Holy. Moly.

Holy Moly. So, I may be on to something here. Let's look at some of the very first responses to this idea:

"you just reminded me of how I have been meaning to write a book :) I couldn't agree more with the importance of the project.

I can relate on every level. Why don't I speak more languages? when I walk into a book store I feel behind in my reading... I run a company but think that I should be talking extra project management classes etc etc. I have been doing a lot of interviewing for my firm lately and spoke to an interviewing expert who told me that you should always look for signs of slight insecurity in your candidates because it means they will push themselves more than you could ever and it is a strong indentifier of overachievers..."

"It's taken me a huge amount of time to realize that a) I have an imposter complex about many things, and b) much of what I have achieved is to prove my worth to other people.

I'm currently in a state of attempting to figure out what *I* want to do and what makes *me* happy and fulfilled, not just what society wants.

But still, when I "quit" or opt out of a "success", I struggle with what the worse sin is: to fail other people's expectations? or to fail myself."

"After failing miserably at making breakfast this morning (coordinating eggs, bacon & potatoes is too much, apparently), I am off to try banana bread. The eggs are organic but who knows how guilty I should feel about the sugar and bananas? F&#@ it. The graduate student guilt I feel about making bread instead of writing is enough for tonight. No, it is not just you."

"she's really onto something that is, all at once, true, tragic, and hilarious."

I personally know all of the women quoted above to be crazy-high achievers: Valedictorians, Summa Cum Laude, Doctoral Candidates in physics or chemistry or equally and intensely difficult, officers in the military. All have higher education and most higher degrees. Could it be that the more successful a woman is, the more of a failure she feels?