The High Cost of Overachievement
How People-Pleasing and Anxiety Can Sabotage Your Success
Hello everyone
It’s been a while now since I last posted. Anyway, I’m back.
Today, I’d like to talk about that weird feeling you get within when you have an objective that you’ve dreamed about and just got the chance to achieve.
Yeah, that feeling of great of “I got in, but I have to make sure I stand out immediately to get noticed,” so, I’ll be friendly to everyone so they will like me, I’ll submit my tasks first, I’ll score all the goals myself and not give opportunities to the rest of the team, I’ll overwork myself day and night so I’ll be seen as the go-to person.
For you’ll find after months of toiling, that you end up making everyone on the team hate you. None of your tasks have been liked because they were rushed and didn’t have depth to them. Finally, you are fatigued and sickly from overloading your system.
Instead of being praised and revered, all your efforts brought about the opposite of the desired outcome you expected.
This is exactly what happened to me. After a long while of trying to get into the remote working space. I finally got a chance to write for a company, and I sure was not going to waste this opportunity.
From the get-go, I was upbeat. looking for every task, trying to please my colleagues, and make lots of money doing so. Oh, was I up for a rude awakening? Just after 2 months, I received a message from the head of the department that my manager made some huge complaints about my work.
Yes, I submitted before the deadline, but my work was ridden with issues. More complaints even poured out. Luckily, these were issues that could be resolved with a meeting.
This occurrence, however, made me realize that my strategy was doing me more harm than good. I wasn’t doing great at work, and my work-life balance wasn’t balancing (so to speak).
I needed a new strategy that involved less worry, less people-pleasing, more focus, and setting a work schedule that gives me more time to do in-depth work while having time for other things.
Well, beginning with focus, I’ve started cutting off all distracting apps, and unnecessary video watching (except those in courses). Set a schedule that prioritizes work time and me-time. furthermore do some meditation and exercise to help with mental stability.
Trying to over-achieve, people-pleasing and anxiety only cause mental fatigue, bad results, as well as dissatisfaction in the workplace. As much as you want to stand out, it is important to check the way you're going about it. Is it helping you reach your goals or is it destroying you?
Have you gone through a similar situation? or do you have any suggestions that could help anyone with overachieving or anxiety issues? Share your thoughts or ideas with me; I’d love to read them in the comments.
Do you wish to collaborate? Feel free to contact me.
Love this piece and want to read more? Here’s an interesting piece I’m sure you’d love:
https://medium.com/@mbipibama/trying-new-things-is-the-best-gift-you-can-give-yourself-c6fc64fbf597
