The Overachiever's Pedestal: The Thin Line between Admiration And Rejection

The Rejected Pre-Med Podcast: For Anyone Who’s Faced Rejection by Valeria Rusnak, BSc. Neuroscience, Mental Health Advocate & Speaker

Episode notes

Have you ever felt like the "good one," the "pretty one," or the "smart, put-together one"? You may be even admired on the outside, but quietly crumbling under pressure on the inside?

In this solo episode, Valeria returns with an honest update to explore the hidden cost of being placed on a pedestal—by others and by yourself. She opens up about growing up under the "overachiever" label, and how chasing admiration often comes hand-in-hand with self-rejection, burnout, and loneliness.

This episode is for you if:

  • You've ever felt pressure to be perfect
  • If you feel you have to embody a certain role or image within your career or relationships
  • You’ve struggled with rejection after changing your path, setting boundaries, or simply showing your human side
  • You’re learning to embrace imperfection, vulnerabili ... 
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Keywords
Mental health StorytellingRejectionResilienceCompassionSelf-compassionMental wellnessNotalonerejection sensitivitypeer supportself-lovemedical schoolpre-medburnoutanxietybody imagemodelingsuccesspersonal developmentlife skillsovercoming rejection building resiliencemedical studentoverachieverpedestal effecthigh expectationsperfectionism good girl syndrome