The Ever-Changing Lifter: How Powerlifters Grow Beyond Fixed Traits

Contributed by: The Strength Awareness Series

For years, people have believed that personality stays the same once adulthood begins. However, new research continues to challenge this idea, suggesting that who we are is not fixed, but fluid and shaped by daily experience.

The traditional Five Factor Model—often called the Big Five—measures five core traits: neuroticism, openness, extraversion, conscientiousness, and agreeableness. While this model has long been used to capture personality at one point in time, it was never designed to measure how personality shifts from day to day. When researchers began to track these traits repeatedly over months or years, they discovered something surprising: people change. These findings disrupted the old belief that personality traits are unshakable “dispositions.”

Personality in Motion, Not in Stone

A 2025 study by Fabian Gander and colleagues at the University of Basel sheds new light on this idea. They found that most research on personality change has relied on flawed methods, measuring “traits” when what really fluctuates are “states”—temporary patterns of thoughts, emotions, and behaviors.

For powerlifters, this concept rings true in training. Some days, a lifter feels unstoppable—focused, strong, and disciplined. On other days, motivation dips or nerves take hold. Neither day defines the lifter’s true nature. Instead, these are shifting states within the broader landscape of personality.

A Simple Way to Check Your Mental State

Gander’s team created a 15-item scale that captures quick changes across the Big Five dimensions. It includes pairs like:

• Easy-going / nervous
• Disorganized / organized
• Shy / sociable
• Artistic / unartistic
• Full of ideas / lacking ideas

These items reflect different sides of each personality quality. For instance, conscientiousness is shown through reliability and organization, while openness is tied to curiosity and creativity.

Imagine rating yourself on these traits across a week of training. One day, you might feel confident and focused during squats. Another day, a missed lift could leave you frustrated or distracted. These shifts don’t mean inconsistency—they show adaptability.

What Fluctuation Says About Growth

The study revealed that people high in neuroticism tended to experience more emotional ups and downs. Those higher in openness or extraversion also showed greater flexibility, suggesting that being changeable can actually support growth. In contrast, those with very high conscientiousness remained steady, but perhaps too rigid at times—a reminder that discipline, while valuable, can limit adaptability when taken to extremes.

For powerlifters, this balance is familiar. Training success often depends on maintaining structure while adjusting when fatigue, stress, or life’s challenges arise. Learning to recognize emotional or mental shifts can improve both performance and resilience.

Why This Matters on the Platform and Beyond

Understanding personality as something fluid allows lifters to stop labeling themselves with limiting beliefs like “I’m just an anxious competitor” or “I’m not mentally strong enough for heavy attempts.” These are not permanent traits, only temporary states that can change with time, practice, and awareness.

By paying attention to how personality fluctuates, lifters gain perspective: a bad session doesn’t define who they are, nor does one good day make them invincible. Over time, this awareness builds patience and trust in the process—two essential ingredients for long-term strength.

Strength Beyond the Bar

Viewing personality as ever-changing aligns perfectly with powerlifting itself. Just as muscles grow through small adaptations, mental strength evolves through shifting states of effort, emotion, and focus. What feels discouraging today can become a source of confidence tomorrow.

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Exclusive Powerlifting.com content drawing on published research and industry expertise to ensure accuracy and relevance for powerlifters. Certain statements in this article represent the author’s perspective and may not reflect the views of Powerlifting.com.