Ever looked back at an old Facebook post and cringed? According to Olga Khazan, staff writer at The Atlantic, that discomfort is evidence of something powerful: your personality has changed, even if you didn’t notice it happening.
In our latest episode, Khazan, who recently wrote a book on the science of personality change, breaks down how our personalities aren’t fixed traits but flexible characteristics we can intentionally shift to achieve our goals.
The conversation centers on the “Big Five” personality traits — Openness, Conscientiousness, Extraversion, Agreeableness and Neuroticism (OCEAN) — and how they impact financial success and career advancement.
If you work a regular 9-to-5, personality development can boost your career trajectory. Khazan highlights that conscientiousness — being organized, timely and detail-oriented — directly correlates with workplace success.
She suggests decluttering both your physical space and your commitments to increase productivity.
For introverts navigating office politics, she recommends “cosplaying as an extrovert” by signing up for regular group activities that are hard to back out of. Over time, social interactions become less draining, creating more opportunities for advancement.
And when engaging with colleagues, focus on asking meaningful questions about their experiences rather than collecting basic facts — this builds genuine connections that can lead to promotions and new opportunities.
If you’re intimidated by new financial ventures like entrepreneurship or real estate investing, Khazan suggests learning from others who’ve succeeded in similar situations. Research shows you’re more likely to implement strategies when you learn them from peers rather than experts.
When discussing successful entrepreneurs, Khazan reveals they typically share three key traits: high extraversion (energy for interacting with others), low agreeableness (ability to make tough decisions), and low neuroticism (emotional stability for risk-taking).
Think Steve Jobs — not always the nicest person, but his combination of vision, decisiveness and comfort with risk built one of the world’s most valuable companies.
The most important takeaway? Never tell yourself you can’t do something because “that’s just not who you are.” Instead, take small daily steps toward your goal, and you’ll gradually develop the personality traits needed for success.
Timestamps for Suni / Youtube ONLY (in blue)
(0:00) Intro and definition of personality
(3:56) The Big Five personality traits – OCEAN (Openness, Conscientiousness, Extraversion, Agreeableness, Neuroticism)
(5:32) Origin of the Big Five – researchers distilled thousands of descriptive words
(8:04) How to intentionally change personality – follow through with specific actions
(9:36) Openness explained – embracing new experiences vs sticking to familiar
(11:49) Increasing openness – start with small steps in uncomfortable domains
(15:20) Strategies for boosting conscientiousness – visualization and decluttering
(22:53) The value of timing yourself – tracking duration helps with time management
(26:15) Extraversion and career success – growing networks creates opportunities
(29:03) How introverts can practice extraversion – commit to regular group activities
(33:09) Balancing agreeableness – setting boundaries while maintaining relationships
(36:50) Techniques for healthy agreeableness – asking meaningful questions about experiences
(42:00) Reducing neuroticism – meditation and mindfulness practices lower anxiety
(47:36) Personality traits of successful entrepreneurs – extroverted, low agreeableness, low neuroticism
Thanks to our sponsors!
NetSuite
NetSuite is the number one cloud financial system, bringing accounting, financial management, inventory, HR, into ONE platform, and ONE source of truth. Head to NetSuite.com/PAULA and download the CFO’s Guide to AI and Machine Learning.
Indeed
If you’re looking for amazing talent to bolster your team, you need Indeed. Go to indeed.com/paula and start hiring today.
MasterClass
With MasterClass you can learn from the best to become your best. MasterClass is the only streaming platform where you can learn and grow with over 200+ of the world’s best. Get 15% off any annual membership at MasterClass.com/afford.
Pestie
Pestie gets rid of over 100 types of bugs, from spiders and ants to roaches and scorpions. Protect your home from bugs with Pestie. For 10% off your order, go to pestie.com/PAULA pestie.com/PAULA.
Shopify
Diversify your business by selling physical and digital products through Shopify’s all-in-one platform. Every 28 seconds an entrepreneur makes their first sale on Shopify! Go to shopify.com/paula for one-dollar-per-month trial period for three months.
