According to Cohen, underachievers don't believe they're accomplishing what they set out to do. Thus, they're constantly frustrated that they're not reaching their “ideal” level. Some of these people may even just take more time to accomplish something, but aren't giving themselves enough slack or time.

What causes an underachiever?

Causes of underachievement

Fear of failure, fear of success. Fear of lack of acceptance by peer group. Undetected learning disabilities. Lack of basic skills and study habits.

How do you know if you are an underachiever?

Here are some signs of an underachieving child from The founder of the Institute for Motivational Development your child may… fail to complete projects on time, seem to have a short attention span, do well only when they feel like it or they may view criticism as if they are being picked on.