Can You Really Change Your Personality? Do You Really Even Want To? w/ Olga Khazan
The Kevin Miller Podcast5 Mai 2025

Can You Really Change Your Personality? Do You Really Even Want To? w/ Olga Khazan

I grew up in the world of self-improvement when personality profiles became popular. The idea then was you had a core personality style and it was pretty solid, like your hair color. Culturally we like to label people’s personalities, “She’s a classic type A personality,” and “Oh, he’s super introverted.” In regards to changing one’s personality, I question if we want to change who we are, or just how we are? I think we all have tendencies we are dissatisfied with. We find ourselves anxious, depressed, worried, frustrated, angry, sad and more. I don’t think we’d look at any of those with desire. I’ve never woken up in the morning deciding to be more worried than normal. Usually the opposite. So, can we change ourselves? My guest is Olga Khazan and she devoted a full year to trying to change her personality. Olga is a staff writer for The Atlantic has also written for The New York Times, the Los Angeles Times, The Washington Post, and more. She is a two-time recipient of the International Reporting Project’s Journalism Fellowship. Olga said she didn’t like much how how she was being, and with every reason to be happy and at peace, she described herself as fairly neurotic. I appreciate this line from our talk, she said, “What if rather than trying to make everything in the world go my way, I changed the way I responded to the world?” So she had specific aspects of her core personality, she literally wanted to change. And she embarked on the experiment as the reporter she is. She documented it all in a book, titled, Me, But Better: The Science and Promise of Personality Change. I appreciate that Olga didn’t come out with some big, bold claim, but simply stating what she didn’t like, what she wanted to change, and she documented the journey. And today, she says that yes, she’s still her, but…less neurotic. She’s still Olga, but, enjoying life more. You can find Olga at the Atlantic or on Substack. I felt this conversation helped me better understand and embrace myself, and, consider how I could be me, but better. Sign up for your $1/month trial period at shopify.com/kevin Go to shipstation.com and use code KEVIN to start your free trial. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Episoder(1638)

The Story of the Biscuits

The Story of the Biscuits

Inspiring Words of Encouragement for Personal and Business Life by Zig Ziglar. This podcast will be updated weekly with Zig Ziglar's Inspiring words of encouragement. Did you know the original title for Biscuits, Fleas and Pump Handles? It has since been changed to See You At the Top and has been one of his most popular and life changing books. Today I want Zig to share with you the story of the biscuits. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

24 Okt 20066min

Learn How To Train Fleas

Learn How To Train Fleas

Inspiring Words of Encouragement for Personal and Business Life by Zig Ziglar. This podcast will be updated weekly with Zig Ziglar's Inspiring words of encouragement. This weeks we are going to be talking about fleas. Did you know that it is estimated pet owners alone spend over $1 billion each year controlling fleas? And the flea can live anywhere from 2 weeks to 8 months? Have you started scratching yet? Specifically we are going to learn how to train fleas. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

17 Okt 20066min

How to overcome lost enthusiasm of projects started but never completed.

How to overcome lost enthusiasm of projects started but never completed.

Inspiring Words of Encouragement for Personal and Business Life by Zig Ziglar. This podcast will be updated weekly with Zig Ziglar's Inspiring words of encouragement. This podcast is about how to overcome lost enthusiasm of projects started but never completed. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

10 Okt 20067min

The most important opinion you have is the opinion of yourself!

The most important opinion you have is the opinion of yourself!

Inspiring Words of Encouragement for Personal and Business Life by Zig Ziglar. This podcast will be updated weekly with Zig Ziglar's Inspiring words of encouragement. This podcast is brought to you by Zig Ziglar. This podcast is about the most important opinion you have is the opinion of yourself. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

2 Okt 20068min

Powered by Words

Powered by Words

Inspiring Words of Encouragement for Personal and Business Life by Zig Ziglar. This podcast will be updated weekly with Zig Ziglar's Inspiring words of encouragement. This podcast is Powered by Words and what a positive impact it can have on others. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

26 Sep 20067min

Inspiring Words of Encouragement for Personal and Business Life

Inspiring Words of Encouragement for Personal and Business Life

Inspiring Words of Encouragement for Personal and Business Life by Zig Ziglar. This podcast will be updated weekly with Zig Ziglar's Inspiring words of encouragement. This podcast is brought to you by Ziglar. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

18 Sep 20067min

Populært innen Fakta

merry-quizmas
dine-penger-pengeradet
fastlegen
relasjonspodden-med-dora-thorhallsdottir-kjersti-idem
foreldreradet
rss-strid-de-norske-borgerkrigene
treningspodden
dypdykk
rss-sarbar-med-lotte-erik
sinnsyn
hverdagspsyken
rss-var-forste-kaffe
fryktlos
rss-kunsten-a-leve
gravid-uke-for-uke
jakt-og-fiskepodden
sjakkademiet
dopet
rss-kull
rss-triana-juliet-dans-pa-roser