SELF AWARENESS
The Fake Myth: Personality Is Innate and Fixed
We are dynamic and keep changing
We all used to say that at least once— I’m how I am. I‘m from the old school. I will never change. It’s my personality. You have to respect that. It’s how I’m. I can’t do that because it doesn't match my personality. A ton of times, right?
It’s a myth created by ourselves. We love to tag ourselves as introverts and extroverts. And we are not aware that the thing we are doing is limited ourselves building boundaries.
These boundaries are stopping us from doing whatever we really can do, and it doesn’t let you overcome obstacles because unconsciously you believe you can’t do that — Why? Because you already tag yourself.
Think deep; we just stop ourselves because we believe that things are out of the box. Our boundaries stop us from overcoming obstacles, even if it’s not going to be that hard. We lost the odds of overcoming those limits for something better.
“Your personality is not set in stone, you can always develop yourself to be a better version of yourself.” Asad Meah
Indeed, our society, parents, experiences, and past influence on us and shape our personality and determine who you are at a specific moment. But it doesn't mean that you can change that personality. Not at all.
I used to consider and tag myself as an introvert. I didn't like to talk that much. When I used to see people around something was bothering me. It was out of my box. And I used to say, that is normal I am introvert who doesn't feel good being around people.
I tagged myself as an introvert. And I was supporting my thoughts with a fake truth. To felt better regardless of the consequences beyond that.
A friend of mine once told me. You are not an introvert at all. You talk a lot; you like being around people why you consider yourself introverted.
I never considered that it was for a certain period in my life. And with more experience, people change.
Personality Change
Admit it, you aren't the same person you were a year ago.
People can disagree with this but I certainly agree that we shouldn’t tag ourselves on one specific personality. Instead, we should be open and think everyone can change — Personality changes — You are not going to be the same in 1 or 2 years. Trust me.
Researchers had access to unusual survey data. American adolescents had filled out questionnaires about their personalities in the 1960s and then had done so again fifty years later, reporting on personal qualities associated with the “Big Five” personality traits:
- Extraversion: How outgoing, social, cheerful, or full of energy and enthusiasm you are in social settings.
- Agreeableness: How warm, friendly, helpful, generous, and tactful you are.
- Emotional stability (or its opposite, neuroticism): How calm, content, and unflappable — versus anxious, angry, jealous, lonely, or insecure — you are.
- Conscientiousness: How organized, efficient, and committed you are to finishing projects or reaching your goals.
- Openness to experience: How curious, adventuresome, and receptive you are to new ideas, emotions, and experiences.
Some of the findings were quite provocative. Most notably, people’s personality traits did not always stay the same over the five decades, with many people showing quite dramatic changes.
“Some of the changes we saw in personality traits over the 50 years were very, very large,” says the lead author of the study, Rodica Damian of the University of Houston. “For emotional stability, conscientiousness, and agreeableness, the changes were one which would be clearly visible to others.”
Advantages to not tag yourself
“The price tag you put on yourself decides your worth. Underestimating yourself will cost you dearly” — Apoorve Dubey
Some people do not talk too much, and some people talk a lot. However, you don’t know what is going to happen in five years.
Sometimes they switch because the first person realizes that he needs to listen more. And the other person realizes that he needs to put his opinion in front.
Then you started to perceive that you have a different personality. It’s just you keep changing according to what you are learning.
Suppose you started to believe that personality change. And not tag yourself in specific types of personality. You will get these results.
- You will be more creative. You will be ready to try different things because you don’t have any more those boundaries in your mind, which stop you.
- You will be more confident. As trying new things, you will learn more, and learning more makes you more confident always.
- Your mind will open. You will be ready to discover things that you were never expecting by tagging yourself.
Final Thoughts
Your personality is not something that can be seen in a personal test. It’s not innate is not a real and authentic you. Don’t believe those myths. It’s not your past, which determines who you are right now.
We are dynamic and keep changing. Personality is malleable. As you soon find your personality is something you can decide and create for yourself. Become the director of who you are. Become a better learner, and don’t put limits to yourself tagging you as an introvert or extrovert.
Thank You for Reading!
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Godofredo Rojas is a writer, chef, and constant learner from Peru. He studied in Le Cordon Bleu in Lima, Peru. He moved to New York in March 2011. You can find him on Facebook and Twiter.
