“I can’t”, “It’s not my style,” “I don’t cold call”, “I am a ENTJ on the Meyers-Briggs and that’s why I am the way I am”. As a sales coach for Real Estate Agents for some 20 years, these are personality statements I have heard again and again pointing to rigid thinking and self-limiting beliefs.
So, when I heard that Dr. Benjamin Hardy, PHD, had written a new book coming out on June 16 called “Personality Isn’t Permanent”, I jumped at the chance to get an advance and review the book. The subtitle of the book is “Break Free from Self-Limiting Beliefs and Rewrite your Story”.
Dr. Hardy talks about societies obsession with personality testing, and that that most people think their personality is who they really are. He talks about an underlying assumption that leads people to believe they were born with a certain personality that can’t be change. He says “the argument of this book is that your “personality” doesn’t matter”.
In real life, I have seen so many people be so much less than they could be because they believe in their own personality myth. Dr. Hardy gives great examples throughout the book of people who grew beyond their idea of being controlled by personality.
Two of my favorite quotes from the book are, “In order to become a new person, you must have a new goal-a purpose worth pursuing.” and “Your personality should come from your goals. Your goals shouldn’t come from your personality.”
This book is for anyone interested in understanding how personality testing can be self limiting and sabotage success. I plan to recommend it to all of my coaching clients!
https://www.penguinrandomhouse.com/books/607021/personality-isnt-permanent-by-benjamin-hardy-phd/
