The Cult of Perfection: Making Peace With Your Inner Overachiever,Used

Excerpt. Reprinted by permission. All rights reserved.One of the challenges of being an overachiever and trying to maintain healthy friendships is that we judge ourselves at an impossibly high level, and we tend to judge our friends at that same level. If they dont measure up, we are disappointed; we expected more from them. If youre driven to perfect your life, thats cool, but just be aware that it may be driving your friends bananas. Perhaps theyre so easygoing they dont mind that you have expectations even St Frances Xavier Cabrini would fail to live up to. But that doesnt quell your anxiety in fact, it makes you wonder if its time for new friendswho arent so laidback. Its not, because this is your issue, and its time you asked yourself whether anybody can live up to your expectations. You need to step back and judge clearly whether your friends have truly failed you or, like the rest of us, are simply flawed human beings (albeit ones who would give you the last piece of chocolate cake regardless of how PMS they are feeling that day).Product DescriptionFor some women, success is a relative term. One in six women is an overachiever, constantly striving to do more, better, faster, and look fabulous at all timesso if you are looking around the room at your five closest friends thinking theyre all slackers, its you! You know who you are: the successful woman who feels competitive with her own friends and family members; the stickthin athlete who wont stop working out; the guiltridden executive who always feels she has to do more than others to stay ahead; the grownup Little Miss Perfect who cant stop being the Stepford wife and mother. No matter how hard you try, no matter how much you achieve, your life remains totally out of balance. Achievements should not be the total measure of how a woman feels about herself.Syndicated radio talkshow host Cooper Lawrence has been there. With humor and compassion, she helps readers assess the overachievers goals, their states of mind, the pressure from their families . . . and lets them know its not a bad thing to be an overachieversome people are just born that way! Coopers book defines the physical and emotional effects of someone who suffers from the big O, explains why she does it, and offers a reality check and advice on creating balance. With common sense and Tales from the Treadmill case studies, this book explores the best ways to do it all and still achieve real successselfacceptance.From the Inside FlapOne in six women is an overachiever, constantly striving to get more done and do everything better and faster, while looking fabulous at all timesso if you are looking around the room at your five closest friends thinking theyre all slackers, its you!Twentyfour hours are simply not enough for all you do in a day. Your calendar is booked solid for the next six months. You set a higher standard for yourself than for everyone else, and you are never fully satisfied with your life, because you can see how much more you can achieve. You are an overacheiver, and that can be agood thing.The Cult of Perfection offers practical advice on how to monitor and ease your stress, prioritize your time, build lasting selfesteem, and always feel in control. The goal: To be at peace with your inner overachiever. Psychology and relationship expert (and selfprofessed overachiever) Cooper Lawrence reveals the positive aspects of an overachieving lifestyle, and how to make it work for you so that you dont lose touch with family and friends . . . and your own sanity.This book explores how personality, upbringing, and life events lead to overachieving, and how this drive has an impact on your home and family life, friendships, health, state of mindand even your future.Full of candid personal stories from fellow overachievers, The Cult of Perfection confirms that you are not alone in your quest for the best. Informative quizzes, tips, and to do