Is it wrong to be an overachiever?

[Loafing Smurf]

Just a curious question.

Before I sleep I read Kelly Slaters book Pipe Dreams, and he mention overachievers in a positive way. I also hear people mentioning overachievers in a negative way. So, I'm just curious put up a poll.

My answer is leaning towards no. But when you set your mind to something, its good to weigh things out to see if its really worth it. I think the best way to understand your decision is to talk to people with similar goals, and approached them with a similar angle. Then after that you can kind of know if its best that reach your goals, or not. Somehow I find this to be the pattern to decide what you want to treasure in life.

[ozzy72]

The only people who talk negatively of over-achievers are lazy people who want life on a plate and don't want to work for it!

[Politically Incorrect]

What Ozzy says is true, why do you think so many in the U.S. are on welfare?
They go to the Government complaining that they can't do nothing and let us who want to achive something in life pay for them!
I think setting goals for yourself no matter how high are good, it gives you something to aim for. But be aware that some goals might never be met do to various reasons so always be prepared for failure and don't beat yourself up if a certain goal can't be met or achived.
The important thing is that you try to be the best at something you can and if you fail oh well try something else, just never give up. Just don't set yourself up for disappointment, if it is something that you know deep inside that you can't accomplish then don't spend all you energy trying to accomplish it, focus it on something more realistic but always keep that "ultimate achivement" within reach, you never know when it might just be your turn to shine!!!

[Tequila Sunrise]

what they said  8)

[Hagar]

I'm not sure what overachiever means. It must be a new buzz-word. Nothing wrong with setting your sights high & being the best at anything. In my experience you can do anything if you want it badly enough & are prepared to make sacrifices & work hard for it. Too many people have big ambitions & spend all their time dreaming about what they would like to do instead of doing something about it. I suspect they never will achieve anything. My advice to these dreamers is to get up off your butts & go out & do it.

It is possible to be overqualified. I never saw the sense in having a degree in engineering if you want to be a humble garage mechanic. You would be better off getting a job in a garage & start from the bottom. If I owned a garage I would rather get somone keen to learn & teach them myself. Then I would know they were properly trained.  You will learn far more in the university of life & might end up owning a chain of garages yourself.

PS. Nothing wrong with garage mechanics. It's an important job & good ones are hard to come by - but if you want to be one make sure you're the best. Maybe I'm old-fashioned but that's my opinion.

[Mozz]

Its the same here in England. We pay taxes. Part of taxes are used to fund people through social support because a vast majority can't be bothered to work.  :(

[Woodlouse2002]

I think your misunderstanding the term overachiever. Sure if people work hard and get great gains though that then it's fine. No one has anything against that. But when they don't try and do better than those that do, then they are over achievers. Whats more they usually have their heads so far up their own arses that they are the most dispicable people on the planet.

[Hagar]

Thanks for explaining that Woody. I told you I didn't understand the term. If someone can do better than "normal" people at anything without even trying I don't see where the right or wrong comes in. They obviously have some sort of gift or talent, some might say genius. This might make them objectionable but I don't suppose there's anything they can do about it. Maybe they wish they were just like everyone else.

I don't think it's possible to appreciate anything properly unless you work for it.

[Saitek]

Thanks for explaining that Woody. I told you I didn't understand the term. If someone can do better than "normal" people at anything without even trying I don't see where the right or wrong comes in. They obviously have some sort of gift or talent, some might say genius. This might make them objectionable but I don't suppose there's anything they can do about it. Maybe they wish they were just like everyone else.

I don't think it's possible to appreciate anything properly unless you work for it.

Good description Woody, I understand it now too!

True Doug, That's how I feel.

[Woodlouse2002]

I have nothing against most over achievers. It's just the ones that are so obnoxious personality wise that you just want to smash their heads in. One of my best friends is an obcene over achiever to the point of getting 13 A* grades at his GCSE and being on most school teams. Yet he's a nice chap because he doesn't consider himself better than anyone else. Unlike others that are as thick as two short planks, are horrible to know still apply to oxbridge because they think of themselves as the next most intelligent thing to Einstein.

[Saitek]

Lol, so true.

[Scottler]

I think the question is too ambiguous.  I consider myself an overachiever, but I'm confident enough in my own abilities and talents that I don't need to knock people down to make myself look good.

You can be an overachiever and not be an a$$.....many times (dare I say most times?) oa's have a bad rap because they can't do the same.

[Mozz]

I get what you mean now. I know people who get things like A* with effort 4. I think they're lucky - genius like almost because they don't even have to try and they pass their GCSE's without lifting a finger. None of them have their heads up their own behinds though which would sicken me most. Generally though, you get different people who are good at different subjects. Some people can pass one subject well without trying and find other subjects really hard.

[Loafing Smurf]

Sorry, I havent been to this post for the past few days.

I guess there are many definitions of overachievers, which are linked to a persons achievements. I seen people that put in less effort in things and do really good in them...then they try to point out at the fact that they didn