There are, in this world, two types of people: organized and disorganized.
The difference between them is one of degree, rather than kind, as they all fall into one of the categories. Let me give you an example. I have two friends, both striving to get into university. One is organized, keeps a clear schedule and is calm because she usually gets everything done when she wants and how she wants. My other friend is more chaotic, she doesn't organize her activities and ends up trying more, being more exhausted and taking twice as long to complete something.
The point is organized people tend to do something once and well, disorganized people do the same thing three times because they didn't take into account everything that might occur or they didn't consciously do it, they did it for doing's sake.
A particular category of unorganized people are underachievers.
The sad tale of the Underachiever
We often come across the term "underachiever" in reference to children. It is used to define students who do not do well in school, or at least not as wellas expected; the students who are a disappointment to their teachers. But it is a symptom that carries on into adulthood. The given definition of the term is someone who fails to achieve his or her potential, someone who despite their best efforts always somehow falls short.
These people are quite baffling to know since it's clearly not a matter of ability. It's not "they can't do better", but rather "they won't do better". These are people who set up their own barriers.
But why?
Well, studies show that they have a number of reasons. I found some excellent ones here
A fixed mindset causes students to believe that their abilities are permanent and they can't do anything about them. A growth mindset, they understand that their efforts will develop their talents over time.
Avoidance Behaviors: avoidance behaviors protect underachievers from admitting their feared lack of ability.
Perfectionism: because perfectionism is unachievable, it provides the student with ready excuses for poor performance.
Personally, I think it's fear that keeps them from achieving their potential. Of course, people have different abilities. I can't do what you can and vice-versa. So let's imagine a scale, by which to measure potential. A poten-meter. While you may score 12, I may only reach 10. But knowing that you can reach 12, I don't want to reach my 10, for fear of comparison. It's an insecurity that haunts all underachievers. It's the fear that they may be "smaller" than others, that the "awesome someone" they set themselves up to be might be disproven. So they stall, never reaching their goal, their possibility and so, they keep themselves perpetually on the way towards it.
And so, if the goal, the desired, is always just out of reach , they don't have to admit they're not moving.
For example, we must get to X. An underachiever will not just sit still, because that would be too obvious. He wants to seem like he's doing something to reach the goal, when he's not. He will take a car that he knows is running on empty. And when the car breaks down, he will argue that he did something toward the goal. He sets himself up to fail, so that he doesn't get there,but he keeps moving. And so, he never gets to X.
Bottom line here is: it pays to be organized. Forget fear. There are places only you can go.
So go.