Book review: Third Natures: How What You Do Shapes Who You Are by Brian Little

Brian Little goes over here the basic concepts of the big five personality trades and how they influence our lives. He also insists it is our activities that define us, making our personality more flexible than it is often thought. So all this makes it important how we spend our time and what we choose. That is the book in a nutshell. Suppose you are interested in reading about the big five personality trades, in that case, I recommend reading Brian Little’s Me, Myself, and Us: The Science of Personality and the Art of Well-Being. It is a more thorough look at the research done about personality and how things like introversion impact us. However, this quick summary might work for you if you are short of time. Again, be mindful that the book only scratches the surface and oversimplifies the matter.

All that said, I still enjoyed the anecdotal book. It refreshed my memory of the big five and why it is essential to be aware of why our choices matter. They do matter. They define our character, what we value and why, and who we want to be. But, of course, we meander at times with our pursuits. None of us are machines that have a clearly defined path to some ultimate success; however, one might define that success. Then there are the circumstances we are thrown into and all the emotions we have to deal with, but still, it is helpful to consider every now and then that if this is the way I want to use all my time, is this who I want to be, and is this worthy of my pursuit. Then again, we all have to eat and preferably have a roof over our heads. It limits our choices somewhat, especially if we are not lucky enough to bend circumstances to our favor. Reality is a tough little nut to crack. So is the future.

I have been rambling about enough. I might as well end this review and say that if you hadn’t read about the big five personality trades before or heard Brian Little speak, this is an excellent place to start.

Have a great day, and if you know a worthy pursuit, let everyone know! Thank you for reading ❤