FEAR THESAURUS

MEDIOCRITY



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HELPFUL TIP:

A deeply embedded fear often stems from trauma, so it can be helpful to explore emotional wounds that may be a factor. Your character might also become risk-averse, avoiding people and situations they associate with this fear. And for a character to achieve their story goal, they must overcome any fear-based thinking that's holding them back. The Character Builder is a great resource for pulling all these factors together.
NOTES:
The fear of mediocrity is a double-edged sword. On one hand, it can drive the character to do their very best, rising to all occasions and overcoming the obstacles that stand in their way on the path to success. The dark side of this fear comes when it is based on external validation. Needing the admiration of their peers instead of basing their success and value on their uniqueness and areas of strength is a recipe for disaster.

WHAT IT LOOKS LIKE:
The character being hyper-critical of themselves
Searching for purpose in life
Wanting to be extraordinary
Difficulty accepting criticism
Becoming anxious as deadlines approach
Being a perfectionist
The character comparing themselves unfairly to others
Needing external validation
Desiring superiority over others
Refusing to accept mediocrity in others
Having unrealistic expectations
The character basing their value on the opinions of others
Being envious of other people's accomplishments
Being scared to take risks (because those could result in failure)
Being an overachiever
Having a large ego
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COMMON INTERNAL STRUGGLES:
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FLAWS THAT MAY EMERGE:
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HINDRANCES AND DISRUPTIONS TO THE CHARACTER'S LIFE:
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EMOTIONAL WOUNDS IT COULD STEM FROM:
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SCENARIOS THAT MIGHT AWAKEN THIS FEAR :
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HUMAN NEEDS THAT COULD BE IMPACTED:
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GOALS MADE DIFFICULT BY THIS FEAR:
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CONFLICT SCENARIOS THAT OFFER GROWTH OPPORTUNITIES:
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