A Leopard's Spots

Lately, I've been wondering about people and their ability to change. Sure, you'll often hear people say that they're going to do it, but they never really do. OR, they change for a brief period of time, only to fall back in the their bad habits or patterns again.

I often find that those who DO claim to have altered some bad behavioral pattern in their life, are just ONE bad incident away from everything unraveling again. These types seem to have a weak emotional foundation that's easily shattered when things aren't going precisely the way they want them to.
This to me, is the worst case scenario in personality traits.

What do you think it is that causes destructive behavior?

I often see people say that they are a product of their environment, and while I'd say that's true in a lot of cases, it isn't always accurate. How many of us have known people who come from a great family, were born with good looks and all of the blessings that one could hope for entering the game of life, yet still seem to conduct themselves like a complete jackass regardless of the toll it takes on themselves and those around them?

Would you say these people are born this way?
And if so, can they truly stop a behavior that is innate to them?

"A leopard can't change it's spots"

I think that statement is more or less true.
I think that people can however, experience extremes in life. That they can enter a phase of their life as a result of some sort of personally tragedy, that throws them into a tailspin for a while. If they are fortunate enough during this time, the people around them will help them see their way to a path of healing, when they can no longer find it for themselves.
These people can "change their spots", because the spots they were wearing were never really theirs in the first place.
Afterward, wise leopards will take the lesson that they learn during this time, and use it to grow more remarkable spots....but still, not different ones. Just ones that are a little darker and richer than they were before.

But the ones who are inherently bad leopards....the ones who simply disregard everyone and everything else in their life for their own personal gain....these leopards have permanent spots.
Their spots never seem to alter in any way.
And the only thing that seems to change for them is opportunity.

Over time, these leopards eventually drive away those around them. Those who hoped against hope that the leopard would eventually change, at some point realize that it's an exercise in futility, and separate themselves from the leopard.
After years of this, you'll often find the leopard appear to be a shell of his/her former self.
Withered as if they've been through a terrible storm, meeker than they were before.
It's at times like this the people tend to pity the leopard...to think that if it just had one more chance, things might be different...that it surely has learned it's lesson now.
Only to be burned again.

So what do YOU think?
Have you ever met a "leopard" that changed it's spots....for good?
You know, it IS possible that I just have met the wrong people.
In fact....I just went over the list of the people I know, and YES, I have indeed met the wrong people.