# What is your Life Stability Score? Can anyone top my 1.49? **URL:** \ **Category:** Miscellaneous and Personal Stuff I Must Share\ **Created:** [December 20, 2017, 5:35pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-is-your-life-stability-score-can-anyone-top-my-1-49/804933 "2017-12-20T17:35:40Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![Mean\_Mr.Mustard](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/mean_mr.mustard/32/3865_2.png) [@Mean\_Mr.Mustard](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Mean_Mr.Mustard)\ **Post date:** [December 20, 2017, 5:35pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-is-your-life-stability-score-can-anyone-top-my-1-49/804933/1 "2017-12-20T17:35:40Z")
I was bored this morning. While being bored I devised a little formula that expresses how stable (or, perhaps, how boring) your life is and I’m curious about others’ scores. So, add up: \*How many years you have been in a committed relationship \*How many years you have been at your current job \*How many years you have lived at the same address Note: Each answer must consider only current, unbroken periods. If you worked at your job for 5 years, left for 1, then came back for 6 more, your score is 6 (not 11). Take your total years and divide by your age in years. This is your LSS. My score: Relationship: 34 Job: 31 Address: 23 Total 88 / 59 years = 1.49 LSS. mmm ---
**Author:** ![kenobi\_65](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/kenobi_65/32/13178_2.png) [@kenobi\_65](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/kenobi_65)\ **Post date:** [December 20, 2017, 5:44pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-is-your-life-stability-score-can-anyone-top-my-1-49/804933/2 "2017-12-20T17:44:25Z")
Interesting exercise. Mine gets dinged because I’m less than a year in my current job (and have been in 4 different jobs in the past 7 years, due to being caught in two different corporate downsizings / layoffs, and spending 2 years as a freelancer). Relationship: 27 years Job: 1 year Address: 21 years 49 / 52 years old = 0.94 ---
**Author:** ![naita](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/naita/32/5862_2.png) [@naita](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/naita)\ **Post date:** [December 20, 2017, 5:50pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-is-your-life-stability-score-can-anyone-top-my-1-49/804933/3 "2017-12-20T17:50:38Z")
I’m at either 0.071 or 0.38, depending on how one counts being on sabbatical and living in my wife’s US apartment while renting out my Norwegian domicile. ---
**Author:** ![snowthx](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/snowthx/32/10660_2.png) [@snowthx](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/snowthx)\ **Post date:** [December 20, 2017, 5:51pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-is-your-life-stability-score-can-anyone-top-my-1-49/804933/4 "2017-12-20T17:51:39Z")
I get 1.14. I have been thinking about making some changes that could affect that, however. This is an interesting way to quantify things - I wonder how it can be used in conjunction with some other measure of, say, happiness, or monetary wealth. ---
**Author:** ![Slash1972](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/slash1972/32/6461_2.png) [@Slash1972](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Slash1972)\ **Post date:** [December 20, 2017, 5:58pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-is-your-life-stability-score-can-anyone-top-my-1-49/804933/5 "2017-12-20T17:58:14Z")
I got .156 Yay! ---
**Author:** ![MoonMoon](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/moonmoon/32/2959_2.png) [@MoonMoon](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/MoonMoon)\ **Post date:** [December 20, 2017, 6:01pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-is-your-life-stability-score-can-anyone-top-my-1-49/804933/6 "2017-12-20T18:01:27Z")
Relationship: 0 Job: 5 Address: 4 Total 9 / 48 years = .19 LSS. Sigh. ---
**Author:** ![LuckyNumber85](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/22d042/32.png) [@LuckyNumber85](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/LuckyNumber85)\ **Post date:** [December 20, 2017, 6:06pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-is-your-life-stability-score-can-anyone-top-my-1-49/804933/7 "2017-12-20T18:06:27Z")
Fun little exercise! Relationship: 12 Job: 11 Address: 10 33/Age: 37 = **0.89** Probably fairly stable compared others of my age group, but not in the same ballpark as some. Out of curiosity I wondered what a realistically high number for this could be. So let’s make some assumptions: 1. Age = X 2. Maximum Relationship Length = For most people let’s assume high school sweethearts is the earliest you could have what you would call a relationship–so we’ll say the earliest your relationship can start is X-15. 3. Job = Again, there are exceptions, but generally nobody will start a job that is a lifelong career before 18 so let’s say X-18 is the longest job you can have. 4. Address = Conceivably could live in the same house you were raised in, so X is the maximum address age. What do we get? [(X-15)+(X-18)+X]/X (3X-33)/X is the realistic maximum, and that only works up until you retire. So based on those numbers and life expectancy, I’d say any score 2.5 or higher would be about the highest you can find in the real world. Just for a point of comparison to how we’re doing. 🙂 My farm-raised grandfather would have scored over 2.5 at his highest (80/60/60-80 depending on when you count his farm job/life starting), although I think that would be hard to reach in this era. ---
**Author:** ![Procrustus](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/procrustus/32/2994_2.png) [@Procrustus](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Procrustus)\ **Post date:** [December 20, 2017, 6:08pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-is-your-life-stability-score-can-anyone-top-my-1-49/804933/8 "2017-12-20T18:08:36Z")
I got a perfect 1.0000 57 years old, 20 years in my position, 20 years at current address, and 17 years in relationship. ---
**Author:** ![OldGuy](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/o/3bc359/32.png) [@OldGuy](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/OldGuy)\ **Post date:** [December 20, 2017, 6:19pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-is-your-life-stability-score-can-anyone-top-my-1-49/804933/9 "2017-12-20T18:19:41Z")
relationship 46 job 35 house 34 age 68 1.69 Do I win? ---
**Author:** ![AHunter3](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/ahunter3/32/368_2.png) [@AHunter3](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/AHunter3)\ **Post date:** [December 20, 2017, 6:20pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-is-your-life-stability-score-can-anyone-top-my-1-49/804933/10 "2017-12-20T18:20:26Z")
Depends on how to implement the first clause. I’ve been in three committed ongoing relationships for quite some time now —do I use the sum, or the single longest span? version 1: (7+7+7)+6+4 = 31 / 59 = 0.525 version 2: 7+6+4 =17/55 = 17/ 59 = 0.288 ---
**Author:** ![Dinsdale](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/97f17d/32.png) [@Dinsdale](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Dinsdale)\ **Post date:** [December 20, 2017, 6:20pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-is-your-life-stability-score-can-anyone-top-my-1-49/804933/11 "2017-12-20T18:20:37Z")
Relationship: 32 yrs Job: 7 yrs (tho 31 related jobs for same employer) Home: 4 yrs (tho never lived \<150 miles from Chicago) 57 yrs old So I get .74 - which I think makes me seem a tad more “unstable” than I actually am. ---
**Author:** ![Mean\_Mr.Mustard](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/mean_mr.mustard/32/3865_2.png) [@Mean\_Mr.Mustard](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Mean_Mr.Mustard)\ **Post date:** [December 20, 2017, 6:32pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-is-your-life-stability-score-can-anyone-top-my-1-49/804933/12 "2017-12-20T18:32:06Z")
> [@OldGuy](#): > > relationship 46 > job 35 > house 34 > age 68 > > 1.69 Do I win? I think you might. > [@AHunter3](#): > > Depends on how to implement the first clause. I’ve been in three committed ongoing relationships for quite some time now —do I use the sum, or the single longest span? > > version 1: (7+7+7)+6+4 = 31 / 59 = 0.525 > version 2: 7+6+4 =17/55 = 17/ 59 = 0.288 You use the current span only. Past spans do not count, nor do other relationships. mmm ---
**Author:** ![Mean\_Mr.Mustard](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/mean_mr.mustard/32/3865_2.png) [@Mean\_Mr.Mustard](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Mean_Mr.Mustard)\ **Post date:** [December 20, 2017, 6:33pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-is-your-life-stability-score-can-anyone-top-my-1-49/804933/13 "2017-12-20T18:33:46Z")
Retirement raises an interesting issue. I think we should count number of continuous years at your most recent job PLUS number of years retired. mmm ---
**Author:** ![FloatyGimpy](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/floatygimpy/32/7750_2.png) [@FloatyGimpy](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/FloatyGimpy)\ **Post date:** [December 20, 2017, 7:38pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-is-your-life-stability-score-can-anyone-top-my-1-49/804933/14 "2017-12-20T19:38:01Z")
0.021 - I think I lose! Relationship - 0 Job - 0 Home - 1 ---
**Author:** ![DooWahDiddy](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/e9bcb4/32.png) [@DooWahDiddy](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/DooWahDiddy)\ **Post date:** [December 20, 2017, 7:40pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-is-your-life-stability-score-can-anyone-top-my-1-49/804933/15 "2017-12-20T19:40:07Z")
Interesting idea, but how do you count freelancers? I’ve “been at my current job” for 15 years, but that’s with a different employer every time and intermittent periods of unemployment. I have a feeling that alone will kill my stability score… 😃 ---
**Author:** ![Robot\_Arm](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/robot_arm/32/18280_2.png) [@Robot\_Arm](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Robot_Arm)\ **Post date:** [December 20, 2017, 7:45pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-is-your-life-stability-score-can-anyone-top-my-1-49/804933/16 "2017-12-20T19:45:55Z")
Job - 0 Relationship - 0 Home - 5 0.096 ---
**Author:** ![AHunter3](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/ahunter3/32/368_2.png) [@AHunter3](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/AHunter3)\ **Post date:** [December 20, 2017, 8:02pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-is-your-life-stability-score-can-anyone-top-my-1-49/804933/17 "2017-12-20T20:02:19Z")
> [@Mean\_Mr.Mustard](#): > > You use the current span only. Past spans do not count, nor do other relationships. What is an “other” relationship? They’re all current! ---
**Author:** ![Voyager](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/voyager/32/133_2.png) [@Voyager](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Voyager)\ **Post date:** [December 20, 2017, 8:04pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-is-your-life-stability-score-can-anyone-top-my-1-49/804933/18 "2017-12-20T20:04:14Z")
> [@Mean\_Mr.Mustard](#): > > Retirement raises an interesting issue. > > I think we should count number of continuous years at your most recent job PLUS number of years retired. > mmm I agree. There is hardly anything more stable than being retired. It is something you can’t get laid off from. Mine is" Relationship: 40 Job + Retirement: 20 House: 21 81/66 = 1.22 ---
**Author:** ![gigi](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/a587f6/32.png) [@gigi](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/gigi)\ **Post date:** [December 20, 2017, 8:06pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-is-your-life-stability-score-can-anyone-top-my-1-49/804933/19 "2017-12-20T20:06:27Z")
Job 20 Relationship 0 Home 8 .57 ---
**Author:** ![Defensive\_Indifference](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/defensive_indifference/32/6502_2.png) [@Defensive\_Indifference](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Defensive_Indifference)\ **Post date:** [December 20, 2017, 8:07pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-is-your-life-stability-score-can-anyone-top-my-1-49/804933/20 "2017-12-20T20:07:11Z")
Relationship: 18 years Job: 1 year House: 1.5 years Age: 44 years 0.47 I do change jobs a lot, and we have moved a lot. I hope our period of frequent moves has come to an end. I ill probably be a job-hopper for the rest of my career, or until I stop getting rewarded for changing jobs. [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-is-your-life-stability-score-can-anyone-top-my-1-49/804933.md?page=2)