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Research Hit: Conscientiousness not Willpower Predicts Success
A new review shows that will power is overrated in life success — conscientiousness is a much better predictor
Surely willpower is important? If you have a strong force of will, you can achieve anything!
Yes, that is the assumption, and something that many a motivational speaker has encouraged. Not to mention that earlier work — the famed marshmallow test — found that willpower, the ability, in the case of the marshmallow test, to resist temptation was strongly associated with later success in life.
So this is fundamentally wrong?
Well, yes, according to Michael Inzlicht and Brent Roberts of University of Illinois in a recently published review.
That feels counter-intuitive!
Yes, it does but this is partly because there is so much “marketing” that promotes self control. We are talking about two different things: the trait, a person’s natural abilities, and state the current ability. Normally willpower is a state but even as a trait it shows weak correlation to classic measures of success — positive life outcomes.
The authors note that
- Evidence shows that individuals high in trait…
