We devour stories of personal transformation: the uptight guy who learns to cut loose, the wallflower who becomes the life of the party.
But psychologists have long believed that major personality makeovers are impossible. In fact, the big themes of personality—whether you are shy or outgoing, relaxed or a worrywart—seem to be scripted at a very young age.
However, personality researchers have begun looking more closely at the smaller ways we can and do change.
Tweaking the way you interpret and react to the world can be a transformative experience, freeing you up to act in new ways.
Some sought-after qualities are easier to develop than others. Courage, joy, passion, and optimism are among the more amenable to cultivation, but each requires mastering a different—and sometimes surprising—set of skills.
