A rude person that becomes conscious of the way it comes across to act disrespectfully may still be an rude inside, but if he/she is in control of the disrespectful behavior then I count that as real change.
It's hard to quantify how "different of a person" you are. But if there's one thing reading psych literature taught me it's that traits like aggression and compassion (or lack thereof) are measurable and shockingly persistent in people over decades.
Circumstances, triggers, and incentives change wildly. The world is in flux. But people's attitudes generally are not.
Traits other than those two can change. Classic example: an alcoholic who becomes sober.