Featured in Selling Power, top circulation sales magazine in North America

Many intelligent, talented, motivated people who have the potential for greatness stop themselves from success,” says Noah St. John, author of Permission to Succeed (Health Communication, 1999). He describes the phenomenon as “success anorexia.”

To discover if you are unconsciously pushing away your own success, take the quiz, excerpted from St. John’s Website (www.successclinic.com/quiz.html). Rate yourself on a scale from 1 to 5 on the following statements, with 1 being “almost never” and being 5 being “almost always.”

1. I read a lot of self-help books, but can’t seem to use them to improve my own life.
2. I’m frustrated by my financial situation.
3. I’m in a job that doesn’t allow me to express my real talents or true abilities.
4. I expect myself to be perfect all the time.
5. I try to be all things to all people.
6. I often find myself starting projects and not finishing them.
7. I’m tired of getting close to success ̶ ̶ and then sabotaging myself.
8. I feel guilty saying no to other people.
9. I’m more comfortable watching succeed than letting myself succeed.
10. I usually feel like I’m not doing enough, even when I’m doing all I can.
11. I feel responsible for everyone else’s feelings.
12. I often let others win, even when I could easily win.
13.I tend to have a law opinion of myself, even though other people say I’m smart, funny, and capable.
14. I tend to undercharge for my services (if you own your own business).
15. I usually settle for crumbs, even though I know I deserve better.

IF YOU SCORED 46 IR ABOVE: You may be starving yourself of the success you’re capable of.
Reprinted with permission from Noah St. John