The brain has an accelerator, and a brake when it comes to change. Hearing professionals talking about the idea that people are afraid of change, or that the brain fears change as a blanket truth, winds me up because it's inaccurate. People don't always resist change, even though they sometimes resist the discomfort of change. I have spent 20 years helping people change behaviours and while I would agree change isn't always easy, its not because we fear it that makes it hard. It's less about fear and more about economics. The question isn't how do we overcome a fear of change, but rather how do we make the change easier and more beneficial? There's a few other things at play... in this very brief post, I challenge the idea, and explain a few ways around understanding and incentivising change.

Does your personality decide your health?

Can personality affect health? The short answer is yes, but it’s not the whole story or the most interesting part.

Of the five major personality traits, conscientiousness predicts health and longevity more consistently than any other. Two large studies make the case, including one of nearly half a million people in which low conscientiousness predicted poorer health, higher body mass and more substance use across every demographic tested.

The effects are real, replicated, but modest. Personality nudges the odds; it doesn't write the outcome.

Openness looks irrelevant to general health but seems to quietly support healthy ageing, drawing on a 2026 Sardinian Blue Zone study.

In terms of health risks the old Type A myth (negative connection with health) is updated, it's hostility (the opposite end of agreeableness) that carries cardiovascular risk, not drive or busyness. And conscientiousness isn't linearly good: the same drive for structure and control is, at its extreme, a recognised vulnerability, most clearly in restrictive eating.

I also mention a place for Myers Briggs Instrument Typing (MBTI) even though there’s less rigorous research in the health domain, type has a useful vocabulary; but the traits underneath explain the link. The episode also briefly covers off on genes and what heritability does and doesn't mean for you when it comes to your personality.

The final third gives some practical tips. Traits aren't fixed. Low conscientiousness responds to environmental design (by reducing friction, and adding external structure and accountability) you can increase ability factors. But the big take away is self-efficacy. Self efficacy is the task-specific belief that you can do one particular thing. It can be built in weeks through small guaranteed wins. Be careful of an over-ambitious plan, it’s worse than useless: it hands you evidence against yourself.

The summary: you can't choose your starting temperament, but you can choose a plan that’s right for you. Most plans fail because the plan was built for somebody else, not because the person is weak, unmotivated, lazy or doesn’t have the right information.

Support

A note on the middle section: this episode briefly discusses disordered eating. If that's a live issue for you, the Butterfly National Helpline is 1800 33 4673 (open 8am–midnight, 7 days). It's not a crisis line, in a crisis, call 000 or Lifeline on 13 11 14.

Reference list on lisacutforth.com.au

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You have had blood tests. Your GP has told you everything is normal. You do not feel normal. This episode is about the gap between normal and optimal, and the testing that lives in that space. Specifically this episode talks about 5 tests I recommend you ask for.

Lisa Cutforth is a degree qualified integrative health practitioner, combining her qualifications in nutrition, psychology, neuroscience and genetics to help leaders optimise their health, performance and lifespan.