The Fear of Letting People Down

I spent years terrified I’d let everyone down. Staff. Clients. My wife. My kids.

On the outside, I smiled. On the inside, I was falling apart.

Truth? I did let people down plenty of times. But the part that nearly killed me wasn’t the mistakes... it was the pretending.

The crack in the mask came in a boardroom. Someone asked: “How are you doing, really?”

For once, I didn’t fire back the fake answer. I said: “Honestly? I’m struggling. Some days I don’t even want to be here.”

Silence. My stomach dropped. I thought I’d just ended my credibility.

But then they leaned in. Shared their own stories. Offered support.

That’s when I realised: people don’t follow bulletproof. They follow honest.

Leadership Stripped Back Lesson

The fear of letting people down is what keeps leaders awake at 3am. It makes us carry things alone. It stops us asking for help.

But here’s the paradox: the moment you admit the fear, it loses its grip. Honesty builds trust in ways perfection never can.

This isn’t about weakness. It’s about giving others permission to drop their masks too.

1% Action Step

This week, when someone asks how you are... answer honestly, not automatically. Even one sentence of truth can build more trust than years of pretending.

Golden Nugget

I used to think respect came from getting everything right. But it’s the scars people respect most. The lessons, not the trophies.

Question for You

Have you ever felt that same fear of letting people down? Hit reply and tell me how you handled it — I’ll share some of your stories (with permission) in a future issue.

Thank you for reading and following my journey.