Atomic Habits Chapter 18
The Truth About Talent: When Genes Matter and When They Don’t
Many people are familiar with Michael Phelps, who is widely considered one of the greatest athletes in history. Phelps has won more Olympic medals than any swimmer — more than any Olympian in any sport. Fewer people know the name Hicham El Guerrouj, but he is a remarkable athlete in his own right. El Guerrouj is a Moroccan runner who holds two Olympic gold medals and is regarded as one of the greatest middle-distance runners of all time. For many years, he held the world records for the mile, 1,500-meter, and 2,000-meter races. At the Olympic Games in Athens, Greece, in 2004, he won gold in both the 1,500-meter and 5,000-meter races.
These two athletes are strikingly different in various ways. (For starters, one competes on land while the other competes in water.) Most notably, they differ significantly in height: El Guerrouj is five feet, nine inches tall, whereas Phelps stands six feet, four inches tall. Despite this seven-inch difference, Phelps and El Guerrouj share one commonality: they wear the same length inseam on their pants.
How is this possible? Phelps has relatively short legs for his height and a very long torso, which is ideal for swimming. In contrast, El Guerrouj possesses long legs and a shorter upper body, perfect for distance running.
Now, imagine if these world-class athletes were to switch sports. Could Michael Phelps, given his remarkable athleticism, become an Olympic-caliber distance runner with enough training? It’s unlikely. At peak fitness, Phelps weighed 194 pounds, which is 40 percent heavier than El Guerrouj, who competed at an ultralight 138 pounds. Taller runners are generally heavier, and every extra pound is a disadvantage in distance running. Against elite competition, Phelps would likely struggle from the outset.
Conversely, while El Guerrouj might be one of the best runners in history, it’s doubtful he would ever qualify for the Olympics as a swimmer. Since 1976, the average height of Olympic gold medalists in the men’s 1,500-meter run is five feet, ten inches. In comparison, the average height of Olympic gold medalists in the men’s 100-meter freestyle swim is six feet, four inches. Swimmers tend to be taller and have longer backs and arms, which are ideal for moving through water. El Guerrouj would be at a severe disadvantage in the swimming pool.
The key to maximizing your chances of success is to choose the right field of competition. This principle applies not only in sports, but also in habit formation and business. Habits that align with our natural inclinations and abilities are easier to adopt and more satisfying to maintain. Like Michael Phelps in the pool or Hicham El Guerrouj on the track, you want to play a game where the odds are in your favor.
Embracing this strategy requires acknowledging the simple truth that people are born with different abilities. Some may find this uncomfortable to discuss. Although our genes seem fixed on the surface, it’s not enjoyable to confront aspects of life that are beyond our control. Phrases like "biological determinism" can give the impression that some individuals are destined for success while others are doomed to failure. However, this perspective is shortsighted when it comes to understanding the role of genetics in behavior.
The strength of genetics is also their limitation. While genes cannot be easily changed, they offer a significant advantage under favorable circumstances and present a serious disadvantage in unfavorable ones. For instance, being seven feet tall is beneficial for dunking a basketball but a considerable hindrance in gymnastics. Our environment determines how suitable our genes are and the utility of our natural talents. When our environment changes, so too do the qualities that dictate success.
This principle applies not only to physical characteristics but also to mental ones. I may have expertise in habits and human behavior but be less knowledgeable about knitting, rocket propulsion, or guitar chords. Competence heavily relies on context.
Individuals at the top of any competitive field are not only well-trained but also well-suited to their tasks. Therefore, if you aspire to be truly great, selecting the right area to focus on is crucial.
In summary, genes do not dictate your destiny; they only define your areas of opportunity. As physician Gabor Mate notes, “Genes can predispose, but they don’t predetermine.” The areas where you are genetically predisposed to succeed are the ones where habits are more likely to be enjoyable. The essential strategy is to direct your efforts toward pursuits that excite you and align with your natural skills, bridging your ambition with your abilities.
The obvious question arises: “How do I identify where the odds are in my favor? How do I discover the opportunities and habits that are right for me?” The first step in finding answers is to understand your personality.
How Your Personality Influences Your Habits
Your genes operate beneath the surface of every habit, influencing everything from the hours you spend watching television to your likelihood of marriage or divorce, and even your susceptibility to addiction. There is a strong genetic component to how obedient or rebellious you are in the face of authority, how resilient or vulnerable you are to stress, how proactive or reactive you tend to be, and even how captivated or bored you feel during sensory experiences like a concert. As Robert Plomin, a behavioral geneticist at King’s College in London, stated, “It is now at the point where we have stopped testing to see if traits have a genetic component because we literally can’t find a single one that isn’t influenced by our genes.”
Your unique cluster of genetic traits predisposes you to a particular personality. Personality comprises characteristics that remain consistent across various situations. The most scientifically validated analysis of personality traits is known as the “Big Five,” which breaks them down into five spectrums of behavior:
1. **Openness to Experience:** Ranging from curious and inventive to cautious and consistent.
2. **Conscientiousness:** From organized and efficient to easygoing and spontaneous.
3. **Extroversion:** From outgoing and energetic to solitary and reserved (commonly referred to as extroverts versus introverts).
4. **Agreeableness:** From friendly and compassionate to challenging and detached.
5. **Neuroticism:** From anxious and sensitive to confident, calm, and stable.
All five characteristics have biological foundations. For example, extroversion can be traced from birth. Researchers have observed that some babies turn toward loud noises while others turn away. Tracking these children into adulthood revealed that those who turned toward the noise were more likely to grow into extroverts, while those who turned away were more likely to become introverts.
Individuals high in agreeableness are kind, considerate, and warm-hearted. They also tend to have higher natural oxytocin levels, a hormone that plays a crucial role in social bonding, increases trust, and can serve as a natural antidepressant. It’s easy to imagine how someone with elevated oxytocin levels might be inclined to develop habits like writing thank-you notes or organizing social events.
As a third example, consider neuroticism, a trait present in varying degrees among all people. Those with high neuroticism levels tend to be more anxious and worry more than others. This trait has been linked to hypersensitivity of the amygdala, the brain's region responsible for recognizing threats. In essence, individuals who are more sensitive to negative cues in their environment are likely to score higher in neuroticism.
While our habits are not solely determined by our personalities, it's clear that our genes influence our inclinations. Our ingrained preferences make certain behaviors easier for some individuals than for others. You shouldn’t apologize for these differences or feel guilty about them; instead, you should work with them. For instance, a person who has a lower conscientiousness score may struggle with orderliness and may need to utilize environmental design more strategically to establish good habits.
The takeaway is that you should cultivate habits that align with your personality. You can achieve remarkable results by engaging in exercises that interest you. If a friend adheres to a low-carb diet but you find more success with a low-fat approach, follow what works for you. If your preference is for engaging romance novels over nonfiction, read what captivates you.
You don’t have to conform to someone else’s idea of what constitutes a good habit. There is a version of every habit that can bring you joy and satisfaction — find it. Habits must be enjoyable if they are to stick, which is the core idea behind the 4th Law.
Tailoring your habits to fit your personality is a great starting point, but it is only the beginning. Let’s now focus on identifying and designing situations where you have a natural advantage.
How to Find a Game Where the Odds Are in Your Favor
Learning to play a game where the odds are in your favor is critical for maintaining motivation and achieving success. In theory, you can enjoy almost anything. In practice, however, you are more likely to enjoy activities that come easily to you. People who excel in a specific area tend to be more competent at that task and receive praise for their efforts. This positive feedback keeps them energized as they make progress where others struggle. Additionally, their success often leads to better pay and greater opportunities, which not only enhances their happiness but also motivates them to produce even higher-quality work. It creates a virtuous cycle.
Selecting the right habit can make progress easy, whereas choosing the wrong habit may lead to constant struggle. So, how do you pick the right habit? The first step, as discussed in the 3rd Law, is to **make it easy**. Often, when people choose the wrong habit, it is simply too challenging. When a habit is easy, you're more likely to succeed, and success in turn fosters satisfaction. However, there’s another layer to consider. Over time, as you continue to advance and improve, any area can become challenging. Thus, you need to ensure you're playing the right game for your skill set.
So, how do you identify that game? The most common method is trial and error. However, there’s a problem with this approach: life is short. You don’t have the time to try every career, date every eligible partner, or play every musical instrument. Fortunately, there is an effective strategy to manage this dilemma, known as the **explore/exploit trade-off**.
At the beginning of a new activity, a period of exploration is essential. In relationships, this phase is often called dating. In college, it can be seen in a liberal arts education. In business, it’s akin to split testing. The goal is to try various options, research a broad range of ideas, and cast a wide net. After this initial exploration, you should narrow your focus to the most promising option you've found while still allowing for the occasional experiment.
The right balance between exploring and exploiting depends on your current outcomes. If you are currently winning, maximize your efforts; if you are losing, continue exploring. Generally, it's most effective to commit to a strategy that yields the best results about 80 to 90 percent of the time, allowing for exploration in the remaining 10 to 20 percent. Google famously encourages its employees to spend 80 percent of their workweek on official tasks and 20 percent on projects of their choice, which has led to innovative products like AdWords and Gmail.
Your approach should also take into account how much time you have. If you're early in your career and have ample time, it’s wise to explore. Once you find the right path, you still have plenty of time to capitalize on it. Conversely, if you're nearing a deadline, you should implement the best solution you've discovered so far to deliver results.
As you explore different options, consider asking yourself a series of questions to help narrow in on the habits and areas that will be most fulfilling for you:
1. What feels like fun to me but work to others?
The key indicator of whether you're suited for a task is not whether you enjoy it but rather whether you can endure its challenges more easily than most. When are you enjoying yourself while others are complaining? The work that feels less burdensome to you than to others is likely your true calling.
2. What makes me lose track of time?
Flow is the mental state achieved when you are so engrossed in a task that the world around you fades away. This combination of happiness and peak performance, often experienced by athletes and performers in their “zone,” indicates that the activity is at least somewhat satisfying.
3. Where do I achieve greater returns than the average person?
We tend to compare ourselves to those around us, and behaviors are often more satisfying when the comparison favors us. For instance, when I started writing at JamesClear.com, my email list grew rapidly. Although I wasn’t entirely sure what I was doing right, I recognized that my results were coming faster than those of some colleagues, motivating me to continue writing.
4. What comes naturally to me?
Temporarily set aside what you’ve been taught, societal expectations, and others’ opinions. Reflect inwardly and ask, “What feels natural to me? When have I felt truly alive? When have I felt like my authentic self?” Avoid internal judgments or people-pleasing. Just focus on feelings of engagement and enjoyment. Whenever you feel authentic and genuine, you are likely headed in the right direction.
To be candid, some aspects of this process involve luck. Just as Michael Phelps and Hicham El Guerrouj were fortunate to be born with rare abilities valued by society and placed in ideal environments, we all have limited time on this planet. The truly remarkable among us not only work hard but also seize the opportunities that align with our skills.
But what if you don’t want to leave your fate to chance?
If you can’t find a game where the odds are stacked in your favor, create one. Scott Adams, the cartoonist behind *Dilbert*, observes, “Everyone has at least a few areas in which they could be in the top 25% with some effort. In my case, I can draw better than most people, but I’m hardly an artist. And I’m not any funnier than the average stand-up comedian who never makes it big, but I’m funnier than most people. The magic is that few people can draw well and write jokes. It’s the combination of the two that makes what I do so rare. When you add in my business background, suddenly I have a topic that few cartoonists could hope to understand without living it.”
When you can’t win by being better, you can win by being different. By combining your skills, you reduce the competition, making it easier to stand out. You can bypass the need for a genetic advantage or extensive experience by rewriting the rules. A skilled player works hard within the existing game, while a great player creates a new game that plays to their strengths and minimizes their weaknesses.
For instance, while in college, I designed my own major in biomechanics, integrating physics, chemistry, biology, and anatomy. I wasn’t smart enough to stand out among top physics or biology majors, so I created my own niche. Because it suited my interests, studying felt less like a chore, and it was easier to avoid comparing myself to others. After all, no one else was taking the same combination of classes, so there was no basis for comparison.
Specialization is a powerful way to overcome the limitations of genetics. The more you master a specific skill, the harder it becomes for others to compete with you. For example, many bodybuilders may be stronger than the average arm wrestler, but even a massive bodybuilder can lose an arm wrestling match to a champion who has honed specific strengths. Even if you’re not the most naturally gifted, you often have the opportunity to excel in a narrow domain.
Just as boiling water softens a potato but hardens an egg, you can’t control whether you’re a potato or an egg. However, you can choose to play a game where it’s beneficial to be hard or soft. By finding a more favorable environment, you can transform a situation where the odds seem against you into one where they are in your favor.
How to Get the Most Out of Your Genes
Our genes do not eliminate the need for hard work; rather, they clarify it. They indicate what we should focus our efforts on. Once we recognize our strengths, we can better allocate our time and energy. We’ll know which opportunities to pursue and which challenges to avoid. The more we understand our nature, the more effective our strategies become.
Biological differences matter, but it’s more productive to concentrate on fulfilling your own potential rather than comparing yourself to someone else. The fact that there may be natural limits to a specific ability doesn't affect whether you are nearing the ceiling of your capabilities. People often become so preoccupied with their perceived limitations that they forget to exert the effort required to approach those limits.
Moreover, genes won’t guarantee success if you’re not putting in the necessary work. Yes, it’s possible that the toned trainer at the gym has better genes, but unless you’re putting in the same effort, you can’t determine if you've been dealt a better or worse genetic hand. Until you work as hard as those you admire, don't attribute their success solely to luck.
In summary, one of the best ways to ensure your habits remain satisfying in the long run is to engage in behaviors that align with your personality and skills. Focus on working hard in areas where you naturally excel.
Chapter Summary
- The secret to maximizing your odds of success is to choose the right field of competition.
- Pick the right habit, and progress will be easier. Choose the wrong habit, and life can become a struggle.
- Genes are not easily changed, so they provide a significant advantage in favorable circumstances and a serious disadvantage in unfavorable ones.
- Habits are easier to maintain when they align with your natural abilities.
- Choose habits that best suit you.
- Play a game that favors your strengths. If you can’t find a game that does, create one.
- Genes do not eliminate the need for hard work; they clarify what you should focus on.
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