Snap!: Change Your Personality in 30 Days

As you read SNAP! you will gain a better understanding of who you are now, how others see you, and which aspects of yourself you’d like to change. You will acquire the tools you need to change your personality in just one month – it won’t take years of psychotherapy, self-exploration or re-hashing every single bad thing that’s ever happened to you. If you are committed to change, this book will provide a roadmap to achieving your goals and becoming a better you.

From New York Times bestselling author, head of the UCLA Longevity Center, and expert in neuroscience and human behavior, Dr. Gary Small, a practical look at the key components of personality development and tools and techniques for bringing the positive aspects of your personality to the forefront so you can become more successful, attractive, happier, and psychologically healthier.

"SNAP! shows that personalities can be changed from what our genes or early childhood would have ordained. Invest the 30 days.
—DR. MEHMET OZ

“I love SNAP! Dr. Small has deftly translated the latest breakthrough science on personality change into a hopeful and actionable guide with monumental implications. This book is a must-read for anyone looking to improve themselves and their lives.”
—MURALI DORAISWAMY, M.D., Professor of Psychiatry, Duke University

"The core idea of SNAP! is startling: that you can change not just behaviors, but also your personality. Dr. Gary Small takes us on a compelling and accessible tour of the research on personality change. Then he outlines a plan for change that anyone can follow. For many people, this has the potential to be a life-altering book.”
—DANIEL R. PINK, author of DRIVE and WHEN

”In recent years, we have learned how to change just about everything in our world: our environment, our genetics, and now even our personality. As he so brilliantly does, Dr. Small has distilled the remarkable science around personality into something understandable and useful. You will start by really understanding how others perceive you, a truly fascinating exercise with a remarkable payoff.
—DR. SANJAY GUPTA, Faculty Neurosurgeon, The Emory Clinic and Chief Medical Correspondent, CNN

"Gary Small and Gigi Vorgan have created an inspiring and accessible scientifically grounded guide to transforming our habits of thought and behavior we once thought were unchangeable aspects of our personality. If you have ever felt that some unwanted emotional reactivity, pattern of interacting with others, or ingrained trains of thought were going to imprison you for the rest of your life, this helpful book offers you an efficient roadmap to freedom you may have been secretly longing for—take it up and see for yourself how these simple suggestions can free your life!”

Gary Small: Dr. Gary Small, (Los Angeles, CA) is a professor of psychiatry and director of the UCLA Longevity Center* at the Semel Institute for Neuroscience & Human Behavior. His research, supported by the NIH, has made headlines in the Wall Street Journal and the New York Times. Scientific American magazine named him one of the world’s leading innovators in science and technology. Dr. Small lectures internationally and frequently appears on the Today show, Good Morning America, PBS, and CNN. He has written six books, including the New York Times best seller, The Memory Bible.

Gigi Vorgan: Gigi Vorgan (Los Angeles, CA) has written, produced, and appeared in numerous feature films and television projects before teaming up with her husband, Dr. Gary Small, to co-write The Memory Bible, The Memory Prescription,The Longevity Bible, iBrain, The Other Side of the Couch, and The Alzheimer’s Prevention Program. She lives in Los Angeles with Dr. Small and their two children.

 

PREFACE

Think of the person you most admire. How would you describe her personality? Is she outgoing, warm, conscientious? Do you think of her as funny, confident or generous? Perhaps you wish you were more like her in some ways.
Now think of someone you don't care for. What is it about his personality that you don't like? Is he anxious, short-tempered, or unreliable? You probably don't try to emulate that person.
For most of us, it's usually easier to recognize other people's personality characteristics and quirks than it is to see them in ourselves. Consider your own personality. Are you extroverted and popular? Perhaps you see yourself as shy and reserved. Are there any qualities about yourself you would change if you could?
Personality defines who we are as individuals. It is a sum of the relatively stable traits that make up our unique character and is driven by our distinctive patterns of thoughts, feelings, and behaviors. Each of us has a personality-fingerprint that reflects who we are - our inner temperament that drives how we act and react in the world.
Experts in psychology and psychiatry have long assumed that our personalities are essentially set from early childhood. However, the latest scientific evidence contradicts this long-held assumption. New compelling research indicates that we can change our personalities - either on our own, with the help of a therapist, or a combination of the two. And, we now know that meaningful personality change can be achieved in as little as 30 days.
As you read SNAP, you will gain a better understanding of who you are now, how others see you, and which aspects of yourself you'd like to change. You will acquire the tools you need to change your personality, and it won't take years of psychotherapy, self-exploration or re-hashing every single bad thing that's ever happened to you. If you are committed to change, this book will provide a roadmap to achieving your goals and becoming a better you.

 

ACKNOWLEDGMENTS

PREFACE
CHAPTER 1: What is Personality? Can You Change Yours?
CHAPTER 2: Define Who You Are and Determine Your Goals
CHAPTER 3: The Five Stages of Change
CHAPTER 4: Extraversion 101
CHAPTER 5: Becoming Conscientious
CHAPTER 6: Learning to Agree
CHAPTER 7: Taming Your Neurosis
CHAPTER 8: Opening Up To New Experiences
CHAPTER 9: Fast-Tracking Your Change with Therapy
CHAPTER 10: The 30-Day Personality Make-Over
APPENDIX 1: Additional Resources
APPENDIX 2: Notes and Scientific References