Conscientiousness - Videos and Notes

How to deal with high creativity & neuroticism, low conscientiousness

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mQ3fe3vDQao

GPT 4: The video discusses how highly creative individuals who also have high neuroticism can achieve emotional stability. The key advice is to increase conscientiousness, as it helps keep neuroticism in check. The author suggests organizing one’s life, establishing routines, and using calendars not as strict schedules but as tools for planning meaningful, productive days. This organization helps manage the typical neurotic response to uncertainty and unexpected events. For creative people, it’s recommended to structure the non-creative aspects of their lives in a traditional, conservative manner, providing stability and allowing them to take risks in their creative endeavors.

For those who are a “jack of all trades, master of none,” the advice is to focus on one primary discipline. This doesn’t mean abandoning creativity or versatility but establishing a solid foundation in one area before expanding into others. This approach creates a base from which to explore and innovate more effectively. The text also touches on the importance of discipline in achieving success, citing Nietzsche’s view on the role of structured discipline in developing the European mind. Finally, it suggests that engaging in a religious faith or any structured practice can instill discipline, likening it to a well-tempered blade that is sharp and effective. The overarching message is to not wait for a passion to find you but to actively choose a focus and pursue it, as the pursuit itself is valuable and often leads to unexpected benefits.

Info about conscientiousness

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=j-aSSLu3ctw

GPT 4: The video discusses the challenges of integrating conscientiousness into neuropsychology and neuroscience, noting the lack of a theoretical, neuropsychological, or pharmacological model for it. Unlike other personality traits, such as neuroticism or openness, which have known correlations with certain neurotransmitters and can be influenced pharmacologically (e.g., serotonin reuptake inhibitors for neuroticism, psilocybin mushrooms increasing openness), conscientiousness lacks similar associations. The text highlights the uniqueness of conscientiousness in humans, as it involves foregoing immediate pleasures for future security and opportunities. It also touches on the dorsal lateral prefrontal cortex’s role in planning and abstract thinking but notes its negligible correlation with conscientiousness. Conscientiousness is described as a complex attribute involving planning, organization, goal-orientation, and self-control, yet it does not appear to be directly related to cognitive function. Additionally, conscientiousness is linked to life satisfaction and happiness, creating a stable environment that reduces anxiety. The text also explores the relationship between conscientiousness, specific emotions like guilt, and political preferences, suggesting that conservatives tend to be more orderly and less open. It concludes by discussing the importance of orderliness and industriousness in various contexts, including scientific endeavors.


Notes

Tips for low conscientiousness (high openness)