Under the Influence with Jo Piazza cover image

Under the Influence with Jo Piazza

Can You Change Your Personality?

Mar 11, 2025
48:33

Have you ever wondered if you could stop being so neurotic, or become more of an extrovert? Are our personalities set in stone when we are born or can we adapt them over time? To find out Atlantic journalist Olga Kazan set out on a year-long experiment to become more extroverted, less neurotic, and more agreeable.

Discover how Olga successfully changed aspects of her personality through simple practices like meditation, social activities, and volunteering. She debunks the myth that personality is "set like plaster" and reveals how our traits can be nudged in positive directions in as little as a few weeks.

The conversation explores:

  • How much of our personality is genetic versus changeable
  • The surprising link between happiness and social connection
  • Practical strategies for changing different personality traits
  • Why experiencing difficult times often creates our strongest memories


Grab Olga's Book, Me But Better, here.

Read her viral Atlantic cover story here.

Join our newsletter community here.

Pre-order EVERYONE IS LYING TO YOU here.

Visit our lovely sponsors here.

Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Remember Everything You Learn from Podcasts

Save insights instantly, chat with episodes, and build lasting knowledge - all powered by AI.
App store bannerPlay store banner