Questionnaire: Are You a Chronic Achiever?
Below, you will find the questionnaire mentioned in the previous blog post. Please note that this is not a test you can pass or fail, nor is it a professional or diagnostic tool. It is a gentle, reflective questionnaire for the purpose of increased self-awareness, not a label. It is simply an optional invitation to notice patterns in your life.
I invite you to answer as honestly as you can. Please remember this is for your curiosity and you are not required to share your answers with anyone.
Do you feel uneasy, guilty or ashamed for resting, even if you’re exhausted or unwell?
Do you push through symptoms because “other people have it worse”, you don’t want to let anyone down, you’re afraid of being judged or labelled as “lazy”, or because you haven’t “earned” rest?
Do you perceive rest as a privilege that must be earned, rather than a human right?
Do you feel like your value as a person increases on days when you accomplish things through productivity? Do you feel ashamed or unworthy on days when you accomplish less? (Note: it is healthy to feel a sense of pride and satisfaction from accomplishments, but your perception of self-worth should not fluctuate according to productivity).
When you cancel plans, forget something, make a mistake, or miss something important, do you react with self-blame and self-criticism rather than self-compassion?
Do you over-explain your limits or justify your need for rest to others?
Do you have fear or anxiety surrounding viruses, germs or getting sick because they may hinder your productivity? (Note: this not the same as anxiety seen in contamination OCD). Conversely, do you experience a sense of relief during times when you are unwell because you find it easier to justify rest? (Both can be simultaneously true).
Do you feel anxious or uneasy when your schedule is empty? Do you feel as if you should be doing something productive even when there’s nothing urgent that needs to be done.
Do you forbid yourself from participating in activities you’ve labelled as “frivolous”. If you do participate in activities that don’t “earn” you anything, do you feel guilty or like you’ve wasted your time? Even if you enjoyed yourself, do you feel like your time should have been spent “more wisely” by doing something “more productive”?
Do you measure the quality of your day by how much you get done, rather than how the things you spent your time on made you feel?
Do you disregard your true feelings and preferences in favour of what you think you “should” do or for what other people think you should do? Do you make decisions based on optics or what “makes the most sense” from a “logical” standpoint, rather than pursuing what sparks joy and curiosity?
Do you feel like a better, more virtuous person, or like you have better morals when you make progress or succeed in something?
Do you struggle to ask for help without feeling ashamed or struggle to accept help without feeling like a burden?
Do you worry that slowing down means you’ll fall behind, become irrelevant, or be labelled as a failure?
Do you tell yourself you can rest after you achieve something? Do you only feel worthy of rest once you’ve succeeded?
If you answered “yes” to several of these…
Rest is a basic need, not a reward that must be earned.
Your value as a human being isn’t measured by success or in tasks completed.
Additionally, you’re likely just a chronic achiever.
But you’re not broken.
You’re not weak.
There’s nothing wrong with you.
And you’re not alone.
Many of us learned early that productivity provides us a sense of safety, approval, or self-worth. Becoming Type C isn’t about erasing that instinct overnight — it’s about noticing that it’s no longer serving us.
Awareness is the first step, but it’s also a big step.
Ultimately, you are in charge of how you choose to proceed with this information.
It’s true that it takes time and effort to change, but you also don’t have to change a thing if you don’t wish to.
This is your life and, although we can’t control most things, you are in the driver’s seat of how you react — and you get to choose how you want to respond to every experience.
Today is just about noticing.
