It seems even JK Rowling sometimes feels the need to go under the radar to avoid the high expectations of others.
Having written a critically acclaimed crime novel, The Cuckoo’s Calling, under the guise of a retired military policeman named Robert Galbraith, JK Rowling’s cover was recently blown by the Sunday Times after it confirmed its suspicions that the ‘debut novel’ of Galbraith was too good for a first-time novelist.
Once she’d been outed, the creator of Harry Potter shared her disappointment that her secret was out and the freedom that she had enjoyed by being able to work anonymously, without the hype she ordinarily attracts.
“I hoped to keep this secret a little longer, because being Robert Galbraith has been such a liberating experience! It has been wonderful to publish without hype or expectation and pure pleasure to get feedback from publishers and readers under a different name,” Rowling said in a statement.
While Rowling’s motivations also probably stemmed from the desire to create something without relying on her fame or success, many of us can identify with the desire to hide away from the expectations of our peers and the related pressure to succeed, despite our career achievements to date.
Psychologist, executive coach and chief happiness officer at The Happiness Institute, Dr Tim Sharp, has come across incredibly successful clients who deeply question their next career move, such as starting a new business, based on their fear of failure or not living up to their own expectations or those of their peers.
“What if I can’t do that again? What if I’m a one-hit-wonder?” says Sharp, describing the doubt that arises among his clients who are contemplating their next venture off the back of an already successful business.
Referring to a 2009 TED Talk featuring author Elizabeth Gilbert – during which she discusses the pressure to top the success of her bestselling book Eat, Pray, Love – Sharp says the best way to overcome this fear of failure is to weigh up the pros and cons of your new project and to keep doing what you love.
“[Elizabeth Gilbert] came to the conclusion that the success didn’t matter. She said she’s a writer, and the fact that [the book] was so successful, was almost a side effect. It wasn’t the reason she started writing,” Sharp explains.
“From my point of view, as a psychologist, you need to focus on the process. Do you what you do, do what you’re good at doing, what you enjoy doing and where your strengths lie. If you do the right things, the results will take care of themselves.”
Sharp also mentioned the ‘imposter syndrome‘ that affects so many of us and says avoiding attention, just as JK Rowling did, is a way of minimising risk or exposure. “If I do get found out, I have protection,” he says.
“It’s often unfounded but it’s a very, very common [feeling]. It’s very similar to what many psychologists would call defensive pessimism … In this context, it’s appropriate risk management. ‘What could go wrong and how can I mitigate against that?'”
According to the director of Nourish Coaching, Sally-Anne Blanshard, while the reluctance among some people to reveal their latest venture depends on their personality type, people need to back themselves and confide in someone who will challenge them and inspire them.
“Depending on their personality type, I would give them the tools and the comfort to make that happen,” she says.
“Sometimes people launch projects and you don’t know who’s behind them and there’s something quite exciting about that. It can be quite successful to hide behind the armour … In some instances hiding under the armour isn’t so bad.”