Is it really possible to change ourselves – or is reinvention just a comfortable myth?
Many people wish to change aspects of their personalities. The OCEAN model of personality commonly used by modern-day psychologists identifies five major dimensions of personality: openness to experience, conscientiousness, extraversion, agreeableness and nerve. For instance, openness to experience determines our willingness to adapt to change, think creatively and embrace innovation. Nerve measures our emotional stability: confidence, composure and resilience under pressure.
Intentional efforts can produce detectable personality changes in as little as 15 weeks
All change
A prominent study led by the University of Edinburgh’s Mathew Harris tracked personality traits over a 63-year period and found substantial change in most traits. Only emotional stability showed statistically significant constancy. The researchers noted that lifelong stability in personality is ‘generally quite low’, suggesting that much of who we are is amenable to change.
Other studies have found that intentional efforts can produce detectable personality changes in as little as 15 weeks. For instance, someone striving to become more extraverted might commit to weekly challenges like speaking to strangers or initiating social conversations with colleagues.
Importantly, though, a study led by Nathan Hudson at Southern Methodist University found that simply intending to change was insufficient; meaningful personality change required successfully implementing progressively more challenging tasks week after week.
Matter of mindset
Belief in our ability to change also plays a crucial role. Psychologists point to the growth mindset: the belief that our brains are malleable and can develop through effort and persistence. This contrasts with the fixed mindset: the attitude that our brains and therefore traits and abilities are mostly fixed by adulthood.
A meta-analysis led by Jeni Burnette at North Carolina State University found that growth mindset interventions typically enabled people to achieve greater levels of change. A standard growth mindset intervention involves writing about past instances in which we changed successfully to remind ourselves of our ability to change again in the future.
It may pay off to spend some time creating a vision of a better future
Psychologists often help clients to examine both the real self (current strengths and weaknesses) and the ideal self (desired future roles and talents). Neuroscientific research led by Anthony Jack at Case Western Reserve University has highlighted ‘the critical importance of a sustained and uncontaminated focus on the ideal self at the beginning of a coaching engagement’. Neuroimaging showed that envisioning the ideal self activates brain regions linked to big-picture global processing and motivation, suggesting that it may pay off to spend some time hoping, dreaming and creating a vision of a better future rather than focusing immediately on perceived flaws.
Techniques such as cognitive behavioural therapy (CBT) and mindfulness are also backed by neuroscience. Using functional magnetic resonance imaging machines, researchers headed by Philippe Goldin at University of California, Davis found that 12 weeks of CBT or mindfulness practice resulted in measurable brain changes that persisted a year after treatment. While many approaches to personal development claim to create lasting change, only a relatively small number have robust psychological and neuroscientific support.
Listen to feedback
Another useful tool is feedback – both at the outset and along our journeys. For example, someone may believe that they were noticeably more leaderlike in a meeting, only to find that colleagues did not perceive any difference. When trying to reinvent how key stakeholders see us, what matters is that they recognise the changes – not just that we believe we have changed.
Clients undergoing morning therapy sessions typically achieve better results
Timings matter, too. Studies suggest that we may be more capable of change earlier in the day when willpower and self-control are at their peak. For instance, clients undergoing morning therapy sessions typically achieve better results. This aligns with studies suggesting that willpower is a finite resource that diminishes over the course of the day, making mornings best for implementing change.
Change is rarely linear; lapses as well as progress are to be expected. However, research suggests that planning hedonic deviations – intentional breaks or indulgences – may boost motivation and long-term results. A team led by Rita Coelho do Vale at the Catholic University of Portugal found that dieters who scheduled occasional days off from their restrictive diets reported better mood but still lost the same amount of weight as those who adhered strictly. This suggests that controlled, planned indulgences may be helpful in sustaining long-term commitment.
Reinvention is rarely easy. However, psychology and neuroscience tell us that change is possible. By cultivating a growth mindset and envisioning an ideal self, we can create a roadmap for change. By committing to intentional action and embracing feedback, we can turn our aspirations into measurable progress and meaningful results.
