--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: People’s personalities are pretty well…" description: "\"“People’s personalities are pretty well formed before they come to you, and they’ve been leaving their fingerprints all over the place since childhood;..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/d0f/ray-dalio-299_children_people-s-personalities-are-pretty-well-f_522940.jpg" --- # People’s personalities are pretty well formed before they… ![“People’s personalities are pretty well formed before they come to you, and they’ve been leaving their fingerprints all over the place since childhood; anyone is fairly knowable if you do your homework. You have to get at their values, abilities, and skills: Do they have a track record of…” quote by Ray Dalio](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/d0f/ray-dalio-299_children_people-s-personalities-are-pretty-well-f_522940.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/d0f/ray-dalio-299_children_people-s-personalities-are-pretty-well-f_522940.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/d0f/ray-dalio-299_children_people-s-personalities-are-pretty-well-f_522940.jpg) > ““People’s personalities are pretty well formed before they come to you, and they’ve been leaving their fingerprints all over the place since childhood; anyone is fairly knowable if you do your homework. You have to get at their values, abilities, and skills: Do they have a track record of excellence in what you’re expecting them to do? Have they done the thing you want them to do successfully at least three times? If not, you’re making a lower-probability bet, so you want to have really good reasons for doing so.”” [Ray Dalio](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ray-dalio/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. Effective evaluation of people requires examining their past performance, values, and skills to predict future success, reducing reliance on uncertain bets. **In simple terms:** Assess past behavior and abilities to gauge future fit. Key Takeaway Base decisions on proven track records. Themes evaluation decisionmaking performance risk assessment Mood analytical pragmatic cautious Type advice business leadership When to use this quote - hiring - team building - leadership - investment decisions - project assignments Key Concepts behavioral economics probability human capital Questions to Reflect On - How can you balance past performance with potential for growth? - When should you take a calculated risk on a less proven candidate? A Different Perspective Past behavior may not fully predict future innovation or adaptability. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Children](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/children/) [Fingerprints](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/fingerprints/) [People Personalities](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/people-personalities-809376/) [Personalities](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/personalities/) [Personalities Pretty](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/personalities-pretty-4409283/) [Three times](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/three-times/) [Track record](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/track-record/) [Values Abilities](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/values-abilities-4409284/) ## Related quotes > [“Recognize that performance in school doesn’t tell you much about whether a person has the values and abilities you are looking for. Largely because…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ray-dalio/recognize-that-performance-in-school-doesn-t-tell-you-much-about/) [Ray Dalio](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ray-dalio/) > [“Know what your people are like and what makes them tick, because your people are your most important resource. Develop a full profile of…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ray-dalio/know-what-your-people-are-like-and-what-makes-them-tick-because-your/) [Ray Dalio](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ray-dalio/) > [“Think through which values, abilities, and skills you are looking for (in that order).”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ray-dalio/think-through-which-values-abilities-and-skills-you-are-looking-for/) [Ray Dalio](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ray-dalio/) > [Some people's personalities are so compelling that they command attention.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/laura-linney/some-people-s-personalities-are-so-compelling-that-they-command/) [Laura Linney](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/laura-linney/) > [Just as an informal, nonscientific observation, most people's personalities don't seem to change very much during their lives. There are exceptions in the case…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/neal-stephenson/just-as-an-informal-nonscientific-observation-most-people-s/) [Neal Stephenson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/neal-stephenson/) > [I'm trying to get low. People's personalities can get in the way of their own work.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mos-def/i-m-trying-to-get-low-people-s-personalities-can-get-in-the-way-of/) [Mos Def](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mos-def/) > [Most people's personalities and roles are locked by the time they're nine or 10. I think there's something to that.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/don-hertzfeldt/most-people-s-personalities-and-roles-are-locked-by-the-time-they-re/) [Don Hertzfeldt](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/don-hertzfeldt/) > [People's personalities get tweaked at weddings.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/peter-dinklage/people-s-personalities-get-tweaked-at-weddings/) [Peter Dinklage](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/peter-dinklage/) > [We've progressed well beyond the four humors in the two thousand-odd years since Hippocrates, but we still haven't satisfied the urge to discover ways…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/maria-konnikova/we-ve-progressed-well-beyond-the-four-humors-in-the-two-thousand-odd/) [Maria Konnikova](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/maria-konnikova/) > [When you play with great musicians, whether they're schooled or self-taught, they keep you on your toes. It comes down to people's personalities and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/cass-mccombs/when-you-play-with-great-musicians-whether-they-re-schooled-or-self/) [Cass McCombs](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/cass-mccombs/) > [Departures and arrivals tend to emphasize people's personalities.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lilli-palmer/departures-and-arrivals-tend-to-emphasize-people-s-personalities/) [Lilli Palmer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lilli-palmer/) > [“An excellent skier is probably going to be a better ski coach than a novice skier. Believability applies to management too. The better your…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ray-dalio/an-excellent-skier-is-probably-going-to-be-a-better-ski-coach-than-a/) [Ray Dalio](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ray-dalio/) > [When you live under the same roof, it's fast-forward. You get to learn so much about people and their personalities and their strategy.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/larsa-pippen/when-you-live-under-the-same-roof-it-s-fast-forward-you-get-to-learn/) [Larsa Pippen](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/larsa-pippen/) > [We are so lucky to be surrounded by such open minded, well traveled individuals. Everyone has a different story and journey that we can…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/candice-swanepoel/we-are-so-lucky-to-be-surrounded-by-such-open-minded-well-traveled/) [Candice Swanepoel](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/candice-swanepoel/) > [I hate studios; I'll be honest with you. People get weird in the studio. I've had some great and terrible times with people. People's…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/thundercat/i-hate-studios-i-ll-be-honest-with-you-people-get-weird-in-the-studio/) [Thundercat](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/thundercat/) ## More by Ray Dalio > [“Slow down your thinking so you can note the criteria you are using to make your decision. 2. Write the criteria down as a principle.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ray-dalio/slow-down-your-thinking-so-you-can-note-the-criteria-you-are-using-to/) [Ray Dalio](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ray-dalio/) > [“Having a process that ensures problems are brought to the surface, and their root causes diagnosed, assures that continual improvements occur.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ray-dalio/having-a-process-that-ensures-problems-are-brought-to-the-surface-and/) [Ray Dalio](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ray-dalio/) > [“If you can’t successfully do something, don’t think you can tell others how it should be done”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ray-dalio/if-you-can-t-successfully-do-something-don-t-think-you-can-tell/) [Ray Dalio](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ray-dalio/) > [“Remember that a good plan should resemble a movie script.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ray-dalio/remember-that-a-good-plan-should-resemble-a-movie-script/) [Ray Dalio](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ray-dalio/) > [“I believe that the key to success lies in knowing how to both strive for a lot and fail well. By failing well, I…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ray-dalio/i-believe-that-the-key-to-success-lies-in-knowing-how-to-both-strive/) [Ray Dalio](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ray-dalio/) > [I'm scared of one man, one vote because it suggests that everybody has an equal ability at making decisions, and I think that's dangerous.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ray-dalio/i-m-scared-of-one-man-one-vote-because-it-suggests-that-everybody-has/) [Ray Dalio](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ray-dalio/) > [“A manager’s ability to recognize when outcomes are inconsistent with goals and then modify designs and assemble people to rectify them makes all the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ray-dalio/a-manager-s-ability-to-recognize-when-outcomes-are-inconsistent-with/) [Ray Dalio](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ray-dalio/) > [“So I learned to be radically open-minded to allow others to point out what I might be missing.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ray-dalio/so-i-learned-to-be-radically-open-minded-to-allow-others-to-point-out/) [Ray Dalio](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ray-dalio/) > [“During those terrible days after 9/11, when the whole country was being whipsawed by emotion, or the weeks between September 19 and October 10,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ray-dalio/during-those-terrible-days-after-9-11-when-the-whole-country-was/) [Ray Dalio](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ray-dalio/) > [“is more effective to train that subconscious, emotional you the same way you would teach a child to behave”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ray-dalio/is-more-effective-to-train-that-subconscious-emotional-you-the-same/) [Ray Dalio](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ray-dalio/) > [I think that the first thing is you should have a strategic asset allocation mix that assumes that you don't know what the future…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ray-dalio/i-think-that-the-first-thing-is-you-should-have-a-strategic-asset/) [Ray Dalio](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ray-dalio/) > [Life is like a game where you seek to overcome the obstacles that stand in the way of achieving your goals. You get better…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ray-dalio/life-is-like-a-game-where-you-seek-to-overcome-the-obstacles-that/) [Ray Dalio](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ray-dalio/) > [“when we look down on ourselves through the eyes of nature we are of absolutely no significance. It is a reality that each one…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ray-dalio/when-we-look-down-on-ourselves-through-the-eyes-of-nature-we-are-of/) [Ray Dalio](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ray-dalio/) > [“Great questions are a much better indicator of future success than great answers.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ray-dalio/great-questions-are-a-much-better-indicator-of-future-success-than/) [Ray Dalio](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ray-dalio/) > [“Georgi Plekhanov’s classic On the Role of the Individual in History.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ray-dalio/georgi-plekhanov-s-classic-on-the-role-of-the-individual-in-history/) [Ray Dalio](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ray-dalio/) [Explore all 716 Ray Dalio quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ray-dalio/) ## More Children quotes > [I am certain that children always know more than they are able to tell, and that makes the big difference between them and adults,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jacques-lusseyran/i-am-certain-that-children-always-know-more-than-they-are-able-to/) [Jacques Lusseyran](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jacques-lusseyran/) > [Behind every successful child is an adult who believed in him.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rick-warren/behind-every-successful-child-is-an-adult-who-believed-in-him/) [Rick Warren](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rick-warren/) > [I believe in freedom to do what you want if you aren't hurting others, but pictures of obese protesters giving their children big gulps.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/philip-defranco/i-believe-in-freedom-to-do-what-you-want-if-you-aren-t-hurting-others/) [Philip DeFranco](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/philip-defranco/) > [If the audience likes your work, if they like you, they don't think whether you are married or have children or not. I made…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dimple-kapadia/if-the-audience-likes-your-work-if-they-like-you-they-don-t-think/) [Dimple Kapadia](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dimple-kapadia/) > [It doesnt seem to me strange that children should like the macabre, the sensational, and the forbidden.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anthony-hecht/it-doesnt-seem-to-me-strange-that-children-should-like-the-macabre/) [Anthony Hecht](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anthony-hecht/) > [Let children support their parents or be imprisoned.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/let-children-support-their-parents-or-be-imprisoned/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [Gratitude isn't just a feeling, it's an action. Expressing gratitude by writing in a journal, taking a photo, or shooting a video creates a…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/janice-kaplan/gratitude-isn-t-just-a-feeling-it-s-an-action-expressing-gratitude-by/) [Janice Kaplan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/janice-kaplan/) > [My embarrassing confession is that my father is a 'Camelot: The Musical' obsessive. So as a child, when we were going to visit relatives…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/chris-chibnall/my-embarrassing-confession-is-that-my-father-is-a-camelot-the-musical/) [Chris Chibnall](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/chris-chibnall/) > [I have many who keep me going, I am very fortunate in this sense. There is nothing like a child who knows more about…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/floyd-cooper/i-have-many-who-keep-me-going-i-am-very-fortunate-in-this-sense-there/) [Floyd Cooper](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/floyd-cooper/) > [My school was one of the most beautiful places a child can grow up in. You are surrounded by nature - cats, dogs, birds…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/amala-akkineni/my-school-was-one-of-the-most-beautiful-places-a-child-can-grow-up-in/) [Amala Akkineni](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/amala-akkineni/) > [A lesser complaint: hair extensions. There are moments on 'All My Children' when half the women actors, young and old, seem to be afflicted…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/camille-paglia/a-lesser-complaint-hair-extensions-there-are-moments-on-all-my/) [Camille Paglia](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/camille-paglia/) > [As a child, I had a lot of older gay men taking care of me. There's a trust there. I feel like little girls…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/margaret-cho/as-a-child-i-had-a-lot-of-older-gay-men-taking-care-of-me-there-s-a/) [Margaret Cho](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/margaret-cho/) > [If my child had prejudice in his head, I'd be ashamed. I would see it as my failure as a parent.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/salman-rushdie/if-my-child-had-prejudice-in-his-head-i-d-be-ashamed-i-would-see-it/) [Salman Rushdie](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/salman-rushdie/) > [“Children's lives are always beginning and adults' lives are always ending. Or is it the opposite? Your childhood is always ending and your adult…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alison-espach/children-s-lives-are-always-beginning-and-adults-lives-are-always/) [Alison Espach](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alison-espach/) > [As a child I was very involved with sports and I knew at age 9 that I wanted to be an Olympic champion.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/marion-jones/as-a-child-i-was-very-involved-with-sports-and-i-knew-at-age-9-that-i/) [Marion Jones](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/marion-jones/) [Browse all 62,396 Children quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/children/) ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "“People’s personalities are pretty well formed before they come to you, and they’ve been leaving their fingerprints all over the place since childhood; anyone is fairly knowable if you do your homework. 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