OK, so what is an “almost-overachiever?” Well, my friends, this is a person who can have some of the qualities of an overachiever, but also knows their limits. The overachiever lifestyle can be very unhealthy. The almost-overachiever recognizes this, and does not tie their full self worth into their achievements and failures. However, they do tend to go above and beyond the necessary in most of the things they do. They definitely do not enjoy making mistakes. Here’s a list of overachiever qualities, compared to the almost-overachiever:
1. Doing extra credit when you already have an A in the class.
One never knows how well they will do on a test or assignment in the future. Doing extra credit when your grade is already near perfect gives you some breathing room, just in case something goes wrong. Most overachievers are pretty sure they won’t need it, but it doesn’t hurt to make sure. (This way of thinking has actually saved my butt many times!)
2. Future focused.
Overachievers tend to think in future tense. They see their goal at the end, and their brains automatically lay out the steps required to attain it. There is a difference here between the overachiever and the almost-overachiever though. Overachievers usually have a very detailed plan on how to reach their goal. They spend a lot of time thinking about it and know exactly what needs to be done. Almost-overachievers leave some room in the middle for deviations and improvisation. Let’s take me for example here. I know I want to be a Layout Designer. The steps I have set forth include going to college (check), getting a Bachelor’s Degree in Visual Communication (working on it), getting an internship (junior or senior year), finding a job that I really enjoy and working my way up to higher positions. I know that I want to attain this goal by the time I’m 24. So no, I do not have all the details set in stone, but I do have a more firm idea of what I want, and how I’ll get there than most people my age.
3. Hates failure.
Both overachievers and almost-overachievers REALLY hate failing, partially because they get their confidence from their achievements. They both love receiving praise for their work and they want confirmation that they did a good job. Both extend extra effort because they secretly crave being awarded for it. The difference between the overachiever and the almost-overachiever is that the overachiever relates their successes and failures to their own personal self-worth. If they fail, they feel like they aren’t good enough. This can lead to major depression issues, even to the point of suicide. Counseling is sometimes needed to help overachievers with this potentially dangerous thinking. Almost-overachievers hate failing, but they do not tend to relate their self worth to it. The “Almosts” better understand that failing is a basic part of life and that not everything needs be perfect. They strive for perfection, but recognize that sometimes, “good-enough,” really IS good enough, so they learn from it, and move on.
4. Hates criticism.
Overachievers work really hard to ensure the best possible outcome from their work, so any criticism of it is seen as failure. It leaves them with self-doubt and to think poorly of themselves, rather than being helpful and of benefit. Almost-overachievers also hate criticism, but as much as they may dislike it, they have the ability to process the critique, suck it up, and incorporate some or all of the suggested criticisms. Unfortunately, they’re still much harsher on themselves than any other critic. Where almost-overachievers may pause and reflect, overachievers will be stopped cold, down-for-the-count, possibly KO’d.
5. Perfectionist.
They want everything they do to turn out perfectly. They will work beyond exhaustion until they feel they have reached the ultimate pinnacle of perfection, yet moments later thoughts of imagined flaws begin to enter their minds. In extreme cases, for overachievers, they will simply walk away from a project, leaving it unfinished because their mind will not allow them to perceive what “finished” could possibly look like. Almost-overachievers will usually finish things, but they have to force themselves to accept an end condition to stop at. As an artist, I find this can be very hard to do. With art, one could tinker forever and still never “finish” a piece. It’s hard to look at your work and say “it is done.” There is always something you think you can “make even better”. The truth is, sometimes doing “just one more thing” could potentially ruin a great work. I, as an almost-overachiever, still spend a lot of time trying to perfect my pieces, but I have trained myself to accept it, and just let it be finished. Still, to this day I look at some of my pieces and think “oh yes! If I just changed this a little bit...” but then I pause, and I think “no, I stopped myself for a reason; this is done.”
6. Anxiety and stress.
Anxiety comes from many aspects of being an overachiever. From the constant worrying about the future, the planning, hard work, and constantly chasing perfection, of course this will lead to anxious feelings. They are just piling too many expectations on themselves that are near impossible to achieve. Almost-overachievers certainly have a great amount of stress on them as well.Usually, their stress will not lead to anxiety, but it may tend to lead them to feel overwhelmed. It is a struggle for both types to say no to taking on more tasks. After all, more tasks equals more praises right? Well, one thing we need to realize is that taking on too many tasks is just asking for failure. Sometimes saying “no” is necessary. This must be worked on by both over and almost-overachievers.
7. Self-neglect
Anxiety and stress have a dangerous potential to lead to a state of self-neglect. A lot of overachievers will sacrifice sleep in order to finish their work. They can find themselves trapped in a schedule where they may only get three to four hours of sleep a night. They spend hours on their work and are often the last to leave from their classes or jobs. This can be harmful to their body and causes many overachievers to become ill due to a lowered immune system. Sleep is important, and with the addition of all this anxiety and stress, it can be a recipe for disaster. Both overachievers and almost-overachievers need to be very careful and pay closer attention to their health. No achievement is worth harming yourself.
In both cases, being an overachiever or an almost overachiever can be very unhealthy. They need to be careful and must learn that their successes are not what determine their worth. In some ways, it can be a good thing to have a few of these traits. Knowing a plan to reach goals and having some extra credit to fall back onto can be very helpful things. Also, being a perfectionist can often create amazing results. The key here is moderation. I’m working on this and I would encourage others to do so also.
