When we start with a basic fear such as not being good enough, it makes sense that we would develop a strategy of behavior to counter this. One such strategy is trying harder. For example, the basic belief may be, "If I try hard enough to prove myself, I won't have to feel worthless." So we work very hard to be productive, to demonstrate our value, to excel in whatever we do. We may not even be aware how driven we are by the core fear of being unworthy. In fact, the need to bolster and maintain the self-image of success can be so strong that we may fool ourselves for a lifetime.

Sometimes the strategy of trying harder takes the form of being perpetually busy, or making ourselves indispensable. But still, at bottom, we're trying to validate our own worth. We're desperately trying to avoid the underlying fear of not measuring up. The problem is that no amount of success is enough, because the underlying fear remains unaddressed.

Ezra Bayda, Zen Heart