Quoting from point 10 of the article>>That means that they're organized, responsible, and hardworking, and are able to control their impulses.

Research has found*that conscientiousness is the only major personality trait that consistently predicts success, in terms of factors like income and job satisfaction. That's partly because conscientious people are better at setting and achieving goals, especially in the face of obstacles.<<end quote

This piece stood out to me, while reading the article. I can appreciate on some small level what they[your parents] may be trying to point out. And I fully appreciate and hear what you mean about the effect it is having on you, since without more in depth discussion, it's limiting.

It's not uncommon, especially after struggling on whatever level, to raise kids, to look back and see/believe that this is as good as it gets and there's no point in looking at some big dream.

But aside from setting a goal to be another Oprah, this list does seem like a wonderful tip sheet for being a more effective you, in and out of the workplace. So much is out there, these days about work/life balance and this actually touches upon that.

One thing that I'm sadly seeing more and more is working to the bone towards retirement, to never enjoy what was built towards.