How driven are you to achieve?

We tend to think that only "Type A's" are high achievers. You know, the bold, confident, "in control of the room" type of people who?not only are in a leadership role, but have the title to go with it. But achievement drive is a competency of emotional intelligence, and a skill set anyone can improve with some self-awareness and effort, no matter your personality type or position.

Achievement drive is defined as striving to improve or meet new, higher standards of excellence. What does this look like??High achievers are clear on?what they want and can easily describe their?ideals (personally and professionally). They are?continually adjusting their goals to reach higher heights. They?often mix in their own fresh aspirations and dreams?into the recipe for success. Mistakes do not slow them down, but fuel a pursuit to figure things out. They are ambitious, willing to take risks, and are continuous learners, pursuing knowledge to decrease uncertainty and increase accomplishments. They are results-oriented, and regularly set goals which stretch their abilities and talents. They have a growth mindset. High achievers are open to change and always are looking for ways to improve and do better.

Does this sound like you?

If that's a yes, well done! There is no doubt that this skill set serves you well. However, I want to?issue a gentle warning to those of you who may be overachievers.?You know who you are -- you don't feel good about yourself unless you are accomplishing yet another goal. No triumph is ever enough. You're restless and always craving to tackle the next thing...and it's wreaking havoc on your health and relationships. Keep in mind that an overuse of any competency of emotional intelligence can work to your disadvantage. Kendra Cherry, author and educator, writes, "Overachievers are people who do great things but still need to accomplish more. Even though they attain more success than the vast majority of people, they are never satisfied and always strive to accomplish more." ?[https://www.verywellmind.com/are-you-an-overachiever-4580606 ]? Patrick Allen, in his article "The Surprising Downsides of being an Overachiever", says this:?"Overachievement?can actually lead to some serious problems. Some of these problems can actually hinder your work,?cause more stress and burnout, or even cause you to hate what you do and who you work with. Worst of all, it can actually keep you from achieving things; and that defeats the purpose of overachieving in the first place."?[https://lifehacker.com/the-surprising-downsides-of-being-an-overachiever-1733341356]

If you find that your incessant need to accomplish is?creating?anxiety, prolonged stress, and/or preventing you from tending other important aspects of your life (family, friends, interests, health, for example), it may be a good idea to work with an emotional intelligence coach to develop a more balanced, healthy approach to success.

OK, back to?those of you who answered no, and admit you struggle a bit with achievement drive. Don't worry, it is a skill set which can be learned and developed.?A great place to start is becoming more self-aware around your current state of affairs. Here's an activity which will help. Read through the following statements and note if you have any of these tendencies:

• You avoid fixed standards of performance where your behaviors and accomplishments are?monitored/evaluated?by others.
• You work without regard to expectations.
• You don't?challenge yourself to reach higher heights.
• You do the minimum it takes to get by.
• You set easy goals for yourself.
• Or, you set impossible goals so you can follow up with a "See, I told you I couldn't do that..." response.
• You tend to be a bit fearful of change.
• You avoid tasks where there is a chance you may fail.
• You get overwhelmed by large, new projects.
• You accept that the way things are is the way things are.
• You assume?most decision-making is?someone else's job.
• You do not work from your internal set of values/standards of excellence.

?“There is only one thing that makes a dream impossible to achieve: the fear of failure.”?― Paulo Coelho, The Alchemist?

If you resonate with any of the above, your achievement drive could probably use some attention.?To take a deeper dive into your self-awareness around this competency, consider an assessment which measures your emotional intelligence.?Completing a?Social and Emotional Intelligence Profile ?can prove helpful in outlining your strengths and areas of growth. Or, ask someone who works closely with you--your colleagues, your supervisor, or peers--if they notice any of the above behaviors in you.?

Once you've determined you'd like to develop your achievement drive, give these directives a try:

• Do a values check.?What do you believe in and what do you stand for??If you're not sure, check your calendar to see how you are spending your time, and check your financial records to see how you are spending your money. These two areas often reflect what we hold in highest esteem.
• Define excellence.?If you can't define it, how will you know when you reach it? Take a moment to outline what?high standards look like when it comes to your products and services, your customers, your knowledge, experiences, and education. How about in your personal life? What are some some ways you could raise the bar in each area to even higher levels of excellence?
• Make a list of things you'd like to achieve.?What would you like to accomplish in your personal life? What would you like to accomplish at work? Write these down. Take note of what benefits you'd glean if you reached those goals, and what you'd lose if you don't.
• Set goals which stretch you.??With each accomplishment you just wrote down, add a 'next level' goal to each. Dream a little here. If there were no barriers, or hurdles, what?could you accomplish?
• Make your goals “SMART” goals.?Want to know how to make your goals attainable? Run them through this filter: SMART goals are ones which are?specific, measurable, achievable, realistic and timed.?
• Establish a?measure of success.?What does success look like and how will you measure it? It may help to lay out some milestones you can aspire to reach along the way. Ask yourself these questions: "What needs to happen for me to be able to move to the next step?" and "How will I know when I've attained the goal?"
• Keep a?weekly log of your?successes.?Get in the habit of tracking your accomplishments, both small and great, and everything in between. This will help you gain traction and maintain momentum. Note what you are most proud of each week. Celebrate your wins.
• Take note of any hurdles which are slowing you down.?Maybe you've hit some financial constraints, or are simply getting worn out. Or possibly it's that ole' self-doubt creeping back in. Ask yourself these questions: "Are these real hurdles or perceived hurdles? Are there ways around them? What new resources do I need to tackle this hurdle? Who can I ask for help?"
• Lean on Someone. Find?a colleague?who exhibits a strong achievement drive and ask them to mentor you. Study their decision-making process. Watch how they handle stress. Note how they interact with others. Make sure they are willing to walk alongside you as they model their path toward success, as you venture down yours.
• Take?one step -- every day. What is one thing you could do today toward the goal? Ask yourself this at the start of each day. Write it down. Set it as an intention. Stamp a time frame on when you'll do?it...then do it! Don't let a day pass without?taking at least one step?-- even if it's a small step -- toward that goal.
• Offer yourself a "no shame zone" as you grow.?You can't expect immediate rewards?when it comes to developing achievement drive, and it will do you no good to beat yourself up for not being better at it. As with any emotional intelligence competency, achievement drive is a muscle which needs to be used, repetitively and repeatedly. It will take practice, lots of it. No shame when you mess up or fail to accomplish as much as you hoped. Embrace a growth mindset. Remind yourself that you're doing your best,?which is more anyone could ask.

“Only those who dare to fail greatly can ever achieve greatly.” ― Robert F. Kennedy

At times, it may feel like a painful, arduously long path as you begin to shift behaviors toward increased achievement drive. New experiences can feel overwhelming. Encourage yourself that this is normal. It's most likely you haven't?used?this muscle for a very long time.?That's OK. Stretch anyway. As Albert Einstein once said, “Only those who attempt the absurd can achieve the impossible.”