Elevate with Robert Glazer Elevate Classics: Olga Khazan on Changing Your Personality
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Aug 21, 2025 
Olga Khazan, a Staff writer for The Atlantic and author of 'Me, But Better', shares her journey of changing her personality. She dives into the Big Five personality traits, detailing how childhood experiences shape them. Olga discusses transforming introversion to extroversion through engaging challenges and the role of meditation in overcoming social anxiety. The conversation highlights the balance between authenticity and social conformity, and the importance of personal motivation in relationships and growth. Tune in for insightful perspectives on self-improvement!
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Practice Social Acts To Build Extroversion
- Increase extroversion by practicing social behaviors: talk to strangers, attend meetups, take improv classes, and plan short interactions.
- Use small predictable actions (e.g., talk to four people then leave) to reduce dread and build habit.
Use Meditation To Soften Anxiety
- Reduce neuroticism through regular meditation, including guided practices and MBSR courses.
- Use loving-kindness and brief aphorisms learned in class to handle anxious moments.
Genes Give Ingredients Not Recipes
- Genes provide tendencies, not fixed outcomes; experiences and choices shape the final personality.
- Parents' traits are ingredients you combine differently through life events and decisions.
