Can You Change Your Personality? Olga Khazan Tried.
We talk to Olga Khazan about her quest towards an improved self, which she chronicles in her new book “Me, But Better."
March 13, 2025
55 min
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2,733 of 3,393
March 13, 2025
Can You Change Your Personality? Olga Khazan Tried.
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55:53This episodeCan You Change Your Personality? Olga Khazan Tried.
Summary
“I possessed a unique ability to find suffering in even the best circumstances,” admits Atlantic writer Olga Khazan. That trait is one reason why she wished for a different personality; she wasn’t seeking radical change, just one to make her life a little bit better. And over the course of a year she did just that, embarking on a journey through the science of personality. Khazan interviewed researchers, took improv classes, learned to sail and surf, reluctantly meditated, and journaled with the intensity of a preteen in unrequited love. She chronicles her quest towards an improved self in her new book, “Me, But Better.” We talk to Khazan, and hear from you: Have you tried to change your personality? How did it go?
Guests:
Olga Khazan, author, "Me, But Better: The Science and Promise of Personality Change" and "Weird: The Power of Being an Outsider in an Insider World."; staff writer, The Atlantic
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