When fear is mentioned, we mostly talk of a fear of rejection, failure, judgement or betrayal ie; the fear of encountering negative experiences?
But you ever had of a phenomenon where people are afraid of positive experiences like success and achievements?
This is where the concept of Jonah Complex comes through.
Definition of the Jonah Complex;
The Jonah Complex refers to the idea of the fear associated with attaining success or achievements or being one’s best self. We’re afraid of our own potential.
The term is widely credited to Psychologist Abraham Maslow but let credit be given where it’s due. The idea was originally suggested by Maslow’s friend Frank Manuel.
Or let’s say The idea of Jonah Complex was popularized by Abraham Maslow.
Before Maslow and Frank, the term Jonah had been used in the Christian’s spiritual book – the Bible, of a man who evaded from his purpose in Nineveh.
Today, it’s widely used to refer to situations where people sabotage their own efforts to avoid success.
Causes of the Jonah Complex.
The vary and include;
• Past Traumatic Experience where an individual was criticized, shamed or embarrassed for standing out or succeeding. Equally when someone was labeled as a ‘show off’ or a burden to others for displaying his achievements. Our minds work hardly to veer us off from reliving any experiences it deem to be painful.
• Other fears associated with success for instance : Fear of being seen for success involves visibility, fear of critiscism, fear of failure, judgement and the fear of the Uknown.
• Low self worth – Individual’s beliefs about selves and their self image largely contribute to their level of self efficacy. A low self worth contributes to a poor self efficacy. One believes he’s npt valuable or worthy of attention.
• Apart from beliefs about selves, Beliefs about success might be a major contributing factor for instance someone who associates success with Problems.
• As an unconscious identification with the tribe members to avoid the guilt that comes with succeeding. For instance; One raised in a poor family background or in a ghetto hood.
•Personality traits such as; Shyness, social Anxiety, hyperfectionism can be a major factor here.
• Imposter syndrome where one has a fear of being found or exposed as inadequate. We’re afraid that we won’t live other’s expectations.
• A fear of losing friends, current identity and personal narrative might also contribute to a fear of success
• Individual with an inferiority complex and victim complex get their sense of self from being underdogs or victims hence success threatens this sense of self. Equally, the fear of rewards such as Sympathy to one with a victim complex can be a contributing factor.
• Inherited memories from our ancestors might equally be a factor if success feels like betrayal to a tribe. Ancestrally, any form of betrayal led to exile or death. We inherited these memories.
Triggers to the Jonah Complex;
• Career Promotion
• Beginning new stage in Life.
• New Commitments such as Marriage or friendship.
• A new Project.
Effects of the Jonah Complex;
• It leads to procrastination and laziness where we put off important things untill the last minute.
• It might lead to avoidance behaviours where we avoid opportunities, promotions and setting new goals.
• Other self sabotage behaviours such as self -handicapping where we invent obstacles on our ways.
• Giving up or sabitaging efforts when you’re just about to succeed.
• It might lead to hesitation to take on new challenges and goals. Equally maintaining the momentum might become a norm.
• It leads to career stagnation.
• It might lead to setting of low expectations or being less ambitious or low goals.
• Eventually unfulfilled potential leads to frustration and bitterness.
Carl Jung claimed that most people who were cynical or bitter about the world and those who pursue their paths were just suffering from the effects of their unacknowledged potential.
“The world is full of people suffering from the effects of their own unlived life. They become bitter, critical, or rigid, not because the world is cruel to them, but because they have betrayed their own inner possibilities. The artist who never makes art becomes cynical about those who do. The lover who never risks loving mocks romance. The thinker who never commits to a philosophy sneers at belief itself. And yet, all of them suffer, because deep down they know: the life they mock is the life they were meant to live.” —Carl Jung
Abraham Maslow warned us;
“If you deliberately plan on being less than you are capable of being,
then I warn you that you’ll be deeply unhappy
for the rest of your life”.
How to Manage the Jonah Complex,.
• Awareness – The first step to any transformation in psychology starts with Awareness. Making the unconscious conscious.
• Reframe negative beliefs about selves and success.
• Develop what experts refer to Distress tolerance techniques ie; Being comfortable with the uncomfortable emotions and outcomes. The fear, the anxiety, the guilty.
• Disidentification with past negative experiences eg; Past failures or mistakes.
• Get advice from a professional service giver.
Reference List.
•Kaufman, S. B. (2020, July 20). Fearing growth: The Jonah complex. Scott Barry Kaufman. https://scottbarrykaufman.com/fearing-growth-the-jonah-complex/
•Maslow, A. H. (1971). The farther reaches of human nature. Viking Press.
•Segal, J. (2026, January 29). What is the fear of success? Verywell Mind. https://www.verywellmind.com/what-is-the-fear-of-success-5179184
•Wikipedia contributors. (2024, April 14). Jonah complex. In Wikipedia, The Free Encyclopedia. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Jonah_complex