Something that characterizes many of my anxious and stressed clients is a drive to achieve. It is usually around work - a drive to go up a career ladder, to complete bigger and better projects, pass ever higher exams - but sometimes it's about relationships, being a good mother, a good husband, a good person. Unfortunately a common companion of this desire to achieve is a fear of failure. Hence the stress. The question is, why is achievement so important to many of us?