Overcoming Completion Anxiety

As humans, we are affected by heavy bouts of worry and fear, which cause anxiety.

There are all forms of anxiety, but I recently discovered that I have this particular type known as completion anxiety. It is the fear of being unable to complete a task or believing that something may not go as expected.

Sounds more or less related to the more popular “fear of failure”.

Causes

Being a perfectionist is a common symptom of having this completion anxiety. If things don’t go as planned, you naturally fear what the ending could look like.

A lack of confidence in one’s skills and abilities can also cause completion anxiety. It is more common than you may think. Some of the best people you know also suffer from a lack of self-confidence. It’s not a strange feeling, but it is also possible to work through it. Always remember that.

Dealing with it

I usually deal with my completion anxiety by first building awareness of my situation. I do this through meditation or just practising self-awareness. I found an app called Healthy Minds that’s free and helpful for guided meditation and knowledge on psychoanalysis.

It would also be beneficial to practise building self-confidence and face your fears. Nobody is perfect. Keeping that in mind helps me look past my flaws and make an attempt at the next step, no matter how feebly.

The next time you start a project and as it draws to a close, you begin to feel anxious, know that it is completion anxiety, and you need not worry too much. Just get conscious about your situation and psych yourself to face that fear. After a while, it grows on you and becomes much easier to deal with.