Yes — in the same way gravity affects you whether you believe in it or not.
Your BaZi chart describes real elemental patterns present at your birth. These patterns shape your temperament, your timing, and your interactions whether you're aware of them or not. People who've never heard of BaZi still experience their Luck Cycle shifts — they just have no framework to understand why life suddenly got easier or harder.
Belief isn't required for the system to be useful. But awareness helps. Knowing your chart is like having a weather app — you still experience the weather either way, but with the app, you can dress appropriately and plan accordingly.
Skepticism is healthy. The best approach is to test the timing patterns against your actual life experience and draw your own conclusions.