Fear Of Success

I work in technology. To be more specific I work in technology support; if the users need software installed, corrupted profiles fixed, systems moved or mice cleaned I end up having to head out to fix it. I also monitor servers, configure servers, try to keep electronic point of sales systems running and field calls from users complaining about forgetting passwords or slow login times. Overall if it's plugged into the network and someone has an issue with it I may get the call for working on it in addition to maintenance chores on equipment users usually aren't even aware exist unless one of them malfunctions.

After many years of dealing with various issues that go with the job...often repeating myself over and over...hearing the same issues crop up every month...the job wears on you. Issues of satisfaction in the workplace are a whole post or two if their own.

What I have found myself doing, however, is wondering about what it would be like to switch careers. I have two or three other interests which I've seriously considered trying to move into and so far have not taken the leap. The problem is that there are always perfectly legitimate reasons not to pursue them; I make decent money for my area (although career guides say I'm underpaid for my job and education...it is a problem with the industry), jobs are difficult to come by now, I have become used to things like a roof and heating and food, change is hard..

All of these are, from what I can tell, legitimate reasons to hesitate moving to a different career.

But in my times of introspection I have asked myself if these are the real reasons I don't try changing. They are certainly factors, but the reasons I don't?

The answer I find myself wondering if it isn't the true bug in the soup is what if I'm afraid of finding out that I'm not good at those things?

I've failed to lose (and keep off) weight. I am not a big financial or social success. I worry constantly about bills and raising my kids correctly. I don't even know if I can lose weight with the surgery without failing at that.

If I don't try to do these other career pursuits then my fears of failing are just fears, not confirmation of my ineptitude.

As time passes though I have a little more reminder of why I consider a career change. At some point I may end up with more need to escape than fear of failure. Have any readers made career shifts voluntarily and not necessarily out of necessity? Where you scared to do it and if so how did you face and overcome those fears?