Fear Of Being Replaceable

Persons experiencing this fear believe they are neither unique nor special. They are just like everyone else and could be easily replaced on the job or in a relationship. Because of this, a person might become hyper-regimented or disciplined in order to stand out from others who are less so. Or a person might forego growth and remain small, believing it will help them avoid being replaced for being too unique. The net result is that a person's natural uniqueness is coopted by this fear and presented either in exaggerated caricature form or concealed altogether.

Hot Air Balloon

You get inflated with enthusiasm, hyped up on new ideas, and chase the next adventure, but you aren’t centered or anchored to any fundamentals. When the winds of change start swirling you come crashing down. Rather than building through a transformation gradually, you focus on the next burst, which ultimately leads to a burst that brings you down.

What you value is an important element for any successful team or organization. However, in limbo moments when you feel stress, pressure, change or uncertainty, your values will become out-of-balance, causing you to build unbalanced teams and create an unbalanced culture.

The core value of those with this fear is Authenticity. Without awareness, in times of stress you will overvalue Freedom and undervalue Consistency.

Every leader pursuing an ambitious horizon experiences doubts. You will experience relational doubts ("Do they like me?") and you will experience mission doubts ("Am I doing a good job?"). At the root of it all is a mindset doubt.

If this is your top fear, your core doubt is "I doubt I matter". Here are also a few questions that may help you see and understand your doubt better.

You can become an exaggerated caricature of yourself to build and maintain meaningful relationships.

You are not special or unique. You need to do more to stand out.