Britain is a nation of “satisficers” rather than “strivers”, Ipsos report finds

• One in two are happy with their lot; only one in three want more
• Home ownership & financial security are key signs of success, not material possession

An in-depth Ipsos report has found that Britain is a nation of “satisficers” rather than “strivers”, with one in two (51%) satisfied with their lot, compared to fewer than one in three (30%) who want to achieve more.

“Signs of Success” reveals deep generational and geographical divisions in our perceptions of success, but we are united by a common belief that home ownership, financial security and independence are more important than physical possessions.

Britain believes in "quiet luxury" and discreet consumption. Just 10% say they like to own or do things that displays their wealth, while 69% disagree – and a third strongly disagree. Even among  groups who might be considered more prone to ostentation – Generation Z (those aged 27 and under) and high earners - less than a fifth will admit seeking to flaunt their wealth.

Read 'Signs of Success' online

What is success?

The possessions or attributes which most reflect success are financial. The top three spots are occupied by owning your own home (63%), being able to leave an inheritance (59%), and accumulating a good pension (58%).  Physical possessions, such as a top-of-the-range smartphone, dishwashers, microwaves and widescreen TVs, which might once have been considered signifiers of success, rank much lower.

Success is also related to feelings of independence. Eight in ten who believe they are very successful say they feel in control of what is happening in their life. By contrast a mere 17% of those who rate their success as low feel the same.

Are we a successful nation?

Ipsos asked individuals to rate their own success in life so far, using a question based on the ten-point scale used by ONS to measure wellbeing. The results revealed that 13% of respondents rated their own success as a nine to ten out of ten, while a further 43% rated their personal success a seven or an eight.

However, there is a significant proportion, almost a fifth of the UK take a far more pessimistic view, rating their success between four and zero. Further, feelings of success are lower among some groups: only eight per cent of people living in rented accommodation and those from ethnic minority backgrounds attribute themselves with a nine or ten out of ten rating for success.

“Satisficers” vs “Strivers”

Britons are generally comfortable with their lot and relatively few relentlessly seek advancement. Whilst 51% agreed with the statement: “I am happy with what I have, even if I know some things could be better”, only 30% argued: “I want to get the best I can in life instead of settling for what I already have, even if that means more hard work”.

“Satisficers” report higher levels of life satisfaction and are more likely to rate themselves as having been successful. Older people in particular stand out as having this mindset: three quarters of the over 75s fall into this group.

Surprisingly, it is not always individuals with high incomes or successful careers who are happiest with their lot - those with no formal qualifications (72%), people living in rural areas (60%) and those with household incomes under £26,000 per year (59%) are among those more likely to share this mindset.

“Strivers”, by contrast, are younger and more diverse. The three most-strongly associated groups are students (60%), 16-24s (60%) and Generation Z (56%). But this group also includes the truly driven – people on household incomes of more than £100,000 are more likely than average to report a “striver” mentality.

How do you earn success?

Three quarters (77%) see hard work as being essential or very important to getting ahead in life, and around two thirds credit an individual’s skills and talents, education, and ambition as essential or very important factors. Fewer than half (46%) say it is about ‘knowing the right people’ and around a quarter feel the same about their parents’ educational levels or familial wealth. Only one in five think it is down to luck – in fact, chance is considered the least essential aspect of success of all that were tested. The most important factor for success overall is treating other people well – seen as essential or very important by more than eight in ten.

The geographical divide of success

A north-south divide exists in perceptions of how easy it is to get ahead in the UK today: People in the south east of England are the most likely to believe that it is easy for someone from their local area to be successful (31%), almost double the national average of 18%. By contrast, just 7% of residents in the Northeast of England believe this, followed by Wales (10%) and the West Midlands (12%).

The divide is also present in the extent to which people think they are successful: In the South west, a mere 11% of individuals rate their personal success as low and London is not far behind on 13%. But 36% of people in the Northeast rate their success as low, a level of pessimism far ahead of other regions: the next closest are the East Midlands (22%), Scotland (19%), and the East of England (19%).

The generational divide of success

While belief in meritocracy is alive and well in the UK and half the population considering that being competitive is important to success – almost a quarter admit to being jealous of others’ achievements. Jealousy appears to be particularly prevalent among the younger generation: 43% of Generation Z (those aged 27 and under) agree they ‘often feel jealous of people who I think are more successful than me’ and a further 17% say they think many people are jealous of their own successes in life. Jealousy diminishes with age however: for Baby Boomers (aged 58-78) just seven per cent agree with either question. 

Conclusions of the research

Mike Clemence, Engagement Manager at Ipsos Trends and Foresight, said:

Our data paints a picture of a country that is comfortable overall and not driven to seek ever greater success, which appears to have benefits for our national happiness. But perceptions are not even and lower feelings of success and control are rather predictably distributed in the UK along generational and regional lines.
When it comes to the signs of success in the UK today it is not the material possessions we amass, or even the experiences we can have, that denote achievement for most. Instead it is financial stability and home ownership; these factors contribute to a sense of greater control over life which our research indicates is vital to increased perceptions of success.

Read 'Signs of Success' online

Technical note

Recruitment to the panel

Panellists are recruited via a random probability unclustered address-based sampling method. This means that every household in the UK has a known chance of being selected to join the panel. Letters are sent to selected addresses in the UK (using the postcode address file) inviting them to become members of the panel. Invited members are able to sign up to the panel by completing a short online questionnaire or by returning a paper form. Up to 2 members of the household are able to sign up to the panel. Members of the public who are digitally excluded are able to register to the KnowledgePanel either by post or by telephone, and are given a tablet, an email address, and basic internet access (see further information below) which allows them to complete surveys online.

Sample and weighting information

This study was conducted on the UK KnowledgePanel between 1st June – 7th June 2023. In total 2,178 interviews were achieved with residents across the United Kingdom aged 16+.

Weighting

In order to ensure the survey results are as representative of the target population as possible, the below weighting spec was applied to the data in line with the target population profile. Two members per household are allowed to register on the KnowledgePanel. Therefore, we employed a design weight to correct for unequal probabilities of selection of household members. Calibration weights have also been applied using the latest population statistics relevant to the surveyed population to correct for imbalances in the achieved sample. England, Wales, Scotland, and Northern Ireland were weighted together.

Conducting the survey

The survey was designed using a “mobile-first” approach, which took into consideration the look, feel and usability of a questionnaire on a mobile device. This included: a thorough review of the questionnaire length to ensure it would not over burden respondents from focusing on a small screen for a lengthy period, avoiding the use of grid style questions (instead using question loops which are more mobile friendly), and making questions “finger-friendly” so they’re easy to respond to. The questionnaire was also compatible with screen reader software to help those requiring further accessibility.

Sampling

The KnowledgePanel is a random probability survey panel. Therefore, the KnowledgePanel does not use a quota approach when conducting surveys. Instead invited samples are stratified when conducting waves to account for any profile skews within the panel. The sample was stratified by country and education, and a sample boost was then applied to achieve a good amount of responses from panellists aged 16 to 34.

A total of 4,275 panellists in the United Kingdom (aged 16+) were selected and invited to take part in the survey. Of these, 2,178 respondents completed the survey – a response rate of 51%.

The calibration weights were applied in two stages:

• The first set of variables were (using ONS 2019 mid-year population estimates as the weighting targets): An interlocked variable of Gender by Age, and region.
• The second set were (using ONS 2019 mid-year population estimates and the ONS Annual Population Survey as the weighting targets): Education, Ethnicity, Index of Multiple Deprivation (quintiles), and number of adults in the household.