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Habits | Genetics vs Environment

Our parents are not perfect (let's keep this between us!) — and neither are we (no need to take that too seriously!).


Any assessment of our habits should include an understanding of both our genetic traits and the environment in which we were raised. Only then can we identify the most effective path toward lasting, sustainable success. For example, I know, with genetic testing that I did many years ago, that I am more prone to a certain disease - so, I tune my environment, through the right habits, to improve my chances of avoiding it.


So, why don't we go over this step-by-step? You'll see my fascination with "steps" everywhere on this site and in my coaching (remember "one step at a time" on the landing page or "How my long, solo hikes can help you"?),


Let’s take a "step" back—perhaps a few more. In fact, let’s go back a couple of thousand years, to the time of the Peloponnesian War.



Athens was the strongest City-state prior to the war and if I were to extrapolate that to the topic we are discussing here, Athens had the right Genetic make up to win the war. Sparta, on the other hand, was a conservative yet disciplined army of elite warriors.


Athens = Genetics


Athens was defined by innovation, curiosity, creativity, and flexibility. These qualities weren’t imposed—they were intrinsic features of Athenian society.


Similarly, genetics provides the built-in tendencies you start life with:

  • Natural inclinations (introversion/extraversion)

  • Baseline stress response

  • Predispositions toward impulsivity or discipline

  • Cognitive strengths and weaknesses


These are like Athens’ “inborn” traits. They shape what you’re naturally good at and how you instinctively react, but they don’t determine everything. Siddhartha Mukherjee writes in "The Gene" that most human attributes are a result of collaborations between genes and environmental events.


Sparta = Environment


Sparta’s character was forged by its environment—extreme structure, discipline, and training.


Likewise, your environment—upbringing, family norms, schooling, social expectations—acts as your “Spartan training”:

  • Daily routines and rules at home

  • Encouragement or criticism

  • Stability or chaos

  • Expectations around work, study, health, or emotional expression


These factors condition your habits, just as Sparta conditioned its citizens through rigorous education, and strict discipline.


Habits = Athens + Sparta


Just as the Peloponnesian War was shaped by both cities’ distinct identities, your habits are shaped by the interaction of:

  • what you naturally tend toward (Athens/genetics)

  • what you were trained into (Sparta/environment)


A habit is neither entirely “who you are” nor entirely “how you were raised.”


So, if you are to establish and sustain a new habit, you've got to understand your genetic traits, and intentionally design your environment for success.


Want to get started?




 
 
 

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