Aiming High
I have been called several things in my life; some good and some not good. Earlier this week I was called something that I had never been called before. It is something that I was so amazed, stunned, shocked, and bewildered to hear. I was called (in a good tone) an over achiever! I am somewhat baffled that I appeared to this lady to be that way. In fact, I even told her that I found it strange that she would think so because I constantly feel as if I am missing the mark and always falling short. Is that the way over achievers feel?
I realize that I do have a lot on my plate and I probably place much more on my plate than I should but I never feel as if I have done anything well enough or achieved enough. I do tend to aim high and have some lofty goals but I very rarely reach them. I know that it is good to have goals that are broken down into tasks that can be accomplished but to also aim higher at the same time. So I do have high standards in some areas; not so high in others but like I said I personally do not see the accomplishment.
Even when growing up I had high standards and was even told that I needed to lower them. (not a good confidence booster there) I always felt as if there was more out there and a better life to be had. That God had a better design for my life than the then current situation I found myself in. Only at that time I did not realize it as the calling of the Lord.
I guess I have always seen over achievers not merely being those who aim high but those who actually achieve what they are aiming at and more. I think we all should aim high and have high standards. Especially the Christian. What higher aim is there than to reach for and seek after Christlikeness and godliness? I am keenly aware of how far I have to go and how much I need to grow. To have one say that I am an over achiever and for others to recognize that I have achieved something still baffles me. The only accomplishments I have are not my own but the grace of God in my life. I have not achieved but God has been at work. I have not reached my lofty goals but rather miss the mark over and over. I simply continue to aim higher and higher. Does that make one an over achiever or simply one on a journey?
Tags: Christianity Posted in Christianity, journal
June 1st, 2009 at 11:43 am
Don’tcha love having thoughts about yourself shaken to their very core by something someone didn’t really think would shake you? My OB referred to me as an “overacheiever” at my first visit with this pregnancy–number 7 for us. Apparently being an “overachiever” means something different to him too, because I thought the same thing you did–I don’t actually accomplish as much as I set out to, doesn’t that eliminate me from overachiever status? Seemingly not, at least according to common standards. Maybe it’s because we “achieve” more than the average person expects of him/herself? Or maybe it really *is* that people who aim high are seen as overachievers, who knows?
Kris’s last blog post..Got something on your mind?