Fast Company published two articles, one on personality change and the other on workplace motivation. The first piece argues that people overestimate their ability to change, citing the “better-than-average effect” as a psychological bias. It suggests high school reunions reveal how little core traits like dominance or anxiety truly shift over time.
The second article examines motivation mismatches in work and personal life, using the author's own experience of trying to motivate her husband with anxiety—a tactic that backfired. It identifies four hidden forces: what drives us, when we work best, what conditions we need for attention, and how much control we require. Mismatches in these areas can lead to underperformance and exhaustion.
Both articles challenge common self-improvement narratives. The first offers a skeptical view of personality transformation, suggesting people are more fixed than they admit. The second provides a framework for understanding why standard motivation techniques often fail, arguing that individual wiring differs significantly.
These pieces reflect a growing trend in popular psychology toward questioning one-size-fits-all self-help advice, instead emphasizing personal variation and realistic self-awareness. However, neither article presents new empirical research, relying instead on anecdote and established psychological concepts.
While intriguing, the articles lack concrete data or novel findings. Readers should view them as reflective essays rather than definitive science, as the claims are not backed by new studies or statistics.