The 4.0
It’s the standard. It’s the minimum baseline for a high-achiever.
It drives them to get up early and to stay up late.
It drives them to read textbooks, to do homework, and to study for tests.
It drives them to perfection, to exactness, and to success.
And boy, do they LOVE the applause, the accolades, the praise.
The constant awards, celebrations, and opportunities.
But this success, their academic success, comes at a cost. A very high cost.
They feel the constant pressure to achieve. To be perfect. To get the 4.0.
They’ll do whatever it takes to get the grade.
Because otherwise, they’re not going to make it.
Success will not be theirs. It will belong to someone else.
And then what? Who are they without the 4.0?
We have a record number of high-achieving teens. It used to be that every graduating class could select a valedictorian and a salutatorian, but not anymore. Most high schools have eliminated, or will be eliminating, these awards. There are just too many teens graduating with perfect grades, perfect scores, and perfect extracurricular lives.
These high-achievers not only excel in the classroom, but they’re also President of every club, serving tirelessly in their community, and winning state sport titles. They’re perfect in every way and yet, these same teens are reporting record high levels of stress, anxiety, and overwhelm.
The expectation of getting a 4.0 has been upgraded to a 5.0.
The expectation of participating in a sport has been upgraded to winning the state title AND being the team captain.
This un-throttled pressure from society, schools, parents, and even friends is weighing heavily on our high-achievers and they’re learning that suffering and stress are partners with success.
BUT NONE OF THIS IS TRUE. Stress is NOT a partner to success. In fact, it’s its biggest opponent. Optimism, joy, and confidence are the partners that breed true success. It is possible to reach success without stress!
