Feeling Advancement Anxiety

A few weeks ago, I had a coaching call with one of my favorite clients (okay, spoiler - they are all my favorite). She had built an impressive career at her organization, earning respect for her expertise, her strategic thinking and ability solve complex problems with ease. 

So when she was considering a next-level leadership role—one that would elevate her from an mid-level leader to a highly visible decision-maker—she was both thrilled and panicked.

She wasn't struggling with imposter syndrome, which is the fear you will be “found out” as incapable despite evidence of your success. She wasn't necessarily worried that she'd be “found out” as a fraud.

She didn't doubt her intelligence or question whether she deserved the opportunity. She knew she was capable.  

It was something else, something deeper—the weight of stepping into the unknown, of being truly seen and scrutinized at a higher level.

She described it as an endless loop of “what-ifs.” 

• What if my peers, or my team, don't respect me at this new level?

• What if this success brings a bigger burden that I can't handle?

• What if I can't handle all the decisions I'll be responsible for?

• What if this exposes a “fatal flaw” I have managed to hide?

• What if I feel overwhelmed by the increased scrutiny and judgment that comes with bigger, more visible decisions?

• What if I can't keep my level of success going?

• What if I take on more and my personal life falls apart?

She wasn't questioning her qualifications—she was catastrophizing potential worst-case scenarios and overlooking the positive impact she could make.

This phenomenon is not unique in my clients who are advancing in their careers from high achievers to more influential leaders. As my own business has grown, I feel it, too. 

My name for this is advancement anxiety. It's not the quiet murmur of doubt that makes you double-check your work. It's an overwhelming, future-focused fear that keeps you from taking a leap you're more than ready for and keeps you stuck in an advancement trap.

Unlike imposter syndrome, which makes us overlook our own success and put others on a pedestal, advancement anxiety isn't about feeling like a fraud—it's about fearing the visibility, responsibility, and uncertainty that come with moving forward. It's about the exposure that leadership demands: making big decisions for others, taking risks without guaranteed success, and standing firm in your own judgment rather than relying on external validation.

My client admitted she was afraid to let go of the certainty that had made her so successful. In her current role she had clear metrics, knew how to get answers, and was a go-to person. It just felt so safe to stay put. This executive leadership role, however, felt like uncharted territory—where decisions could be more ambiguous, outcomes more unpredictable on a larger scale, and criticism inevitable.

So, she hesitated. Not because she wasn't capable. Not because she didn't belong. But because stepping into leadership meant embracing a level of vulnerability she wasn't used to. And that is exactly why so many high achievers get stuck.  

PUT THIS IDEA INTO ACTION

Where could you be holding yourself back in your career because you're feeling anxious about your ability to handle the exposure the next level may require of you? Let's be the (C)CIA:

Change your self-criticism to compassion.

If you remember this tip from last week it's because, again, I will shout this from the rooftops until I die - you cannot criticize yourself into more confidence. Have you every noticed when you are hard on yourself about your anxious feelings it creates a downward spiral? Having compassion for yourself in the moment of anxiety sets the groundwork for an upward spiral. 

• Compassion sounds like, “Of course you're worried. Your career is important to you and so is making an impact.” Or, “It's normal to be anxious, it means your career is meaningful to you and you're ready to grow.”

None of the following will work without starting from a compassionate place.

CURIOSITY:

1. Where in my career am I short-changing or hiding myself because I feel I won't be able to handle the exposure/success of higher role?

2. How am I numbing or avoiding this discomfort in the short-term? (I.e. not applying, avoiding a conversation, procrastinating, etc)

IMPACT:

1. What impact is my short-term numbing/avoiding having on my desired long-term results:

   1. Is it not being seen? Not being heard?

   2. Being passed up for a promotion?

   3. Not taking necessary risks?

   4. Example: When I avoid the short-term discomfort of having to go through a rigorous interview process with executives, the long-term impact is that I don't advance to the positions I desire.

2. Purpose: Why do I want to advance to role such as this? What impact do I want to make? What criticism/scrutiny am I willing to endure to pursue this purpose?

ALLOW

1. Allow room for these feelings just to be here without numbing: Notice exactly where they are in your body.  Name the feelings.  Give them room to be there. Take deep breaths to calm your nervous system.

2. Recognize your ability to feel and do. You can advance while also feeling fear. You can interview while also feeling nervous. You can take the next step while also feeling worried.

TRY THIS NEXT: Stop waiting until your anxiety ceases before making your next leadership move. Ask yourself: What's a career opportunity I've been procrastinating on? What is the smallest, next step I can take towards pursuing it (even if I feel nervous)?