What’s the over/under on our achievement?

I think of myself as a classic overachiever. I was on the honor roll in high school, was president of band (laugh it up, high school jocks), and involved in student government. In college, I switched majors from biology to business, but still sneaked into biology classes when I had spare time to listen to guest lectures – for fun. On top of that I was a Resident Assistant for three years, and in student government for four. Basically, I was used to biting off more than I could chew – or should I say, just enough to chew.

But how would that translate to the real world, life outside college, and living off my parents, scholarships, and part-time jobs? As children to “helicopter parents,” how will we act when we’re finally out on our own? Will we stay the same and be a forever overachiever, or will we become the exact opposite, a slacker – forever holding on to the freedom of our youth?

We often have trouble distinguishing the two stereotypes as newly working adults. Let’s examine the stigma of both and the effect they have on the Millennial mindset.

#1 The Overachiever.

Yes, our parents taught us that we could be astronauts, actors, even President – but they did it out of love. They thought by telling us that we could conquer the world, it would help us dream big. But, for most of us, it’s just given us a reason for psychotherapy and an excuse to become stress magnets.

While striving to be all we can be, we take on too much and try to climb mountains that are too high and even immovable. We will try to change the world, starting with our jobs – but when we realize that we can only change so much, it can lead to anxiety and disappointment. Also, our generation needs constant feedback, always wanting a “thanks,” or a pat on the back for a job well done. This precociousness can come off as being an egomaniac, combined with the most annoying parts of Rachel from Glee.

Why are we like this? A University of New Hampshire article, “As College Graduates Hit the Workforce, So Do More Entitlement-Minded Workers,” explores why our generation might have been overachievers and entitled from day one. UNH Professor Paul Harvey’s research in the area blames our parents. Our attitudes take root in the formative years of our childhoods, parenting styles and teaching styles, protecting our self-esteem, keeping us from experiencing failure. Did we even stand a chance?

#2 The Slacker.

Then there’s the stereotype of the slacker. We spend most of our time on the Internet browsing YouTube on our MacBooks, so why would we care about a job, right? Why would we spend every waking moment of our lives thinking about your company? It’s all about me. We’re entitled, so we feel like we deserve much more than your company is giving us. Our very own Angela Stefano examined this in her article “Spoiled and Entitled,” with many thinking of us as just “spoiled, self-absorbed, entitled little brats.” I think we’ve all had our moments, but I still think of stereotype is mostly a myth.

There are always going to be those who bounce from job to job, with no loyalty to a company that doesn’t treat them the way they feel they deserve to be treated. If they’re not interested in the job, can we blame these people for being emotionally disengaged? If they can get the work done in half the time, should they be judged if they come in late and leave early? They tell us that we will have to fight to be taken seriously. That we will have to work later than our bosses. That we will have to do things because that’s how our bosses want them, even when we have better ideas. That we will be the butt of jokes about our youth. Is “slackerdom” really just in the eye of the beholder?

How do we manage our stereotypes and combat overachieving? I, for one, am putting a priority on what makes me happy. I’m reading blogs to try to seek advice from others, like Brazen Careerist. I’m trying  to invest more in things that make me smile, like writing and yoga.

How are you finding your balance?

Photo Credit: banoootah_qtr