is insecurity a good motivator?

insecurity could theoretically be a good motivator if the results it achieves outweighs the pain of the insecurity.

for example, if you're at risk of a heart attack if you don't exercise and clean up your diet, the insecurity around dying lol is productive if it gets you to make lifestyle changes and not die

that's the theory anyway. but i dont know if i buy that theory anymore

insecurity is often not a good motivator because it leads to guilt and perfectionism, which are the seeds of procrastination

example

let's say you have an insecurity around dressing well. you believe you don't dress well and have a big narrative in your head about why that's really bad.

now when you try to buy a pair of shoes, it has to be exactly the right pair, because the consequence of not having the right pair, is looking bad, which is really bad. this perfectionism makes you procrastinate. and you feel guilty about putting off this task for so long it becomes even harder to start/finish

(this is why i believe it's paradoxically easier to get things done the less you care avout them)

so i think it's better to reframe your insecurities. insecurities are often should statements, i should do this otherwise it's really bad / i'm a really bad person. try something like, i want to do X, X is optional, but if I do X ill get these specific really cool benefits

now insecurity does help in a bunch of cases i concede that are more existential, like health, maybe getting a job. but after that it's better to be driven by smth else (driven by eustress not distress)