199 — Can You Really Change Who You Are? The Surprising Truth About Personality With Olga Khazan

Are you stuck thinking, “This is just who I am?” Think again. Science shows your personality might not be as fixed as you think.

Olga Khazan knows this firsthand. As a journalist and author, she embarked on a journey to change her personality. And now, she’s discovering what she learned.

 
Some of the things we discuss are:
 

• The five core personality traits and how they shape your life
• Why science says personality isn’t as fixed as you think
• The habits and exercises that can help you become more outgoing, less stressed, or more ambitious
• How Olga’s year-long experiment radically changed her reactions, relationships, and outlook on life
• Insightful ways to step outside your comfort zone and grow into your best self

Key Takeaways:

• Personality traits can be changed; they aren’t permanently fixed from childhood.
• Engaging in new activities and social experiments can lead to significant improvements in personality traits.
• Journaling, mindfulness, and structured habits like to-do lists can greatly aid in cultivating desired personality traits.
• High levels of extroversion and conscientiousness, as well as low levels of neuroticism, are correlated with happiness and long-term success.
• The ability to change how we react to stressors is more attainable than altering life circumstances.