In Netflix’s latest film Hit Man, Glen Powell plays Gary Johnson, a bumbling college professor (and devoted cat dad) who lives a simple, solitary life. He finds himself thrust into a precarious situation where he learns to navigate between different identities and personas. What begins as lighthearted play, however, becomes complicated when the lines between his playacting and actual transformation get blurred. One of his adopted personas becomes a desirable, second nature.
Although Hit Man offers a radical, cinematic portrayal of personality change, it serves as a good reminder of our malleability. For the last decade, psychologists have been accumulating evidence that supports the notion that personality can change. The great news is that our personalities change naturally over time (known as the “Maturity Principle”), and as we progress from our 20s to our 40s, we become more conscientious (with the most flux occurring during our 20s), but also more pleasant, self-confident, and emotionally stable.
Even more compelling is evidence that our character is not a fixed, immovable entity, rather, it is a canvas of potential change and transformation. While our core personality traits remain largely stable through adulthood, with the right kind of effort, we can tweak and enhance aspects of ourselves.
Recent studies have supported the possibility of self-directed change. A smartphone-based study found that delivering daily challenges, video clips, and personalised prompts over three months........