TL;DR
A journalist tested whether short, targeted activities drawn from recent psychology research could change core personality traits over six weeks. She used exercises designed to lower neuroticism and raise extraversion and agreeableness while moderating perfectionism, drawing on published intervention studies as her blueprint.
What happened
Prompted by recent studies suggesting personality is more malleable than once thought, the writer took an online Big Five assessment, identified high neuroticism and openness and strong conscientiousness, and set goals for change. She adopted a program of small, regular actions—meditation and gratitude journaling to reduce worry; attending events and opening up to friends to become more outgoing; practicing kindness and reframing others' behaviour to boost agreeableness; and selective tweaks aimed at reducing perfectionism. The interventions were adapted from published work, including a 15-week study and an app-supported trial, which showed modest trait shifts in months. Over six weeks she prioritized activities that targeted multiple traits at once, avoided some exercises that felt impractical or uncomfortable, and reported some tangible moments of change, such as initiating conversation at a yoga class. The piece situates this personal experiment alongside academic findings rather than presenting definitive proof of long-term transformation.
Why it matters
- Research indicates personality traits can change through intentional practice, challenging older views that adult personality is fixed.
- Lower neuroticism and higher extraversion have been linked to greater life satisfaction, suggesting targeted change can affect wellbeing.
- Interventions may accelerate personality shifts that otherwise unfold over decades, offering potential tools for personal development and clinical work.
- Not all traits respond equally in studies—openness appears more resistant—so expectations and targets should be realistic.
Key facts
- The Big Five model measures openness, conscientiousness, extraversion, agreeableness and neuroticism.
- The author scored above the 85th percentile for neuroticism and in the 93rd percentile for openness on an online test.
- Brent Roberts (University of Illinois) and Mirjam Stieger (Lucerne University) are cited researchers discussing personality change.
- A 2019 intervention study led by Nathan Hudson asked participants to select traits to change and complete weekly challenges for 15 weeks; it found small but significant shifts in extraversion, conscientiousness and neuroticism.
- A 2021 app-supported intervention by Stieger reported changes in extraversion, conscientiousness, neuroticism and agreeableness, with effects persisting at a three-month follow-up.
- Typical activities used in interventions include daily meditation and gratitude journaling (neuroticism), attending social events and opening up to friends (extraversion), small acts of kindness and reframing others' motives (agreeableness), and organization tasks or goal-setting (conscientiousness).
- The guiding principle of many programs is to adopt the thoughts and behaviours associated with the desired trait until they become habitual.
What to watch next
- Whether short programs like a six-week effort produce durable changes beyond the few months documented in follow-ups (not confirmed in the source).
- Which traits are most reliably responsive across different samples and delivery methods—the source reports extraversion, conscientiousness and neuroticism as more changeable, while openness is often resistant.
- How feasible and scalable these targeted interventions are in everyday life outside structured study settings (not confirmed in the source).
Quick glossary
- Big Five: A widely used model of personality that groups most human personality variation into five broad dimensions: openness, conscientiousness, extraversion, agreeableness and neuroticism.
- Neuroticism: A personality dimension associated with proneness to negative emotions such as anxiety, worry and emotional instability.
- Extraversion: A trait describing sociability, assertiveness and the tendency to seek out social stimulation.
- Conscientiousness: A dimension reflecting organization, responsibility, diligence and self-discipline.
- Agreeableness: A trait linked to being cooperative, trusting, compassionate and willing to maintain social harmony.
Reader FAQ
Can people change their personality?
Research cited in the piece suggests that, with targeted practice, adults can produce measurable shifts in some core traits.
How long do changes take?
Studies discussed typically run for several months (one was 15 weeks); the author attempted a six-week experiment, but longer-term durability varies by study.
Which traits are easiest to change?
The source reports that extraversion, conscientiousness and neuroticism have shown change in interventions, while openness is often less responsive; agreeableness has shown mixed results across studies.
Are there risks or downsides?
Not confirmed in the source.
How I changed my personality in six weeks 11 hours ago Share Save Laurie Clarke Emmanuel Lafont Based on emerging research showing people can shift their core personality traits, Laurie…
Sources
- I changed my personality in six weeks
- You Can Change Your Personality
- The Atlantic's Olga Khazan On Personality – Elevate Podcast
- The Big 5 personality traits you can change with practice
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