Investment traits like Curiosity and Need for Cognition (NFC) describe how and when individuals invest their cognitive resources. Our symposium builds upon recent research that has examined practical implications of investment traits and underlying processes. The first talk focuses on Intellect and reports results about a longitudinal study on emerging adults that examined developmental trajectories and interactions with life events and self-efficacy. The following two talks deal with the prediction of academic success and/or subjective well-being in adulthood. They report results about interactions of NFC with social identity for predicting success and well-being in students as well as about the prediction of subjective well-being in students and employed individuals by NFC. The fourth talk presents data of research on NFC in the context of self-control as variable that has been discussed underlying associations of NFC with well-being and success. All talks will be discussed and embedded in a broader perspective.