Seth Walsh
The man in the mirror is my only threat
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- Jan 12, 2020
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Conscientiousness
1/
If you want to know how your life will turn out in 20, 30, 50 years, one personality trait predicts more than IQ, luck, or talent: Conscientiousness.
It’s not sexy. But it’s the difference between potential and actual results.
2/
Conscientiousness = your long-term execution engine.
It’s the ability to:
• Follow through on what you say you’ll do
• Stay consistent when motivation dies
• Resist impulses that sabotage the future
• Stay organized in chaos
3/
Think of life as compound interest.
Low conscientiousness → the compounding is negative: missed deadlines, bad health habits, unreliable reputation.
High conscientiousness → the compounding is positive: each year you keep building on the last.
4/
Key facets:
5/
Why #1? Because it multiplies the effect of every other advantage.
Execution beats raw horsepower without steering.
6/
Conscientiousness predicts:
• Career success
• Stable income growth
• Lower divorce rates
• Better health outcomes
• Longer lifespan
It’s been proven in decades of longitudinal studies across cultures.
7/
It’s also trainable.
You can raise conscientiousness through:
• Habit automation
• External accountability
• Environment design (reduce friction for good habits, increase for bad)
• Progressive overload in responsibility
8/
Here’s the kicker:
Once adulthood starts, it’s more important than family wealth or even intelligence in predicting where you’ll end up.
Why? Because it’s the trait that keeps you in the game long enough for opportunities to matter.
9/
Bottom line:
You can’t control your genes, upbringing, or luck.
But you can control the trait that turns inputs into outcomes: Conscientiousness.
It’s the ultimate life force multiplier.
1/
If you want to know how your life will turn out in 20, 30, 50 years, one personality trait predicts more than IQ, luck, or talent: Conscientiousness.
It’s not sexy. But it’s the difference between potential and actual results.
2/
Conscientiousness = your long-term execution engine.
It’s the ability to:
• Follow through on what you say you’ll do
• Stay consistent when motivation dies
• Resist impulses that sabotage the future
• Stay organized in chaos
3/
Think of life as compound interest.
Low conscientiousness → the compounding is negative: missed deadlines, bad health habits, unreliable reputation.
High conscientiousness → the compounding is positive: each year you keep building on the last.
4/
Key facets:
- Orderliness – you track details and keep structure.
- Industriousness – you do the work even when it’s dull.
- Self-discipline – you control impulses for short-term pleasure.
- Deliberation – you think before acting.
- Dutifulness – you honor commitments.
5/
Why #1? Because it multiplies the effect of every other advantage.
- High IQ + low conscientiousness → wasted potential.
- Average IQ + high conscientiousness → consistent wins over time.
Execution beats raw horsepower without steering.
6/
Conscientiousness predicts:
• Career success
• Stable income growth
• Lower divorce rates
• Better health outcomes
• Longer lifespan
It’s been proven in decades of longitudinal studies across cultures.
7/
It’s also trainable.
You can raise conscientiousness through:
• Habit automation
• External accountability
• Environment design (reduce friction for good habits, increase for bad)
• Progressive overload in responsibility
8/
Here’s the kicker:
Once adulthood starts, it’s more important than family wealth or even intelligence in predicting where you’ll end up.
Why? Because it’s the trait that keeps you in the game long enough for opportunities to matter.
9/
Bottom line:
You can’t control your genes, upbringing, or luck.
But you can control the trait that turns inputs into outcomes: Conscientiousness.
It’s the ultimate life force multiplier.
