Thought for the day

Which I may delete later (posting under current conditions=bad idea). Nevertherless:

We change and grow, hopefully, as we get older. We hope that these changes are for the better, although I can personally attest to slowly integrating bad habits that aren't helpful. For example, I procrastinate way more than I ought, and I find that I am not as able to focus as I was, say, 10 years ago. I am learning less, among other things. That may be simply because I am not in school and I am much less likely to read clearly educational materials (as opposed to novels) in my free time. In school, reading materials and what I gleaned from them, were not optional. But, I know I have time to keep learning much more, but do not take proper advantage.

So, my question, after discussing things that I think can change, is this:

Do we hit a point where, assuming we are "average," that we cannot change our moral and ethical leanings, and therefore, the actions that they govern? Or can we only change them minimally? I should put some time into defining average. I am referring to people who are not at the extremes of society. Criminal elements (I know that this comprises at least a siginficant portion of the population of my own country, but many are extreme, and so changes, through rehabilitation are drastic, but in many cases, change will never occur because they are so marginalized).

I guess what I mean to say is, if you long thought certain things were right or wrong, morally, can that change, really change, in your thinking? Can it change the way you would act in relevant situations? Not that long ago, a friend put forth the idea (possibly something that was read) that the personality is formed by the time we hit 30. What if I don't like parts of my personality-even though I know that much of it is based on experiences and reactions to them? What if I were to change the reaction to a situation based on a long held belief? Am I going to be able to look at it from a new perspective and feel like I can accept the change/response I had and move on? Or am I going to regret acting on new ideas that don't mesh with beliefs that are still informing part of who I am?

OK, I know this is not well written or informative, even. Thoughts?

Settling-should you do it to bring a measure of peace that lacks a sense of truth to you, or keep striving when you think (in all honesty) "it" might be beyond your reach? I thought this might be separate (it is, in some ways) but it also has do to with the way I have lived my life to now. Sorry if this doesn't make much sense.