Neuroticism isn’t the only personality trait that can impact our mental health. According to psychologist Sauer-Zavala, being conscientious can sometimes turn into perfectionism. She suggests practical ways to ease this habit, like determining what “good enough” looks like. For instance, she recommends sending an email with a typo or leaving work right on time every day. It sounds simple, but it challenges our constant drive for flawlessness.
I used to obsessively check my work before sending it. After hearing Sauer-Zavala’s advice, I attempted to break this cycle. It was tough at first, but I noticed I was often worrying over small mistakes, like repeating a word. In the grand scheme, those errors faded quickly from my mind.
After trying this for six weeks, I decided to take a personality test again. I remembered my previous results, where I would have said I wasn’t sociable. But this time, I had evidence from my experiences. I’d interacted with people, even strangers, and surprisingly enjoyed it. This shift demonstrated how acting differently can alter how we view ourselves.
Interestingly, studies show that personality traits aren’t set in stone. According to recent data from the American Psychological Association, people can change significantly over time, as seen with my own journey. For instance, I moved from the 30th to the 50th percentile in extraversion and improved from the 50th to the 70th percentile in agreeableness. It’s fascinating how thinking positively about others can shift our outlook.
On the neuroticism scale, I dropped from the 83rd to the 50th percentile. However, I remained stable on conscientiousness and openness. The message here is clear: our behaviors and attitudes can have a profound impact on our personalities. It’s a reminder that change is possible if we’re willing to step outside our comfort zones.
For more on how personality traits evolve, check out this article on how your personality changes as you age.
