Conscientiousness facet

Achievement-Striving: a facet of conscientiousness

The achievement-striving facet measures how driven you are to set high goals and work hard to reach them.

What achievement-striving measures

Achievement-striving is one of six facets of conscientiousness. It captures ambition and drive: setting demanding goals, working hard and aiming for excellence.

It's the facet most associated with the everyday idea of being ambitious.

High achievement-striving

High scorers aim high and push themselves. They set stretching goals and feel restless when they're not making progress, sometimes at the cost of rest.

Set ambitious goals
Work hard to excel
Want to be the best at what they do
Find it hard to switch off

Low achievement-striving

Low scorers are more content with good enough. They don't feel a strong need to excel and often put balance and enjoyment ahead of achievement.

Are satisfied with doing enough
Prioritize life outside work
Don't push for top performance

More conscientiousness facets

Conscientiousness overview Self-Efficacy How capable you feel of handling tasks and getting things done. Orderliness How much you like things tidy, organized and planned. Dutifulness How strongly you feel bound by rules, duties and promises. Self-Discipline How well you start and finish tasks, even dull ones. Cautiousness How carefully you think things through before acting.

Common questions

Is low achievement-striving a lack of ambition?

It's lower drive for achievement specifically. Many low scorers are deeply committed to relationships, community or other goals that aren't about excelling.

How can high scorers avoid burnout?

Define what 'enough' looks like for a goal, schedule rest like any other commitment, and celebrate progress rather than only outcomes.

For self-reflection and education only. This isn't a clinical or diagnostic tool and isn't a substitute for professional psychological or medical advice.