Hard Work, Hard Times: Self-control and Joblessness

The Huffington Post:

A big part of parenting is teaching kids self-control. Yes, sugary snacks do taste good, but even so, we shouldn’t eat them too often. Yes, we know that math homework may not always be fun, but it must come before TV. Yes, soccer practice may seem tedious, but it’s the road to excellence on the field and beyond. And so forth. No parent disputes this. It’s in the manual.

Indeed, we’re all expected to take this life lesson on faith. Hard work and effort are virtues worth instilling, and worth having.

But what do we mean by “worth”? Does self-discipline today really pay off later in life — in jobs, paychecks, promotions and bonuses, professional prestige and wealth? Surprisingly, given the importance of employment to well-being and the global economy, the link between self-control and job success has not been thoroughly studied.

Until now. Psychological scientist Michael Daly of the University of Stirling, UK, and his colleagues have, for the first time, been investigating the link between childhood self-discipline and job success in adulthood. The benefits of self-control in a work setting seem readily apparent. Ignoring distractions, perseverance in the face of difficulty, conscientiousness in general — these traits all make for good workers. Daly and colleagues wanted to see if these benefits begin to accrue early in life and persist into and throughout adulthood.

Read the whole story: The Huffington Post

Wray Herbert is an author and award-winning journalist who writes two popular blogs for APS, We’re Only Human and Full Frontal Psychology. Follow Wray on Twitter @wrayherbert.