# The Conscientious Individual By:: [[Brian Heath]] 2023-06-24 Conscientiousness, or the desire to do one's work well and thoroughly, is a constraining and rewarding trait for any individual to possess. It is genuinely a double-edged sword. It gives one energy to deliver outcomes that meet or exceed expectations regardless of the working conditions or one's situation. As a result, conscientious individuals rise to at least the upper-middle of most organization systems. However, it also locks one into paradigms of work that are not self-defined. Instead, work, success, and value are defined by those who commission the work. Most systems today do not allow any individual to commission their work, so the conscientious individual is often left operating to meet the needs of others. This is far from a state where natural self-actualization is achieved or even recognized as worth pursuing. The paradigms of modern success infect these individuals. They adopt them for themselves as they seek higher orders of status and wealth within the given system. But, one may find that this way of being is disconnected from one's intrinsic definitions of work, success, and value - if one is even aware of such internal feelings and ideas. It is existentially uncomfortable to one day wake up feeling disconnected from oneself but still driven to work well and thoroughly and go through the motions. One does not have to attempt to work hard; it just happens. If left unchecked and unexamined, it will serve others very well. But, for conscientious individuals, is it serving you well? Conscientiousness is an excellent servant but a lousy master. Intentionality and discomfort are required to break the chains. One will need to be reminded of who is in charge and learn to get satisfaction from an intrinsically motivated job well done. Once achieved, one can choose to serve robotic masters no longer. Instead, they can improve things as they see fit with all their conscientious energy. #### Related Items [[Conscientious]] [[Work]] [[Thinking]] [[Existential]] [[Self-Actualization]] [[Organization]] [[Reflection]] [[Life]] [[Psychology]]