Title: Can People Change? A Look at What's Realistic
Headings: People Can Change, But That Doesn't Mean They Will
People Can Change, But That Doesn't Mean They Will
First, a few things to keep in mind
You can’t force change
Change takes time and effort
Change doesn’t always follow a linear path
What can change
What about people who cheat or lie?
What (usually) can’t change
Core personality traits
Emotions
Mental health conditions
How change happens
Motivation
Visualization
Positive feedback and support
Effort (not ability)
Therapy
The bottom line

Content: What’s more, they probably won’t commit to a lasting effort unless they truly care about the consequences. Change takes time and effort
If you’ve ever resolved to change something about yourself, you likely understand this decision is only the beginning. After setting a goal, such as “Stop showing up late,” you probably explored reasons behind your frequent lateness: trouble getting up in the morning
frequently misplacing keys
a tendency to lose track of time
Once you had a clearer idea of what you could do differently, you probably tried to put your plan into action. Maybe you tried setting your morning alarm 15 minutes earlier or attached a key hook to the back of your front door. But even the best intentions don’t yield immediate improvement. You might have needed to experiment with different strategies to find one that really worked. When hoping for change from someone else, don’t expect overnight success. They’re going through the same process. Encouraging them and praising their efforts can help build up their determination to keep trying.