Insecurity. The shadow that follows you, your constant companion, never asking for permission, just sneaking up behind you.
You can hide it, mask it, pretend it doesn’t exist. But it does.
It always does.
And then you get that harsh mirror in your face, and you realize it’s staring you down, not letting you go.
But hey, you might be like, “Well, I’ll just ignore it, pretend I don’t see it,” right?
That’s cute. But I’m here to tell you that ignoring insecurity is like ignoring your liver—eventually, it’s gonna get sick of being ignored.
So let’s talk about it.
Let’s talk about Sartre, the French philosopher who dug deep into the muck of human existence, and then told us that it’s all on us to make something of it.
Yeah, he said we’re all free.
Free to be who we are. Free to mess it all up, too.
1. The Weight of Freedom and the Burden of Insecurity
Jean-Paul Sartre wasn’t just some angry guy yelling about how the world’s a mess.
No, he laid it down that we’re all free—freer than we care to admit.
And that freedom?
It’s not some liberating feeling. It’s like being on a tightrope, with nothing but empty space beneath.
Free to choose, free to act—but also free to screw up.
When you’re free, you’re responsible. No one to blame. It’s all on you.
That’s where insecurity comes in. The more freedom you have, the more you realize how much you could fail.
And that, my friend, can mess with your head.
2. Insecurity Affects Every Area of Your Life
In Sartre’s world, your insecurity isn’t just a little thing tucked away in a dark corner of your mind. No, no. It’s everywhere. Every action, every choice, is impacted by it.
The judgment of others? That’s part of the existential stew we all live in.
Sartre talks about “the look”—when someone looks at you, it’s not just a casual glance. It’s a judgment, an assessment that you’re either measuring up or falling short.
And what do we do? We hide it.
We play games, wear masks, pretend like we’re not trembling inside.
But Sartre says that by hiding it, we’re just lying to ourselves. The only way out is to face it head-on. Ouch, right?
3. The Self-Help Route—Is It Really The Answer?
Look, everyone’s trying to sell you a quick fix. You’ve got self-help books, podcasts, Instagram gurus telling you to “embrace your power,” “unlock your potential.”
But Sartre? He didn’t buy into that.
He said you can’t just “fix” yourself by buying a book or listening to some motivational speaker.
No, no. You’ve got to do the real work—the work of confronting yourself, dealing with your insecurities, and accepting that life is an absurd mess.
It’s not neat. It’s not easy.
You either deal with it, or you keep running from it, and the funny thing is—you still end up running in circles.
4. Insecurity as a Defense Mechanism
Ever noticed how some people project their insecurities onto others? It’s a classic move.
You get anxious about who you are, so you take that messy ball of fear and shove it in someone else’s face.
Not the healthiest approach, but damn, it’s common. Sartre said that people often do this because facing the truth about themselves is just too damn hard.
But let me tell you this—if you want to stop sabotaging your relationships, you need to cut that out.
Take a breath, face the fear, and stop using others as your emotional punching bags. It’s exhausting.
5. The Power of Taking Responsibility
Sartre wasn’t here for the victim mentality. He wasn’t gonna let you off the hook with the excuse that you’re a product of your circumstances.
No, you’re a product of your choices. The truth is—you’re responsible for everything in your life. Every failure, every triumph, every insecurity.
And it’s a heavy load to carry, but Sartre said it’s the only way to truly live.
Stop blaming your past. Stop blaming the world. It’s all on you, buddy.
6. Risk, Trial, and Error: The Path to Building Confidence
Insecurity can paralyze you. You sit there, stuck, terrified of making the wrong move.
But here’s the thing—nothing is going to change unless you take risks.
You have to jump in, fall flat on your face, get up, and try again.
Sartre knew that. Life isn’t about waiting for the right moment to act.
It’s about acting and learning from your mistakes. Get used to failure, because it’s the only way you’ll ever learn who you really are.
7. Therapy or Self-Work? That’s a Choice You Have to Make
Sometimes, your insecurities can be too much to handle on your own. And that’s okay. Sartre wasn’t saying you should do this alone, either.
If you can’t handle your demons, you might need some professional help.
Therapy, mental health services—they’re there for a reason.
But don’t think for a second that it’s an instant fix. Therapy’s not a magic trick.
It’s a long, uncomfortable process of facing yourself and your darkest fears. And if you choose that route, don’t expect a fairy-tale ending.
You’ll still be you, just a version that’s a little less tortured.
Summary of Sartre’s Existentialism:
| Point | Explanation |
|---|---|
| Freedom & Responsibility | We are all free, and with that freedom comes responsibility—no one to blame but yourself. |
| Insecurity’s Ubiquity | Insecurity affects every aspect of your life; it’s always lurking in the background. |
| Self-Help & Quick Fixes | Sartre rejects easy fixes—true growth comes from facing life’s absurdity, not buying a book. |
| Projection of Insecurities | We often project our insecurities onto others to avoid dealing with them ourselves. |
| Taking Responsibility | Own your choices, your mistakes, and your failures—only then can you live authentically. |
| Risk, Trial, & Error | Confidence isn’t built by avoiding failure—it’s built by risking, failing, and learning. |
| Therapy and Self-Work | If necessary, get help—but remember, it’s not a shortcut to a better you. |
You know, it’s funny.
Sartre’s philosophy—it sounds harsh. It sounds like a cold slap in the face. “You’re free,” he says, “but guess what? You’re also totally responsible for all of it.”
No excuses, no safety net.
You’re not some puppet pulled by strings, not some victim of fate.
You’ve got the power, the terrifying power, to screw things up.
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