The first of these demotivators is the fear of failure. This
is the greatest single obstacle to success and achievement
in adult life. Because of destructive criticism in childhood,
adults grow up afraid of making a mistake or failing at their
work. This fear serves as a form of paralysis and holds people
back from taking risks, volunteering for new responsibilities,
or extending themselves in any way. Fear of failure
continually creates reasons or excuses for nonperformance.