Not Born With the “It” Factor….Here’s How you Can Get “It”

Remember a few years back when Charlie Sheen totally went off the rocker, drinking tiger blood and self claiming that he was “winning” in all things. Who could forget right?  We all watched and eventually just  filed it away in the category of celebrities who went crazy.  At the time, not many people would actually consider Sheen to be “winning” in societies eyes, but I don’t really think that mattered to him. Crazy or not, he was winning in his own head.

We all want to win, It’s just human nature, some may weigh winning a little more than others but it’s pretty consistently established  across all animal species that “winning” is pretty cool.  Unless your the 76ers(2014-2017), your natural instincts are to go out and preform at a level that will provide a sense of accomplishment, this doesn’t need to be an officially stamped “W” in a competition but instead could be a small personal feat like reaching a goal or sticking through with something till the end. What I’m getting to here is, Yes! there are societal views on winning but the ones that actually matter are the ones in your head.   If you truly view something as a Win, then it’s a Win, plain and simple. Your the master of your domain, society can go pound salt, your the judge and the jury. If you’ve established mental control of your life then you’ve won, and no one can tell you otherwise……except you.

All that is a lot easier said than done, I’ll be the first one to tell you that I’m not there yet. The challenging aspect of winning is learning to navigate the judgment of this ever-evolving society. This made-up social structure has had so much power over humanity (and animals) since the very beginning. From early cavemen, to Ancient Rome, through Medieval times (just go to the show and see for yourself), to India’s caste system and today’s 1% debates. The structure hasn’t changed much, just the names of the levels. Have no clue what I’m talking about?  Watch the first few seasons of Game of Thrones then come back and finish reading. Think about it, we actually call different areas of the world “3rd World” as a way to designate that they are a lower status, it’s kinda really fucked-up when you think about it.  So, is it simple to say that no matter where you are in your life, no matter what social status society stamps on you, no matter what hardships and headwinds you face, that you can become a winner just by changing your mindset?

Does this idea that some people are born with an “It” factor or genes to “Win” actually hold water. Well, there have been a few limited studies that take a look into this very question, some building a case that there is a hard code to “Win” in our molecular build.   A 2012 study published in the Journal of Personality looked into if a predisposition exists in our genetic code towards determination, sociability, self-control and sense of purpose. The study compared 800 sets of twins, split between identical (who share all their DNA and their upbringing) and fraternal (non-identical twins, who have a shared background but are no more genetically alike than other siblings). The results found that genetics were more influential in shaping key traits than a person’s home environment and surroundings, adding:

Researchers found that genes affected a person’s sense of purpose, how well they get on with people and their ability to continue learning and developing throughout life. Bates said that the genetic influence was strongest on a person’s sense of self-control.

Along with literally making you who you are, genes seem to play a role in providing the traits that set one up for success.  But can the genes of other organisms actually have an outside influence in determining your likelihood to win?  In enter the Syrian hamsters!  In a very recent 2018 Georgia State University study that looked into the effects social stress (winning or losing) have on ones microbiome (Need a Refresh? Here’s a overview of how your microbiome relates to being at a bar during Santacon). The study found that either outcome (win or loss) had a significant impact on the hamsters gut bacteria. Now the interesting surprise was this:

Another unique finding came from samples that were taken before the animals were ever paired, which were used to determine if any of the preexisting bacteria seemed to correlate with whether an animal turned out to be the winner or loser. “It’s an intriguing finding that there were some bacteria that seemed to predict whether an animal would become a winner or a loser,” Huhman said.

Now things are getting interesting. we already know that there is a strong relationship between ones composition of gut bacteria and their mental and physical health. But what if these little buggers could actually play a role in determining if an individual creates successful situations out of their opportunities. A truly complex question with no clear answer at this time. My 10,000 ft hypothesis is the following:

Since there have been a magnitude of studies that directly correlate gut health (healthy composition of gut bacteria) with good mood and mental state; And if true success is a value (or values) that you determine, Not Society! Doesn’t it kinda make sense that having a good mental state will allow one to be comfortable throwing societies definition of sucess to the side and establishing their own definition that is unique to them! One that truly brings about happiness and a sense of accomplishment. I’m not saying that genes don’t play a role because it seems that they clearly do, what I’m saying is there are external factors that can help put you in a position to win.

You can’t alter your genetic code (yet) but you do have control in establishing a healthy balance of micro-organisms that will put you in a better physical and mental state tomorrow then you are in today.  So why not hedge your bets and build up those beneficial communities of bacteria, sit back and feel the affects (check this post out for some steps to get you going in the right direction).

Your world is an ongoing narrative of what your mind makes of it. I’m getting in my own head writing this as I realize all the thoughts I’m having are just a series of high power electrical and chemical reactions within a three pound mushy structure inside my skull.

The majority of people will live with the illusion that they are accomplishing things that matter but realize in the end that their accomplishing what society says matters. Work to become self-aware and follow what you truly want to do. It’s worth it, regret creeps up on you as you age and if your reading this your young enough to alter the script. Get your pen and start writing.