It’s true that a degree of self-acceptance is psychologically healthy (so long as it doesn’t slip into resignation and hopelessness). But I wanted to write a book for those of you who are less interested in feeling good about yourself as you are now and more interested in becoming the best version of yourself that you can possibly be.

Through tales of criminals who transformed their personalities, of shy celebrities who found their voice, of drug addicts who reformed and excelled in new endeavors, combined with the latest compelling research evidence from psychological science, you’ll learn that people do change, and that, yes, if you want to change yourself, you can. It won’t be quick or easy, but it’s possible.

Your personality will continue to evolve through your life, partly as a natural response to your changing situations and also because of gradual changes in your physiology. Most exciting, there are ways you can take control of this malleability to mold yourself more in line with the person you aspire to be.

This book is filled with tests and interactive exercises to help you better understand the various aspects of your personality, your life story, and your passions. The more you engage with the interactive elements in an honest fashion, the greater the likelihood that you will find out more about yourself and benefit from the insights in the book. Building new habits is a key part of successful personality change, and each chapter concludes with suggestions for new activities to adopt and psychological strategies to try out to help shape your different traits.