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The Wizard of Oz and Personality Change

Jul 13, 2024

Lecture Notes: The Wizard of Oz and Personality Change

Introduction

  • Movie Reference: The Wizard of Oz (1939)
    • Main Characters: Dorothy, Scarecrow, Tin Man, Cowardly Lion
    • Theme: Desire for self-change

Dorothy's Friends and Their Desires

  • Scarecrow: Wishes to be more intelligent
  • Tin Man: Covets a heart to be kinder and more empathetic
  • Cowardly Lion: Desires courage
  • Efforts include: Traveling long distances to seek help from the Wizard of Oz

Personal Anecdote

  • Comparison with older brother
    • Brother: Charismatic and extroverted
    • Speaker: Organized, studious, introverted
  • Shared desire for each other's traits

Research on Personality Change

  • Study involving 7,000 participants aged 18-70
    • 90% want to change some aspect of their personality
  • Most Common Desires:
    • Emotional Stability: Less anxiety, more resilience
    • Other Traits: Extraversion, kindness, conscientiousness

Possibility of Change

  • People can take small steps to change their personality
  • Studies show alignment with desired traits over time
    • Examples:
      • More extroverted
      • More conscientious
      • Increased emotional stability
  • Changes are small but significant
    • Example: Increases from 3/5 to 3.25/5 in extraversion

Method: Fake It Until You Make It

  • Approach: Commit to small, intentional steps each week
    • Extraversion: Inviting friends to lunch, sharing opinions
    • Conscientiousness: Organizing spaces, punctuality
    • Emotional Stability: Journaling, seeking social support

Importance of Behavior Change

  • Commitment and follow-through lead to personality change
  • Non-commitment does not lead to change

Tips for Success

  1. Realistic Goals
    • Small, achievable steps (e.g., saying hello, calling a friend)
  2. Actionable Goals
    • Specific, concrete actions (e.g., invite Erin and Megan to hang out)
  3. Persistence
    • Continuous effort over time
    • Comparison to weight loss journey

Example: Personal Weight Loss Journey

  • Initial success followed by plateau
  • Persistence led to eventual success
  • Trust the science and be persistent

Conclusion

  • You can change your personality without magic
  • Take small steps consistently to act like your ideal self
  • Challenge: Start today with one small, actionable step

Full transcript