing to something that is important to them. What I’m finding is that for many women this step can be particularly daunting. Why is this?
For many of you at this point in your life, you are accustomed to being and to being seen as extremely competent. You often are closely identified with your profession and the career you’ve built over many years. The thought of stepping into something completely new can be frightening. It can trigger thoughts like: “What if I fail?” “What will my colleagues think of me?” “Will my family and friends support me in this new thing, or will they scoff?” And on and on.
Your Feelings Are Valid!
These feelings are readily acknowledged, but what about the opposite? What happens if you take that big step and you are very successful in a totally new endeavor? With success come thoughts like: “Will they think I’m an interloper who never paid her dues?” “Who does she think she is anyway?” And the often-heard question for older women who are still actively engaged: “When ARE you going to retire, anyway?”
All of this can be really scary because when you try something new, very little is familiar in the beginning. You may not yet be closely identified with your new pursuit. You don’t have your former colleagues around to support you. And your family may be completely confused by what you’re doing and who you seem to be becoming.
And here we come to Shiraz’s final question in his post:
What would stepping into your full potential require you to release?
Next Steps
If you find yourself in this position, what are some steps you can take?
- Give some serious thought to what you want the next ten, twenty, thirty-plus years of your life to be like.
- Try to figure out why this vision of your life is important to you.
- Find someone you trust to discuss the change you’re considering. Make sure it is someone who will not try to talk you out of doing what you want to do.
- When you’re ready, be as clear as you can be with family and friends in describing what you’re going to do and why. And don’t let them talk you out of it.
If you keep #2 firmly in focus, this will help you move through the fear and the unknown so you can confidently step into your full potential. And like the fortune cookie said, aim for the sky. The best version of the rest of your life might be up there in the stars, waiting for you to claim it.
Learn More…
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