At first glance, each of us appears capable of change, adapting to new situations, and adjusting our behavior; however, our true essence is embedded deep within our character and remains practically immutable.

The Unchanging Core of Personality

At first glance, each of us appears capable of change, adapting to new situations, and adjusting our behavior; however, our true essence is embedded deep within our character and remains practically immutable. In contemporary discussions on the topic, it becomes clear that external appearances and manners are merely a shell that can be changed, while fundamental convictions, aggressive tendencies, or selfishness reflect the unalterable foundation of our personality. Analysts note that such transformation cannot be achieved by simply attempting to alter external characteristics—it requires profound changes that penetrate the very depths of a person's inner world. While social roles, habits, and manners may evolve under the influence of society or circumstances, character, like an ancient element, remains steadfast even in the midst of life's most devastating storms. Ultimately, true transformation is possible only through deep shifts in worldview and a reevaluation of life's principles, rather than by merely changing outward attributes. This view urges us to reflect on the importance of cultivating our inner world, for it is the true “self” that is resistant to superficial modifications.

If a person cannot change something within themselves, to what extent do their inner traits and convictions influence this process?

The answer to your question can be formulated as follows. The cited materials emphasize that a person's inner traits and convictions constitute the fundamental, nearly unchanging basis of their personality. Despite the possibility of adjusting external behaviors—manners, habits, and social roles—the deep inner character remains resilient and is often impervious to change by personal effort.

For example, one citation from file link txt states:
"Changing one's very character, as Schopenhauer says, is as impossible as turning gold into diamonds. An egoist cannot be freed from selfishness any more than one can teach a cat to relinquish its penchant for mice. Every person, under the most diverse conditions, is who they are and remains unchanged. If character could gradually change and improve year after year, then the elderly would necessarily be noticeably more virtuous than the young, but in reality, this is not the case. All these arguments do not withstand proper criticism; they do not prove that characters cannot change, but rather that they usually do not, because most people do not attempt to remodel themselves."
(Source: link txt)

Additionally, a similar idea is expressed in another quote from the same file:
"Behind the mutable shell of one's age, relationships, even one’s knowledge and beliefs, lies a person as unchanging as a crab in its shell. The forms in which character manifests itself may change at different times under various circumstances, but the character itself does not change."
(Source: link txt)

It is also crucial to note that, despite the ability to adjust external manifestations (for instance, changes in behavior or modes of communication), internal qualities such as aggression or selfishness remain unaltered. This is illustrated in a quote from file link txt:
"A person may be a villain, a robber, an adulterer, and a boor, yet possess very good manners, so that outwardly they appear respectable ... But what about the inside? Murder, debauchery, envy, quarrels, judgment, slander, hatred, malice, irritability."
(Source: link txt)

Thus, inner traits and convictions have a decisive influence on a person's capacity for change. They form the deep, stable essence that rarely transforms as a result of individual efforts, unlike external aspects which can be modified. This collection of viewpoints emphasizes that attempts to change one's fundamental inner qualities tend to be ineffective, as these are based on deeply ingrained beliefs and personality traits.