The Surprisingly Simple Traits In Young People Who Succeed Later In Life

A question that appeared in the r/AskReddit forum about the traits that a young person might need to succeed in the future has sparked extensive debate. One of the most popular answers focused on the way such people cope with failure: they don't let disappointments define them, but they also don't become complacent when they have achieved something.

That idea came up repeatedly during the discussion. Some of the commenters mentioned resilience and determination as traits they observed in people who eventually succeed. Others referred to curiosity, accountability, confidence and the willingness to ask questions without being concerned about seeming uninformed. While research does provide some support for certain aspects of that view, no one personality trait can reliably predict a person's future.

The trait known as "grit," which is generally defined as a combination of passion and perseverance in relation to long-term goals, was popularized by psychologist Angela Duckworth's research. Grit is related to achievement in areas such as education and military training. But research has shown that grit is just one of many factors, so its importance in predicting success should not be exaggerated.

One commenter said that successful young people are willing to carry on even if they fail. Another said that the traits associated with success in young people are more measurable when they actually stick to what they say they will do.

A theme that came up again and again was curiosity. Many of the people who did not hesitate to ask 'stupid' questions generally kept on learning and went on to progress in their careers. Research from the American Psychological Association supports that observation: intellectual curiosity, together with intelligence and conscientiousness, can predict academic performance. The trait of conscientiousness involves characteristics such as self-discipline, planning and a readiness to work toward goals. However, not every curious child fits this category.

Not everyone agreed that personal traits give the full picture. For example, some mentioned wealthy or supportive families as one of the clearest advantages a young person can have. Similarly, the common belief that successful people merely "work harder" can be misleading. Although determination is important, people do not start with the same resources or opportunities to take risks.

Some people on the Reddit thread pointed to the marshmallow experiment as evidence that the ability to delay gratification leads to later success. However, the research is more complicated.

A replication of that research was carried out in 2018 and found that a child's ability to wait for a reward was linked to their later achievements. Still, this association was considerably reduced after researchers took into account the children's family background, their early cognitive abilities and the home environment.

In the end, young people who think beyond immediate results might end up with habits that prove beneficial in the future. But the outcome can also be influenced by family resources and simple luck.