I am a high achiever and have been for most of my life. I love that I am this way because it has allowed me to accomplish so much both personally and professionally. I want to share with you 3 pros and 3 cons of being a high achiever.
Pro #1. High achievers achieve more than the average person hence the title of a high achiever.
High achievers are results driven and hold themselves to a higher standard. One of the most notable high achievers of our day is Michael Jordan. When he first entered into the league he didn’t have the best jumpshot and he would spend his off season taking hundreds of jump shots a day to perfect his shot. Many hiigh achievers tend to be morning people and get their day started early to start tackling their to do list. Most days I wake up anywhere between 4-6 am often before my alarm goes off. One of the first things I do each morning is workout and then that gives me the energy to hop onto my computer to work on some of the harder stuff on my list. By the time I reach the office at 9am I have already accomplished so much.
Pro #2 They don’t waste time as they view time as one of their most important resources.
High achievers guard their time and make the most of every minute they have each day. A good example of this is Steve Jobs. He famously wore his black turtleneck, blue jeans and New Balance sneakers everyday to cut down time for decision making. Steve Jobs values his time and doesn’t want to waste it on figuring out what he is going to wear. I think this is a bit extreme and ladies let’s be real…could we ever do that? We all know one of the biggest time suckers out there today is social media. Most high achievers I know limit their time on these platforms so as not to waste their time. Simply put high achievers prioritize their time!
Pro #3 They see problems as an opportunity for growth.
Many people when they encounter problems and obstacles either shrink back, give up or develop a negative mindset. But a high achiever views problems as a way to improve and learn from the problem so they can be better. A most recent example of this is Tiger Woods. Whether you like the guy or not you’ve got to give the guy credit! Tiger made a major come back last month by winning the Masters. 10 years ago TIger had hit rock bottom in 2009 when he crashed his car in front of his house and then shortly after his affair with a cocktail waitress had been made public. In my own life I have encountered many obstacles and difficulties but I do my best to stay positive and remain focused on the end goal.
So what are some of the cons of being a high achiever?
Con #1 High achievers are more prone to burnout
Because high achievers are so passionate about what they do, work long hours, take on way too much and put enormous pressure on themselves to excel, they tend to burnout. Stress can be good as it forces us to take action but there is a fine line between being stressed out and being burnt out. Too much stress day after day will lead any person to burn out as our bodies are only capable of handling so much stress. High achievers find it hard to relax and smell the roses and find themselves burning the candle at both ends. As a result many high achievers suffer from anxiety, depression, sleep deprivation leading to exhaustion and more sickness due to a weakened immune system all because of the unnecessary stress they put on themselves.
Con #2 They sometimes miss out on the important things in life.
Because high achievers account for every waking minute, they will put off spending time with family and friends so they can reach their goals. They can become so obsessed with getting things done that they miss out on the most important things in life like spending time with their loved ones and then later in life when it is too late and they cannot get that time back, express regret over it.. Hip-hop singer Usher said that he regretted not spending time with his sick father before it was too late, He was quoted as saying, “Instead of being there when he was sick, I was working. There was no amount of money that could have fixed my father’s health, but I could have just spent that time with him.”
Con #3 High achievers tend to be too hard on themselves.
It’s great to want to always strive to be your best but often times high achievers are never satisfied in their pursuit of excellence. They are not content with average or the status quo. Sometimes they focus on weaknesses and flaws while not allowing themselves to fully enjoy the journey of life and celebrating their achievements.
Although there are more, I have given you just a few examples of the pros and cons of being a high achiever. Gandhi said, “ The future depends on what we do in the present”. If you are a high achiever you live like your future depends on what you do today but keep in mind the importance of maintaining balance while seeking to achieve your goals.
