When I tell people I used to be lazy, they don’t believe me. They think I’m being self-depreciating. They can’t square the person I am now – a successful academic – with the kid who cleaned by stuffing everything under the bed, or the high school student who rarely attended math class (and consequently had to repeat Algebra II). How did I go from “Shannon isn’t living up to her full potential” (a common refrain in my parent-teacher conferences) to an ambitious, inbox-zero sort of person? I can’t pinpoint any major event or milestone that set these changes in motion. Instead, adding a new behavior here and there slowly snowballed over time. In fact, I think I gradually shaped the traits I’d need to be successful in the life I wanted, instead of letting my personality dictate or limit what I could become.

Most people assume our traits are static – that is, you’re stuck with the personality you’re born with. But, modern personality science tells us that traits can and do change over time. So, what if instead of letting these personality tests to put you into a box-personality-wise, you imagined the life of your dreams and intentionally developed the traits that would help you get there.

Beyond my own experience watching my personality change over time, I’m a clinical psychologist with 15 years of experience helping patients reduce barriers to living the lives they want. I’ve seen the power of personality change first hand and I’m passionate about sharing proven techniques for cultivating the traits needed for success with others.