Why First-Born Children Are Destined To Make More Money Than Their Siblings

Sibling rivalry is a very real thing.

Anybody with siblings knows that regardless of how close you are, you probably spent your entire lives vying for the attention and approval of your parents, and in some cases for the approval of each other.

When you finally leave home, enter college and transition into the workplace, you probably feel like you've left those power struggles behind you, but the truth is, buddy, you haven't.

Actually, the traits you're endowed with based on your birth order follow you through your entire life, and they can even affect the course of your career, from the kind of profession you choose right down to how much money you make.

Luckily, if you're the oldest sibling, this happens to be great news because your life is going to be DOPE.

The parents of first-born children usually keep a closer eye on them than their younger siblings throughout their development.

Though it can be annoying when you're growing up, as parents are usually more strict and protective with the oldest sibling, it does lead you to become more focused on pleasing your parents and being successful.

Each of us grows up to be a reflection of our role in our family's structure, and as a result, firstborns are more assertive, dominant and disciplined than their younger siblings.

They have a deep fear of losing their position and rank, which motivates an incredible determination to succeed.

They can also be really defensive about any errors they make along the way.

To be clear, they are perfectionists, but it isn't for the love of competing.

Most first-born children just try to be the best because of how much they love it. Also, they can use it to remind their parents, "Hey, guys, you got it right on the first try."

That desire to be the best translates to a firstborn's working life, too.

A study by CareerBuilder found that workers who were the oldest children in their families were more likely to earn $100,000 or more annually compared to their siblings.

The study also found that birth order plays a significant part in an individual's job level. Among workers with siblings, a first-born child is the most likely to earn six figures and hold a C-level position such as CEO, CFO, senior management, VP, etc.

Keep in mind, though, that only children were more likely to hold these positions overall.

Firstborns also tend to go after positions that require a higher level of education, like government, medicine or science, hoarding resources from younger siblings by blowing all the parents' dough on their own agenda.

The last half of that factoid wasn't part of any study; it just happened to be my take on things.

But, I also happen to be the first-born child in my family.

Here's another fun fact that happens to be true: The list of famous first-born children is extensive, and it includes names like both Hillary and Bill Clinton, JK Rowling, Winston Churchill, Sylvester Stallone and the one-and-only Queen Beyoncé.

If you're the older sibling in your fam, you're welcome. I've just given you your motivation for today.

If you're the middle child, or the youngest, then I don't know what to tell you.

Just get out there and be somebody. You have some serious competition.

Citations: Can Birth Order Determine Your Career? (CNN)