Uploaded April 2025 | Updated September 2026, 1 week ago
Can we really change our personalities? Today I'm joined by someone who’s actually tried most of the things we talk about on the channel: journalist and author Olga Khazan.
Olga shares the personal experiments that led to her becoming more extroverted and agreeable, and less neurotic. We discuss the Big Five personality traits, how behavior shapes identity, the role of self-concept, authenticity, and some of the common challenges people face when trying to change a core aspect of who they are.
Key Topics:
0:00 Introduction
1:05 Olga’s personal background with personality change
5:25 Age, extroversion, self-concept, and Olga’s improv classes
10:35 Unconditional positive regard, meditation, and mindfulness
21:05 Trying on different traits, and acceptance vs. change
24:55 Conscientiousness, openness, agreeableness, and individualism
37:50 Changing at the ‘trait level’, and the changes Olga has embraced most
45:55: Psychedelics, non-self, and identifying what’s really true
55:45 Nature vs. nurture and the aspects we can’t change
1:00:15 Parenting and personality change
1:04:40 Recap
Subscribe to Being Well on:
Apple Podcasts: podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/being-well-with-dr-rick-hanson/id1120885936
Spotify: open.spotify.com/show/5d87ZU1XY0fpdYNSEwXLVQ
Who Am I: I'm Forrest, the co-author of Resilient (amzn.to/3iXLerD) and host of the Being Well Podcast (apple.co/38ufGG0). I'm making videos focused on simplifying psychology, mental health, and personal growth.
Subscribe to Rick on YouTube: youtube.com/@RickHanson?sub_confirmation=1
Get Rick's Free Newsletters: rickhanson.com/writings/newsletters-from-dr-rick-hanson
Follow Rick Here:
🌍 rickhanson.com
📸 instagram.com/rickhansonphd
I'm not a clinician, and what I say on this channel should not be taken as medical advice.
You can follow me here:
🎤 apple.co/38ufGG0
🌍 forresthanson.com
📸 instagram.com/f.hanson
Can we really change our personalities? Today I'm joined by someone who’s actually tried most of the things we talk about on the channel: journalist and author Olga Khazan.
Olga shares the personal experiments that led to her becoming more extroverted and agreeable, and less neurotic. We discuss the Big Five personality traits, how behavior shapes identity, the role of self-concept, authenticity, and some of the common challenges people face when trying to change a core aspect of who they are.
Key Topics:
0:00 Introduction
1:05 Olga’s personal background with personality change
5:25 Age, extroversion, self-concept, and Olga’s improv classes
10:35 Unconditional positive regard, meditation, and mindfulness
21:05 Trying on different traits, and acceptance vs. change
24:55 Conscientiousness, openness, agreeableness, and individualism
37:50 Changing at the ‘trait level’, and the changes Olga has embraced most
45:55: Psychedelics, non-self, and identifying what’s really true
55:45 Nature vs. nurture and the aspects we can’t change
1:00:15 Parenting and personality change
1:04:40 Recap
Subscribe to Being Well on:
Apple Podcasts: podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/being-well-with-dr-rick-hanson/id1120885936
Spotify: open.spotify.com/show/5d87ZU1XY0fpdYNSEwXLVQ
Who Am I: I'm Forrest, the co-author of Resilient (amzn.to/3iXLerD) and host of the Being Well Podcast (apple.co/38ufGG0). I'm making videos focused on simplifying psychology, mental health, and personal growth.
Subscribe to Rick on YouTube: youtube.com/@RickHanson?sub_confirmation=1
Get Rick's Free Newsletters: rickhanson.com/writings/newsletters-from-dr-rick-hanson
Follow Rick Here:
🌍 rickhanson.com
📸 instagram.com/rickhansonphd
I'm not a clinician, and what I say on this channel should not be taken as medical advice.
You can follow me here:
🎤 apple.co/38ufGG0
🌍 forresthanson.com
📸 instagram.com/f.hanson
