Brain Quote by Susan Cain
“Schwartz's research suggests something important: we can stretch our personalities, but only up to a point. Our inborn temperaments influence us, regardless of the lives we lead. A sizeable part of who we are is ordained by our genes, by our brains, by our nervous systems. And yet the elasticity that Schwartz found in some of the high-reactive teens also suggests the converse: we have free will and can use it to shape our personalities.”
About This Quote
Source Talk: “The Power of Introverts” TED Talk, 2012
Personality can be stretched but is limited by innate temperament; genetics set a baseline, yet free will allows intentional personality shaping.
In simple terms: We can grow, but genetics set limits; free will helps shape us.
Key Takeaway
Use free will to develop desired traits within natural limits.
Themes
personality
genetics
free will
Mood
inspirational
analytical
Type
psychology
self‑help
When to use this quote
- career development
- relationship building
- personal growth
Key Concepts
neuroscience
psychology
self‑improvement
Questions to Reflect On
- Which traits can you realistically develop?
- How does your temperament influence your choices?
A Different Perspective
Genetic predispositions may resist change despite effort.
![“It was at Harvard not quite forty years ago that I went into an anechoic [totally silent] chamber not expecting in that silent room to hear two sounds: one high, my nervous system in operation, one low, my blood in circulation. The reason I did not expect to hear those two sounds was that they…” quote by John Cage](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/img-quotes/153/john-cage-2094_blood_it-was-at-harvard-not-quite-forty-years_56114.jpg)
