Jonah Complex

Motives which may cause a person not become Self-Actualized are:

• Deprived Childhoods
•  Low Social Economic Class
• Inadequate Education
• Fears and Anxieties
• Jonah Complex – Fear of Success

What is to give light must endure burning.  

Viktor E. Frankl 

Jonah and the Whale

The Jonah Complex can be seen as false sense of modesty which suppresses our natural creativity or a  the fear of one’s own potential.  In the Bible, God tells Jonah to prophecies that "Nineveh shall be overthrown.” Jonah flees, getting on a ship going the opposite direction, to Tarshish. The ship finds itself in a horrible storm, and the sailors begin to question why this is happening. Jonah admits to the sailors that he was the reason they encountered the storm. The sailors cast off Jonah, the storm clams  and miraculously he is swallowed by a whale, where he spends 3 days and 3 nights. The whale spews out Jonah. He goes to Nineveh and this time does as God instructed.

"So often we run away from the responsibilities dictated (or rather suggested) by nature, by fate, even sometimes by accident, just as Jonah tried—in vain—to run away from his fate"              Abraham Maslow

Jonah was evading his responsibility of living up to an important mission, which elevated him to his greatness.  Maslow saw this complex in many people preventing them to Self-Actualize.

Why do people dodge or try to escape their own greatness:

• Fear of the responsibilities of greatness
• Fear of appearing arrogant and not accepted by others
• Unable to fully see oneself in a position of authority
• Fearing people will not accept you if you get what your heart desires
•  Fear of losing control, being overwhelmed and falling apart

Transitions

Transitions are major triggers to the Jonah Complex:

• Making a move
• A promotions with more responsibilities
• Going on an audition/interview for a dream gig/job
• Entering a new stage in the life cycle 
• Getting married or having a baby