The Psychology Podcast

Can You Really Change Your Personality? w/ Olga Khazan

14 snips
Jul 31, 2025
Olga Khazan, a Staff writer for The Atlantic and author of 'Me, But Better,' dives into the intriguing realm of personality change based on her year-long experiment. She discusses the surprising plasticity of traits like introversion and neuroticism, examining what psychological research reveals about our ability to transform. Khazan shares insights on using mindfulness, improvisation, and meditation to foster emotional stability and enhance well-being. Tune in for practical advice on reshaping your personality and becoming a better version of yourself.
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INSIGHT

Personality Is Flexible

  • Personality is the natural thoughts, feelings, and behaviors intrinsic to someone.
  • However, personality can change as we adapt to meet personal goals.
ANECDOTE

Olga's Personal Personality Journey

  • Olga Khazan struggled with anxiety, social isolation, and depression before her personality change journey.
  • Through the experiment, she raised extroversion, increased agreeableness, and significantly reduced depression.
ADVICE

Commit to Social Activities

  • Use structured social commitments like an improv class to boost extroversion.
  • Repeated social exposure helps overcome introversion and builds new social habits.
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