If Someone Grew Up With Lots & Lots Of Money, They Likely Have 11 Rare Traits As An Adult
Kiuikson | Shutterstock People who grow up with a lot of money are different from everyone else, including those who got rich as adults. Growing up with a lot of money, the kind that counts as true wealth, changes a person in ways they can never truly outgrow.
What makes rich kids different comes not only from how they were treated by their parents, but also how they were treated by others. They spend their whole lives watching out for people who want to use them for their money or status, and these two things show up in rare traits that are both positive and negative.
If someone grew up with lots & lots of money, they likely have 11 rare traits as an adult
1. They are unusually confident
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If a person grew up with lots of money, they’re probably the most confident person in the room. With their head held high, they often give off a quiet energy of self-assuredness.
Only ever receiving the best out of life, it doesn't make much sense for them to get insecure now. In their eyes, they don’t have a single thing to feel insecure about due to their high education and family status. On top of that, they’re probably extremely wealthy themselves due to their family’s privileges.
A study published in the journal Emotion found that people who have a higher income tend to be prouder, braver, and more confident. So, if someone has the opportunity to meet a person who grew up living the good life observe then them closely. They might find that this wealthy person is the most confident individual they ever met.
2. They're not easily impressed by materialistic things
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A person who grew up in serious wealth isn’t all that impressed by your Dyson air wrap or the brand-new Chanel purse. Growing up ultra-wealthy teaches people that designer clothes or expensive cars don't define the person.
As a result, truly rich individuals often avoid ‘tacky’ materialistic things and stick to quietly elegant purchases. Though it might sound strange to everyone else, people who grew up rich comprehend that true wealth is understated.
This is great for them, as research published in the Journal of Experimental Psychology found that spending money on experiences rather than possessions leads to greater and longer-lasting happiness. This is something wealthy people understand, as they often learn the hard way that money doesn't make you happy.
3. They're knowledgable
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People would like to assume that privileged rich kids grow up facing zero obstacles in life. And sure, their lifestyle is a lot easier than those struggling to make ends meet. However, this doesn’t mean that they weren’t expected to meet high standards growing up.
In truth, wealthy parents often place an abundance of expectations on their children. As a result, people who grew up rich are often more intelligent than others give them credit for. According to a study published in Intelligence, researchers found that each point increase in IQ tests is associated with a $202 to $616 increase in money per year.
Of course, that doesn't mean people who are not wealthy are low-IQ, but rather that it's likely easier to make a lot of money if you are smart, as long as lots of other factors come together, too. A Cornell University blog notes that rich students generally have better educational opportunities, resulting in them making more money. They also have connections to people in power and the ability to "blend in" socioeconomically with those same people.
So, if you meet a person who grew up with money, don't assume they're pampered know-nothings. Often, they've had fantastic educations and are very knowledgable.
4. They have a complicated relationship with hard work
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It’s never good to stereotype, but a person who grew up very wealthy may have a unique and particular way of getting things done. Instead of following the saying, ‘hard work pays off,’ they may truly believe in the saying ‘work smarter, not harder.’
When thinking about billionaires such as Elon Musk or Jeff Bezos, it never crosses people’s minds that they might be doing manual labor. As most people understand, billionaires typically own the means of production rather than work on the production of a product. However, that is far from a hard-and-fast rule.
The other complicating factor in their relationship with work is that they have likely been judged as spoiled or even lazy due to their parents' wealth. This often turns out two ways: the kid leans into it and becomes a braggart who lounges by a pool all day, or they may become an incredibly hard-worker, committed to proving the haters wrong.
But, in general, don’t expect to find the rich clocking into a 9-5 job. Instead, most rich people oversee things and let others do the work for them, resulting in their having a complicated relationship with hard work.
5. They're high-strung
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Another unique trait of a person who grew up rich is a tendency to be high-strung. This is like being anxious, but also features a high level of sensitivity and reactivty.
Being a rich kid doesn’t mean that problems cease to exist. Whether they’re an only child or have multiple siblings, their standard for reaching excellence is still the same. Wealthy parents often put enormous pressure on their kids and may even be absentee parents, out working hard or enjoying a jet-set lifestyle.
According to a report published in Current Directions in Psychological Science, kids who grow up rich tend to be more likely to develop anxiety. Experts suggest this is likely due to the excessive pressure to achieve or isolation from their parents.
6. Ever-shifting interests and identities
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Many people who grew up very, very rich often don’t keep one persona for long. Growing up in a wealthy family often meant that they were allowed to pursue their interests and whims in ways that an average working family couldn't have afforded.
According to Dr. Barton Goldsmith, research has shown that children in wealthy families tend to struggle with identity formation. They explained that this is likely the result of feeling disconnected from their families and by extension, their communities.
Truly wealthy people might not feel as content as most people would like to think, so they explore different hobbies, obsessions and identities. This is especially true when they were expected to be a certain way to fit in with their families.
7. They don't always know when to take big risks
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Another unique trait of people who grew up rich is that they aren't impulsive. When watching stereotypical films, rich people are often portrayed as egotistical maniacs with zero self-control. As a result, most people assume that in order to be wealthy someone had to take crazy risks to make it to the top. However, this couldn't be further from the truth.
According to a working paper written by Antoni Bosch-Domènech and Joaquim Silvestre, wealthy people are increasingly likely to take risks when the amount of money is relatively small, the same can't be said about larger risks. Specifically, non-wealthy people were increasingly likely to take risks when the financial amount was larger compared to wealthy people. This is counterintiutive, but appears to be true.
This means that people who grow up rich won't likely risk their finances unless they’re confident that doing so will benefit them. Not wanting to lose out, they'll carefully weigh their investments before making a decision.
When they're young, they may also take huge risks that don't have a good payoff. They may spend too much money on something impulsive or make a dangerous choice, physically. In some ways, it's like they don't know when to make these big decisions (and when not to).
8. They're happy to disagree
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Unsurprisingly, a person who grew up rich might not be the most agreeable. Used to a life of privilege, some of these individuals don't know what it's like to compromise and hear the word 'no.' As a result, they can be head-strong and stubborn, refusing to bend to other people's will unless it benefits their long-term goals.
This is why people who grew up surrounded by wealth often have to actively learn to humble themselves. Otherwise, they may be categorized as another rich kid who doesn't care about anyone but themselves.
9. They're not big into hosting
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It might come as a surprise, but a person who grew up rich isn't likely to be all that social, especially when it comes to hosting dinners or houseguests. Being used to going to small private schools and isolated from most of society often hasn't allowed them to make that many friends.
Even more importantly, they likely grew up not knowing who they could trust or who would get weird if they came over.
According to researchers from Emory University and the University of Minnesota, wealthy people spend less time socializing. Specifically, a survey analyzing 120,000 American responses found that people with higher incomes spent less time socializing and more time alone.
10. They know how to regulate their emotions
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Finally, growing up rich is often associated with being wild and reckless. Most people would assume that wealthy people couldn't possibly have control over their emotions based on the recklessness of some young, entitled people's youth. But this stereotype is just another common misconception.
According to a study published in Income, having better emotional regulation was associated with greater well-being, socioeconomic status, and greater income.
That said, having the ability to control one's emotions isn't all that easy. For most people, it takes a lot of restraint and training to get a hold of their thoughts and feelings. Yet, unlike most people, people who grew rich understand that to truly be successful they must control their minds first.
11. They're discerning about friends
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When you grow up knowing that there are lots of people who want to be your friend, or even date and marry you, based on your wealth, you learn to be discerning about friends. While it may take people who grew up with lots of money a few tries, and a few times getting burned by users and social climbers, they do learn.
When they come out the other end, kids who come from wealth have a special skill of detecting dishonest or shallow friends. And that is something that serves them for for the rest of their lives.
Marielisa Reyes is a writer with a bachelor's degree in psychology who covers self-help, relationships, career, family, and astrology topics.
