The Three Levels of Achievement

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Down Below

While overachieving can be viewed as a mixed topic of both beneficial and risky qualities, there is certainly no question about how being beneath the average expectations of one’s superiors is a way to sink down into the depths of overwhelming failure with no chance of resurfacing.  Everybody possesses different ambitions when it comes down to educational requirements, but there has to be a limit in the case of procrastination and shrugging off responsibilities as a student.  Not bothering to submit a project for the deadline, turning in homework on time or even making an effort to attend class regularly results in the decimation of one’s rank in the good graces of the professor and fellow classmates.  Honestly, anyone reading this article has been lectured about these rules ever since elementary school, but the urgency in which to emphasize this topic cannot be ignored in this day and age where education seems to matter little to a large demographic of people. 

The Middle Ground

This is the stage in which the health and intelligence of a student can be balanced out with a perfect medium where the classwork does not completely overwhelm the life of a student to the point where they neglect themselves in order to achieve what they desire.  One method in order to have a healthy lifestyle as a student is to take the curriculum day-by-day.  Set a limit of how much is needed to be accomplished for one day before moving onto another task.  Write one to two pages for a research paper one day, work on the first 3 slides for slideshow computer project the following day.  Maintaining a daily schedule of homework time helps to also help the student not become anxious and neglect other aspects of life, such as family, friends and personal time to relax and reward oneself after finishing the day’s required accomplishments.  While school is vastly important, there must also be time for fun and occasional happiness.

Crossing the Line

Here is the meaty topic that is surprisingly not really talked about in school.  The aspect of overachieving has no definition of being either good or bad.  Perhaps the best example is present in the 1999 film ‘Election’ starring Reese Witherspoon, about a high school student Tracy Flick, who has been a part of every extracurricular activity in her school in the leading position and having perfect grades in all her classes.  The only downside is that her ambitious nature causes her to have no social life and her personality is straight-up manipulative and frightening at the measures she goes to in order to obtain what she wants, which is to be the best out of everyone.  Without going into any further detail, this character is an embodiment of people who take the educational needs too far and basically use them as an excuse to outwit those they view as being inferior.  To conclude, over-achievement is more of in the gray area of morality.  If you feel the need to, finish something early without having to fuss over it later.  Just keep your ambitions within reason of the ethical code and without harming anyone’s reputation.  You honestly need to watch the film ‘Election’ to know what is being referenced here, if you choose so.