Human Dynamic

My pet theory is that people can affect themselves in three ways:

People can change how they act.
People can change how they think.
People can change how they feel.

These are layers, behavior masking thought, and thought masking true underlying sentiment. A change to behavior is superficial, and has little impact beyond the cosmetic. Deeper layers, though, will shine through. Ceteris paribus, an individual will gradually defer to the inmost character.

But in this model, is influence strictly directed outward? Developmentally, we seem to take on behavior before our personality is established. And merely acting in one capacity for long enough, I'm drawn to believe, has sometimes stronger implications to your character.

So maybe this model involves more seepage than hitherto considered. Regardless, however (and here I'll offer a truism), the central element to change is TIME. Only time will tell, to oneself and others, the inmost nature.