Debilitating fears are a problem for everyone, an unfortunate part of the human experience. Whether they’re a result of learned behavior as a child, are related to a mental health condition, or stem from a past wounding event, these fears influence a character’s behaviors, habits, beliefs, and personality traits. The compulsion to avoid what they fear will drive characters away from certain people, events, and situations and hold them back in life.
In your story, this primary fear (or group of fears) will constantly challenge the goal the character is pursuing, tempting them to retreat, settle, and give up on what they want most. Because this fear must be addressed for them to achieve success, balance, and fulfillment, it plays a pivotal part in both character arc and the overall story.
This thesaurus explores the various fears that might be plaguing your character. Use it to understand and utilize fears to fully develop your characters and steer them through their story arc. Please note that this isn’t a self-diagnosis tool. Fears are common in the real world, and while we may at times share similar tendencies as characters, the entry below is for fiction writing purposes only.
Fear of Leaving No Legacy
Notes
There are different kinds of legacies. Sometimes, it’s accumulating something substantial, such as money or land, for one’s children. In other cases, a legacy is a worthwhile accomplishment that will be remembered after the character’s death. Legacy is often tied up in purpose, resulting in a character with this fear going to any length to leave their mark and prove that their life had meaning and substance.
What It Looks Like
Being ambitious
Accumulating wealth or status (degrees, membership in exclusive clubs, etc.)
Protecting the legacy above all else
Overspending to impress the right people and win recognition
Having high expectations (for themselves and/or others)
The character focusing intensely on whatever path will make their legacy a reality
Passionately pursuing creative endeavors and acclaim
Donating significant amounts of money to charities, hospitals, or the arts
The character pushing their own children toward financial or creative success
Volunteerism
Keeping meticulous records and photos for posterity
Making emotional decisions (instead of logical ones) surrounding the legacy
Using unethical means to keep others from blocking the character’s pursuit
Common Internal Struggles
Feeling guilty for missing family milestones in pursuit of the legacy
Wanting to leave a legacy despite knowing it won’t last forever
Grappling with the fear of dying without having left a mark
Seeing an opportunity that will give the character what they want, but knowing that others will be harmed by it
The character fearing they’ll never do enough to establish their legacy, no matter how hard they work
Being tempted to use unethical means to reach the goal
Wanting to build some kind of legacy but not knowing what it should be
Worrying about who will continue the legacy when the character is gone
Hindrances and Disruptions to the Character’s Life
An inability to balance the legacy with other areas of life
Missing important family events because of the character’s single-minded dedication to the legacy
Being unable to enjoy life outside of the legacy
Competing with friends and siblings (to earn more money, be more successful, etc.)
Living with regret over things and people the character sacrificed in pursuit of the legacy
Scenarios That Might Awaken This Fear
Seeing someone fade into obscurity after their death
The character’s parent dying with nothing to leave for their heirs
A long-standing record of the character’s being broken
The character being unable to overcome an obstacle threatening their legacy
Having to declare bankruptcy
The character falling dangerously ill and not wanting to leave only debts for their children
The character being told that nothing they do matters
Other Fear Thesaurus entries can be found here.
Need More Descriptive Help?
While this thesaurus is still being developed, the rest of our descriptive collection (16 unique thesauri and growing) is accessible through the One Stop for Writers THESAURUS database.
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Becca Puglisi is an international speaker, writing coach, and bestselling author of The Emotion Thesaurus and its sequels. Her books are available in five languages, are sourced by US universities, and are used by novelists, screenwriters, editors, and psychologists around the world. She is passionate about learning and sharing her knowledge with others through her Writers Helping Writers blog and via One Stop For Writers—a powerhouse online library created to help writers elevate their storytelling.