The Six Basic Fears Every Human Suffers and Their Solution

In Think and Grow Rich, Napoleon Hill describes six basic fears that every person experiences at some point in life. Most people are lucky if they don’t suffer from all six. Other, smaller fears can usually be grouped under these main ones. But fears are nothing more than states of mind, and our minds can be controlled and directed. In this article, we look at each of the six basic fears, how to recognise them, and practical ways to overcome them.

The Six Basic Fears at a Glance

Fear	Common Signs
Fear of Poverty	Indecision, doubt, worry, over-caution, procrastination
Fear of Criticism	Self-consciousness, low confidence, lack of initiative
Fear of Ill Health	Imagining symptoms, constant worry about illness
Fear of Loss of Love	Jealousy, fault-finding, reckless habits
Fear of Old Age	Slowing down early, feeling “too old” to start
Fear of Death	Dwelling on dying instead of living

1. The Fear of Poverty

Hill considered the fear of poverty the most destructive of the six basic fears. He placed it first because it is the hardest to overcome. The fear of poverty is a state of mind, something we create rather than something forced on us, yet it is powerful enough to destroy a person’s chances of success in any area of life. Poverty is not only about lacking money; it is also a mental condition. Many people stay trapped by limiting beliefs, negative thoughts, and self-defeating behaviour, even when opportunities are all around them.

Common signs: indifference, indecision, doubt, worry, over-caution, and procrastination.

How to Overcome the Fear of Poverty

Train yourself to see opportunities instead of limitations. This reduces fear-driven choices.
Set small, achievable financial goals to build confidence.
Build more than one source of income, such as a side business or investments.
Replace thoughts like “I’ll never escape poverty” with “I can build wealth step by step.”
Learn from people who have overcome financial hardship themselves.
Visualise success to shift your thinking away from scarcity.
Break the cycle of self-sabotage by taking small, consistent actions.

2. The Fear of Criticism

The fear of criticism shows up in many ways, most of them small and unnecessary. It takes away a person’s initiative, weakens imagination, limits individuality, and reduces self-confidence. Hill noted that parents often cause lasting damage to their children by criticising them too harshly.

Common signs: self-consciousness, lack of confidence, feelings of inferiority, overspending to impress others, hesitation to take initiative, and lack of ambition.

People refuse to take action when the fear of criticism becomes stronger than the desire for success.
Napoleon Hill, Think and Grow Rich

How to Overcome the Fear of Criticism

Take time to process criticism instead of responding defensively.
Remember that not all criticism is valid. Consider whether it comes from someone trusted and knowledgeable.
Write down what you learned from each piece of criticism to turn it into growth.
Practise receiving feedback from friends or mentors so it feels less threatening over time.

3. The Fear of Ill Health

According to Hill, people fear ill health because of the frightening images planted in their minds about what might happen if death overtakes them. Writing in 1937, he cited an estimate that around 75% of people who visit doctors are suffering from hypochondria (imaginary illness). That figure comes from his time, but the core idea still holds: today, doctors widely recognise that chronic stress and anxiety can affect physical health.

Common signs: negative self-suggestion (looking for and expecting to find symptoms), hypochondria, avoiding exercise and outdoor activity, high susceptibility to illness, self-indulgence, and lack of moderation.

How to Overcome the Fear of Ill Health

Keep a note of your worries and what triggers them to spot patterns.
Use breathing exercises, meditation, or yoga to calm the nervous system.
Share worries with trusted friends or family instead of bottling them up.
Consider therapy. Cognitive behavioural therapy (CBT) is highly effective for health anxiety.
Trust professional medical advice instead of self-diagnosing online.

4. The Fear of Loss of Love

Hill described the fear of losing love as the most painful of the six basic fears. Jealousy and similar negative emotions often grow from this deep fear of being abandoned or unloved.

Common signs: jealousy, constant fault-finding, and reckless habits such as gambling.

How to Overcome the Fear of Loss of Love

Use mindfulness to calm anxious thoughts and anchor yourself in the present.
Seek professional support to work through deeper fears of abandonment.
Write down your fears and reframe them into positive affirmations.
Strengthen your own identity and confidence so you don’t depend entirely on another person.
Share your fears honestly with your partner. Openness often deepens the connection.
Notice and appreciate small daily moments of love to reduce fear-driven thinking.

5. The Fear of Old Age

Hill traced the fear of old age to two main causes. First, people worry about poverty in their later years and distrust others, fearing that someone might take away what they have earned. Second, they fear the unknown after death, shaped by frightening ideas passed down to them before they were old enough to think for themselves. Many people also fear losing their health, freedom, and independence as they age.

How to Overcome the Fear of Old Age

Use meditation and breathing techniques to manage anxiety about ageing.
Surround yourself with examples of active, vibrant older adults.
Avoid media that portrays ageing only as decline.
Take up meaningful activities that give life direction at any age.
Exercise regularly, eat a balanced diet, and sleep well to stay energetic.
Keep learning through reading and creative pursuits to keep your mind sharp.

6. The Fear of Death

For many people, the fear of death is the deepest fear of all. Yet death comes to everyone, no matter what we think about it. Hill encouraged readers to accept it as a natural part of life rather than something to dwell on. If it were not necessary, it would not happen to all. And perhaps it is not as frightening as it has often been imagined.

How to Overcome the Fear of Death

Align your daily actions with your values so that life feels meaningful and complete.
Build deep relationships, which reduce the fear of being alone at the end.
Explore philosophy, religion, or spiritual practice, which many people find comforting.
Use writing, art, or storytelling to turn thoughts about mortality into meaning.
Practise gratitude to shift your focus from fear of loss to appreciation of life.
Practise mindfulness to stay in the present and reduce anxiety about the future.

The Common Cure: Decision

All six fears show up in the same form: worry. Hill’s remedy was simple but powerful. Make a firm, once-and-for-all decision that nothing life has to offer is worth the price of worry. Once that decision is made, the fears lose their grip, and the energy they consumed becomes available for building the life you want. To learn how to make firm decisions, read Decision: The Driving Force of Everyone’s Life.