Mental health is more important than a paycheck
From waking up at 4:30 am to balancing three jobs at a time, I’ve given myself the label “overachiever”. I had always struggled in high school, feeling like I was behind compared to all of my classmates. When I got to college, I wanted to prove to myself that I could be successful. After continuing to stress myself out, having countless breakdowns every week, missing out on social events and spreading myself too thin, I started to wonder if overachieving really did result in success. People view success in different ways. Some people view success as being a lawyer, a doctor or a dentist; a job that makes you a lot of money. Other people view success as being in a happy marriage, having close relationships and being content with everything in your life.
To some extent, yes I do think that the more packed your resume is, the more impressed employers will be. But that comes with a price. Pushing myself to my absolute limit has allowed me to gain new experiences and job opportunities. Success is a broad idea. Some people view success as making a lot of money. Some view it as living a fulfilled life. I view success as being passionate about my job and having strong and meaningful relationships.
Right before Thanksgiving break, I experienced burnout. This caused me to lose motivation in classes, my jobs and even hanging out with friends. I felt down, defeated and lost. I questioned if I was pushing myself for the right reasons and if it was worth it all. I realized that my mental health and sanity were more important than a job interview.
It was scary for me to feel that everything I had worked for might not have been worth it. I pushed myself too much and I didn’t have anything to show for it. I felt alone and stuck, like I was trying to push past a brick wall. I learned through that experience and those feelings that it’s good to have balance. I need to have the drive to work hard, but I also need to understand my limits. My friends and family are extremely important to me. College is a time to have fun but also work hard. I learned that lesson the hard way, but now it’s something that I will always be able to carry with me. All in all, I do feel that being an overachiever helps you become successful. You just have to know your limits with how much you can handle until you reach your breaking point. Be self-aware of how much you’re adding to your plate. It’s okay to say no to opportunities! And remember, success comes in lots of different forms– it’s not only how much money you make.