What do you think of overachievers?

Question

I used to be an overachiever and then I turned into an average achiever. By overachieving, I mean those people who try to be perfect at things like GPAs, careers, and the like. What happened to enjoying life? Does that 100 on your test really mean anything if you don't remember 100 percent of the stuff later on in life? Isn't learning, helping others, and being happy the most important things in life? I came from the top public school in New York City, and overachievers there sleep for an average of four hours per night and get continuously stressed out. This type of mentality also promotes cheating and lots of competition over things like GPAs that don't really matter in the long run. How is this mentality healthy?

Then that's not how I define overachieving first person who answered.

The prefix "over" suggests:

1 : so as to exceed or surpass 2 : excessive 3 : to an excessive degree

Then you are not an overachiever by my definition, Diane.

Answer 1

Not all overachievers obsess like that. You can be happy and be an overachiever at the same time.

But I do understand where you're coming from. In middle school and high school I knew this one guy who was OBSESSIVE. If he got a 98 on a project instead of a 100 percent, he would spend his entire day stressing over it. ONE bad homework grade could ruin his entire week. At the beginning of high school, he even cleared his entire room just so he could obsess over schoolwork.

I think this type of behavior is a result from the type of crap they shove down your throat during school years. They tell you to work hard and if you don't then you'll end up poor when you're older, but they don't make it clear that you should enjoy your life [particularly your childhood] as well and that you don't necessarily have to have all A+s w/ a 4.0 GPA. I think so many children have lost their childhoods because of the crap they've told us since we began school.

There are those types of overachievers that mutilate their mental health and life in general, and then there are the overachievers that do have a healthy perception of how much is too much. Some people would call me an overachiever, I did try to get all As.. But I wasn't obsessive. I didn't stress if I got Bs on report cards, but did make an effort to improve them. I did have fun when my parents allowed it [sadly they rarely did].

So I suppose there are two types of overachievers.. Obsessive, unhealthy ones and realistic healthy ones.

Answer 2

Ugh, not this back....everyone may be an overachiever or underachiever in keeping with how not straightforward they are keen to artwork. Your solar sign won't make certain the techniques you're making. i understand human beings of all signs and indicators that fall into the two categories. I even have a superb variety of Capricorn acquaintances that are lazy as heck and don't get something finished, to boot as some that are workaholics. the entire chart performs a place, and loose will continues to be the main mandatory element. i won't be in a place to tell you approximately the different signs and indicators, yet i'm able to assert that i'm a Libra, and that i'm somewhat formidable and overachieving. I artwork not straightforward in the direction of my targets, and continually might desire to be on the right.

Answer 3

I'm an overachiever but I couldn't care less about GPAs or perfect grades; I'm concerned with being able to make good theories and defend them, even in a debate with a professor. I think it depends on how far someone takes their compulsion to be perfect and what they consider perfection to be. Someone who lets their grades get in the way of their own health is a danger to themselves. But if you can get the work done without self-harm then why not? Sometimes overachievers need a new system to measure success. I've never used grades, just the feedback from the professors. I think that's a much safer measure.

edit: Thanks, but this grad student knows what overachiever means. I don't have to explain everything about myself to you. I'm merely trying to point out that the drive to overachieve can be directed and re-directed in different ways.

Answer 4

Many take education as a scoreboard not a learning process.What matters is that you take the most out of it, and try your best at succeeding.
I think they live for the scores, and not for the fight or the experience .I mean they work so hard to get a good grade, that it becomes an obsession.Don't get me wrong, there are many overachievers that aren't like that.I know many people that fit your description.They're trying to get in the best colleges, and don't get the knowledge out of it.
Numbers eat some overachievers inside out.Sad, but true.

Answer 5

I'm an overachiever and dont find that I'm any more stressed out than others who are just trying to get by. My high GPA wasnt due to only retaining material for the testing period but I learned facts that will be with me forever. I still had plenty of time to volunteer and help others and am very content with my life.