Personality Isn't Permanent

May 4, 2020
Hardy (Willpower Doesn’t Work), an organizational psychologist, proposes personality is “an effect, not a cause” in this dynamic work. For Hardy, one’s personality constantly shifts and is largely dependent on a person’s relationships, surroundings, age, profession, and “reaction to life events, circumstances, and social pressures.” Contending that all personality traits can be changed with determination and focus, Hardy encourages people to develop their personalities using the four “personality levers”: trauma, identity narrative, the subconscious, and the environment. Adjusting these levers through attention to one’s reactions to others and one’s circumstances results in positive shifts in personality, he suggests; however, if one stops, one’s routines, habits, and personality can become stagnant. Hardy urges simple methods for readers to become more aware of their predilections and living environment in oder to make conscious changes, such as journaling, fasting, donating to charity, waking up an hour earlier, and pursuing different hobbies. While none of these suggestions are new, Hardy’s upbeat, empowering tone will have wide appeal. This motivating look at the evolution of personal affinities will appeal to self-help readers looking to think outside the box.