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Has your personality changed much over time?

When I compare what my personality was like growing up to what it is today, not much has changed. And that should come as no surprise.

A study I read about recently concluded that our personalities don't change much after the 1st grade.

Think about it: Once we hit the 1st grade -- that's around 7 years of age -- our personalities remain mostly fixed the rest of our lives. That means that if you were predisposed to being shy, quiet, angry, or aggressive then, there's a good chance you are the same way now.

Even so, as we get older, our experiences help shape us into the person we are today, so I think it's a combination of genetics as well as our environment. Experiences not only make us wiser, but they help guide our future behavior.

For example, taking karate in middle school may have made you bolder, being involved in a car accident while in high school may have made you more appreciative of life, and so on. The people we hang out with may also influence what we say, do, and think.

Still, it is true that I remain introverted like I was as a child. Introversion doesn't equate to shyness; it simply means that I relish my peace and quiet, and that I become easily drained from too much social interaction. I was never one to make a lot of friends as a kid, and that remains the case today. I only have 3 very close ones, all of whom were groomsmen at my wedding. Plus, I have always preferred expressing my thoughts in writing to communicating orally.

Even though experiences make you wiser, you carry your basic temperament as well as your unique quirks with you for most of your life. I also see this with friends and loved ones. Their personalities have remained, for the most part, fixed.

Do you feel your personality has evolved much over time?



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