Imagine a life with no pressure. A life where stress doesn’t strain and consume every part of your day. Deadlines don’t hunt you, and expectations don’t linger. It may seem like a thrilling sense of freedom, as though you are liberated from everything that overwhelms you. However, I’ve come to realize that an utter lack of pressure can be its own kind of burden. One that leads to complete demotivation, one that leaves us uncertain of our worth. A life free of pressure may be much more miserable than one may think.
I do not mean, of course, that an abundance of it is favorable. Excessive pressure can be mentally draining in extreme measures; it can cause us immense levels of burnout, as well as lingering anxiety. However, a complete lack thereof may be severely detrimental. While pressure can sometimes be a cruel weapon, it also serves as a potent motivator. Without pressure, in what ways are we held accountable? What moves us to accomplish what we have set out in front of us? A life wholly exempt from manageable stress may leave a catastrophic hole in our lives, where incentive no longer fuels us.
In high school more than ever, I find myself constantly suffocated by the deprivation of persistent pressure. It sometimes feels as though these four years at Graded dictate my entire future. The weight of expectations, from myself more than anyone, loom over me, and I can’t help but notice the gnawing of endless stress following me around. Yet, it is this same pressure, and the craving to succeed academically, that I know is what pushes me to grow mentally. Without deadlines and a sense of accountability, I would never have been able to achieve the goals I have set for myself: my life would feel empty and unaccomplished. There is a more detrimental side to this, however. Even in long breaks from school, where academic achievement should be put to rest, I relentlessly crave to achieve something— finding myself severely indolent for allowing my mind to slow down. I’ve been conditioned to tie my self-worth to my productivity, and without stress to spark that motivation, I start to feel uneasy— almost lost. This mindset can be truly exhausting, making it nearly impossible to disconnect and even exist without feeling guilty for being unable to accomplish something.
Regardless, an existence without pressure means an existence without responsibility, and that can be isolating. If no one puts pressure on us if no one expects anything from us, are we ever truly cared for? What would we strive for if not the satisfaction of fulfillment?
This creates a paradox. Yes, pressure can feel oppressive, but it can also allow for more structure and meaning in our lives. It burdens us yet fuels us, making us crave peace and powering the drive inside of us when we are overboarded by it. It’s a double-edged sword– invigorating yet exhausting, painful yet somehow necessary.
As students, it’s nearly impossible to see a benefit to the overbearing amount of pressure we face. Constantly overworked and exhausted by our daily school lives, I find that most institutions, including Graded, could do a far better job at acknowledging the stress we face and giving us ways to deal with it, and not necessarily get rid of it. I truly believe that to an extent, by seizing stress, and managing time, we can use it to fuel us in completing what needs to be done. If it’s something that burdens us constantly, we should try to use it to our advantage as a tool for success— for achieving the potential engraved within us.
The pressure we are subject to in our lives does not solely have to be correlated to academics. It can stem from relationships you find hold great importance, societal expectations, and frequently our internal drive to meet self-imposed standards. Yet for everything that may be fueling the pressure locked inside of you, the challenge remains the same: finding that delicate balance, allowing pressure to propel us forward without causing so big of a burden that we find ourselves consumed by it. Pressure, in its healthiest form, serves to further remind us about the things we deeply care about and motivates us to keep on caring about them. It’s ultimately about transforming a daunting idea into something purposeful, and that is where pressure’s true power lies.
