Are you an underachiever? (1 Viewer)

[bigbottom]

What I am not is a risk taker. And I think that has really undermined my ability to realize my full potential, whatever that may have been. Could I have been a successful musician? It was my dream after all. I don’t know. And I’ll never know. Because I lacked the courage to take any risk at all to pursue that dream. Could I be more successful professionally if I had done something on my own rather than being a worker bee for most of my career? Possibly. I’m surrounded by people who are hugely successful in their careers and the only difference I’ve been able to pinpoint is that they had the courage to take risks while I did not.

Funny you say this, after discussions we‘ve had about job satisfaction. IIRC, you risked a big change mid-career, and have been rewarded tremendously, as far as I can tell. Meanwhile, I’m pretty much running out the clock.

Which is pretty funny, as I‘m fairly certain most would view my activities as anything but risk-averse: climbing/mountaineering, skiing, canyoneering, etc. Some even might (incorrectly) characterize me as a thrill-seeker. I can’t tell you how many times my peers at work have categorized my leisure choices as “crazy.”

But I guess the risks of public humiliation/failure are different than hanging off a cliff.

Well, it was a big career change, and I guess a risk because I was going to be handling matters that I had little experience with. But the company I was going to work for had been my client for 15+ years and I knew them very well. Point taken though. Maybe I’m a bigger risk taker than I give myself credit for! (Probably not)

 

[Runkle]

I feel like I put in a lot less effort than other people do, and if I did match their efforts, I would be way ahead of where I am now.

On the flip side, I've achieved way, way more than most other people have without really having to try hard.

So I'm an overachieving underachiever.

 

[Leroy Hoard]

I used to think I was indecisive, but now I’m not so sure.

 

[Terminalxylem]

Is being lazy and lacking ambition synonymous with underachieving? If so, yes.

Yes, and you also need an inflated sense of your abilities.

But seriously, isn’t everyone an underachiever? Can’t one always try harder/do more?

I can’t think of a single thing where I’ve maintained 100% effort for more than a few minutes, max.

 

[brun]

I'm only an underachiever until I redefine my expectations.

 

[JohnnyU]

I'm only an underachiever until I redefine my expectations.

Move the goalposts

 

[JohnnyU]

I used to think I was indecisive, but now I’m not so sure.

Funny. I was wrong once. I believe it was 1980 when I married my first wife.

 

[Thorn]

It so much depends on what "underachieving" means. Relative to others? Relative to the most you can do? Or realtive to the most you can do but with balance in your life?

I think it's human nature to be hard on ourselves and compare ourselves to others. Which I think pretty reliably leads to unhappiness.

 

[Snoopy]

If this makes me an underachiever, then so be it:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Q5ZL8qvEmR0 (Boston)

 

[Da Guru]

Not sure why this has been in my thoughts maybe because I see a lot of me in my daughter.

I've come to realize that professionally I am an under achiever.

Which is weird to say since
a) I have a very good job that pays well
b) I'm very good at my job and people come to me to fix many issues
c) I have worked on many cool prototypes and projects. Even worked on a project with NASA...

However, with all that look at me - I definitely know I was "lazy" and never probably really achieved my full potential. I am a hard worker and will learn things but I will learn just enough to let me do my job well and i do just enough to make me "know" more than most at work.

That being said I just never cared enough to really go after it and be a go getter and learn more. I know I could have created some cool app/webpage/technology based thing but i really didn'tcare enough or have passion to really pursue something. For example way back in the day on APPLE II lol - i created a program for my dad to create tournament schedules. Pretty basic right - well back then everything was done on paper by hand.

He flips out - this is awesome we should market this blah blah blah - something small I know but the concept and execution was there but i built it just for him.

Maybe I lack vision I don't know - I fell into my career because I was good at logic. I took some test , crushed it and became a developer to start.

Anyway thats my old guy reflection for today.

People don`t need to be labeled under or over, What I have learned achieving happiness and enjoying your life is by far the best achievement.

 

[-OZ-]

yeah but still do alright. Definitely not a Type A.

 

[-OZ-]

I'm only an underachiever until I redefine my expectations.

Move the goalposts

Too much work.

 

[Mookie]

I could've achieved more (money, title, status) so perhaps I've underachieved, but I chose to live a more balanced life after my father died at 55 in 1990. Chasing that ring comes with a pretty steep price tag. I'm perfectly happy with the way my life has gone.

 

[PIK95]

I prefer the term "man of leisure"

Thanks

 

[Judge Smails]

Sometimes I feel like it because I’m my own worst critic. I’m in the C Suite so nobody outside the voices in my head would say I’m an underachiever. But I’ve never been a CEO or started my own company even though I’ve basically done CEO type leadership and execution better than my last several CEO’s. So I beat up myself for not taking that risk and going for it. I didn’t want to relocate or miss family events. That being said, from where I started in life to where me and my family are now I shouldn’t beat myself up at all. Generations have been changed (college educated, modeled a successful marriage, functional family) and I’m proud of that.

At times I work like crazy. Other times I procrastinate and can get lazy. But I always get what I need done. Hopefully it balances out.