Individuals are more reluctant to lose something they possess than to acquire something of value that they presently lack. This leads to a massive difference in how motivated they become to accomplish new objectives. In psychology, this is referred to as loss aversion.

A study published in the Journal of Experimental Psychology: General illustrates what this looks like in everyday life. Across four experiments, it became clear that the fear of loss can often be a far stronger motivator than hope for gaining something new.

Highly successful individuals deliberately harness this natural loss-aversion. They motivate themselves by defining goals not just by potential rewards, but by what they could lose. They actively use the fear of failure or missed potential as a major driving force. Here’s how to harness fear as a strong motivator to reach your goals.

When you’re instructed to “create the life you want,” the timeline is unclear and far away. Most people do not entirely believe those dreams. Instead, identifying what you will not accept — the behaviors, people, and things you despise, whether conceived or based on previous experience — elicits a visceral reaction that feels present and tangible.

A 2025 study in the Journal of Personality Assessment introduced the Fear of Failure as

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