James Clear

So I do think that there's a heavy genetic component to some of the mental characteristics that would make you more likely to train some of these aspects or more interested in some things than others. To your point about Phelps, whether he had ever been dropped in the pool or not, on the surface, it seems like something that would make you less motivated. You would say, oh, well, why even try?

I'm never going to be Michael Phelps. Or if genes play such a large role, what's the point? But I actually think that's the wrong lesson to take away. The primary lesson, I think, is that genes don't tell you not to work hard. They tell you where to work hard or they don't tell you not to have a strategy. They just inform your strategy.

I'm never going to be Michael Phelps. Or if genes play such a large role, what's the point? But I actually think that's the wrong lesson to take away. The primary lesson, I think, is that genes don't tell you not to work hard. They tell you where to work hard or they don't tell you not to have a strategy. They just inform your strategy.

This is another line that David told me in a conversation once where he said, a lot of people talk about grit and perseverance and discipline. But what if that is just your natural propensity based on the thing that you're working on? What if I just happen to look kind of gritty in my terms of weight training or working at writing a book compared to the average person?

This is another line that David told me in a conversation once where he said, a lot of people talk about grit and perseverance and discipline. But what if that is just your natural propensity based on the thing that you're working on? What if I just happen to look kind of gritty in my terms of weight training or working at writing a book compared to the average person?

But I just look that way because I happen to like those things. And he said, yeah, there's this whole line of thinking that like grit is fit. And so actually the way to increase your perseverance and discipline is to find areas or categories or skills where you're highly interested in them.

But I just look that way because I happen to like those things. And he said, yeah, there's this whole line of thinking that like grit is fit. And so actually the way to increase your perseverance and discipline is to find areas or categories or skills where you're highly interested in them.

It's very hard to beat the person who's having fun because they're going to want to keep working longer than the person who's suffering. So grit is fit, I think is one way in which you can maybe try to stack the deck or stack the odds in your favor and get your genes aligned with the things that you're working on.

It's very hard to beat the person who's having fun because they're going to want to keep working longer than the person who's suffering. So grit is fit, I think is one way in which you can maybe try to stack the deck or stack the odds in your favor and get your genes aligned with the things that you're working on.

And then there are going to be things like Michael Phelps in a pool where you're like, listen, this body was just designed to do this thing. It's very hard to find somebody who's more optimally designed to move through the water than him. Not all of us are going to have the good fortune of discovering whatever that thing is for us in our lives at age four or six or whatever.

And then there are going to be things like Michael Phelps in a pool where you're like, listen, this body was just designed to do this thing. It's very hard to find somebody who's more optimally designed to move through the water than him. Not all of us are going to have the good fortune of discovering whatever that thing is for us in our lives at age four or six or whatever.

I don't think that that means you should stop searching. This is one of the benefits of trial and error. The person who is curious and willing to explore a lot of things is more likely to come across an area where they are fascinated or they are interested. And it also is a really good fit for their natural abilities or propensities or interests.

I don't think that that means you should stop searching. This is one of the benefits of trial and error. The person who is curious and willing to explore a lot of things is more likely to come across an area where they are fascinated or they are interested. And it also is a really good fit for their natural abilities or propensities or interests.

That's kind of the primary lesson that I take away from the genetic side of things is similar to what you said. Anybody can improve. Doesn't mean anybody can be Michael Phelps, but you can always improve your ability. And let's try to find that thing that I'm fascinated with, that I'm interested in.

That's kind of the primary lesson that I take away from the genetic side of things is similar to what you said. Anybody can improve. Doesn't mean anybody can be Michael Phelps, but you can always improve your ability. And let's try to find that thing that I'm fascinated with, that I'm interested in.

So where it doesn't feel like I'm suffering in the same way that other people are when they're trying this thing. You often be surprised how far you can go, how willing you are to build habits and improve skills if you find some of those things that you're truly fascinated by.

So where it doesn't feel like I'm suffering in the same way that other people are when they're trying this thing. You often be surprised how far you can go, how willing you are to build habits and improve skills if you find some of those things that you're truly fascinated by.

I have that same takeaway watching the last dance. There was that one summer where he was recording Space Jam and they set up like a tent for him outside the movie studio. And all the NBA players came in like each night to play pickup games. Just got done filming like 12 hours a day, but he just could not handle losing a pickup game.

I have that same takeaway watching the last dance. There was that one summer where he was recording Space Jam and they set up like a tent for him outside the movie studio. And all the NBA players came in like each night to play pickup games. Just got done filming like 12 hours a day, but he just could not handle losing a pickup game.

It would just bother him so much to not get it right, to not win. I got to think that that is maybe not exclusively, but at least largely just he can't turn it off. He doesn't know any other way to be personality or genes or whatever you want to call it. That's just how he's wired. And I actually love it when I see that characteristic in any domain. Maggie Rogers, who's a musician.