Do you know someone who sounds like an overachiever… maybe even yourself?
If you do, cut the overachievers in your life (or yourself!) a little slack. Hopefully, this article will put you in our shoes. And hey, if you are an overachiever, you might even laugh at yourself a little. We’re kind of funny when you think about it!
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1. We Can’t Find the Forest for the Trees
It’s in the details. We know exactly how that decoration or project should be organized, and if it’s not perfect, it will drive us nuts. (That’s why I’m re-reading this article for the umpteenth time.)
This also means that we can get so wrapped up in a little detail that we forget the big picture.
2. We Make Lists
Believe it or not, we find this relaxing. Finally, we know exactly what we need to do (and quite possibly, when we will do it and in what order). Plus, we have a wonderful little box to check off or items to cross off when we’ve accomplished something.
3. We LOVE to Organize
And it starts early. I organized my mom’s shoes on two separate occasions around age three and promised her that her closet would stay neat if she would just put the shoes back from where she got them.
Don’t expect perfection, though. Some of us have realized that we cannot perfectly organize every aspect of life. (Perish the day that we leave the coat flung over a chair instead of neatly hung in the closet!)
4. We’re Goal-Driven
That’s why we love to-do lists. We don’t like the stress, but we do love meeting a goal. Unfortunately, we can let important things fall to the side while we meet these tangible goals.
5. We Hate to Wait
Yes, this is a symptom of fast-paced, I-want-it-my-way America, but it’s also because we’re goal-driven. We know exactly what is on that to-do list. And this errand is already putting me ten minutes behind schedule!
Wasting time gets on our nerves because we want to be productive.
6. Resting is Hard Work
When we finally do slow down, it’s hard to know how to handle it. What, it’s OK to just sit and not do something? There has to be something around here to clean or fix.
One of the greatest mysteries to me for the past few years has been how people “hang out.” What exactly is “hanging out?” What do you do? What is the goal of this mysterious block of time? Sitting around without an agenda stresses me out.
7. We’re Very Conscious of Commitments
If I said I’m going to have it done, then I will. If a national tragedy occurs that interferes with my ability to complete said assignment, I will notify you by text, email, or carrier pigeon if technology is rendered useless to let you know that I am running behind schedule.
Promises matter to us. It may look like we’re avoiding commitment, but we really just want to be sure that we can keep our word when we do commit.
8. We Can Be Insensitive and Impatient Towards Others
I don’t like this one, but it’s true. If I feel stressed and you (unintentionally) impede my progress, I will likely be irritated. It’s no excuse for taking our stress out on others—we need to be aware of this shortcoming and keep life in perspective.
People are more important than any task. Period.
But in the End…
…We’re just people, just like you.
