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You
are here: Born to Be You:
Why You Already ARE Who You Are Going To Be
And What To Do About It
He knows himself greatly who Never opposes his genius. --William Blake
The best career-planning advice I've ever come across is scholar and teacher Joseph Campbell's mantra: Follow your bliss. But was Campbell's advice simply intuitive-- or is it grounded in science? Both it seems, according to recent genetic research. Career planning and genetics seem strange bedfellows. Can we really learn something about who we are and where we belong by rummaging through our genes? Is there a connection between joy and success? The answer to both questions appears to be yes.
In Born That Way: Genes, Behavior, and Personality (Alfred A. Knopf, l998), author William Wright focuses on studies of identical twins who were raised apart. Though brought up separately, the twins often had remarkable similarities in interests, hobbies, tastes, and professional careers. The studies contribute to what Wright refers to as "our burgeoning understanding of the genetic links to personality and behavior." He concludes: "Genes influence not just physical characteristics such as hair color, but our personalities, temperaments, interests, behavioral patterns-even personal idiosyncrasies, the quirks and foibles that make each person unique."
You were born who you ARE and then developed in reaction to-and acting on-a particular environment. George Washington University psychiatrist Stanley Greenspan comments about whether nature or nurture makes us into us: "It's not a competition. It's a dance."
In that dance, the first steps are determined by our genes, which lay out our unique natural talents, learning-style preferences, and interests; while the succeeding steps are influenced by exposure and experience, and by our parents and mentors.
According to Mihaly Csikszentmihalyi in Creativity: Flow and the Psychology of Discovery and Invention (Harper Collins, 1997), it works like this: We come into this world neurologically predisposed-- artists, for example, are born with a sensitivity to light, color, shape, and form; they actually "see" differently than the rest of us. Athletes and dancers possess an inborn sense of coordination and "move" more gracefully than the rest of us. But one more thing is needed to perfect their talent: joy. What's YOUR joy? That's THE most important question!
Malcolm Gladwell, author of "The Physical Genius" (The New Yorker, August 2, 1999), was motivated to ask what "superstars" like Wayne Gretzky, Yo-Yo Ma, and neurosurgeon Charlie Wilson have in common. His conclusion: the ability to translate thought into action or imagination. Gladwell calls those who have that ability "physical geniuses". If you think of physical genius as a pyramid, with at the bottom, the raw components of coordination, and above that, the practice that perfects those particular movements, then this faculty of imagination is the top layer. This is what separates the physical genius from those who are merely very good. Finally, they all must have what the physical genius must have before any other layer of expertise falls into place: an activity that makes them happy.
Charlie Wilson finds the act of surgery irresistible, Wayne Gretzky would rather play hockey than anything else, and Yo-Yo Ma, bored striving for perfection, found he had to opt for expression. In other words, joy is the foundation and the mortar that hold the pyramid together. Yup, joy is the glue and you have to know what yours is to start pasting!
It makes sense, doesn't it? We come into the world with inborn talents that make certain activities easier for us, and therefore, more enjoyable! That enjoyment shapes the kinds of information we take in and the experiences we're drawn to, which, in turn, influence the way we learn and the time we are willing to spend practicing. Not surprisingly, human nature follows one of the principal laws of nature: Energy follows the path of least resistance.
So, how can you learn to recognize your talents? Listen to you. Learn to recognize your unique talents by using your joy and interests as guides. When Bill Moyers asked scholar and professor Joseph Campbell how parents could help children recognize their "bliss," Campbell responded that he held regular conferences with his students; when he saw a student's eyes open wide and her complexion change during a conference, Campbell knew he had hit upon something that had opened up a life possibility for that student (The Power of Myth, Doubleday, 1988). What's your "life possibility?"
Once you have learned to identify your talents and interests, ask others how those talents and interests can make life better or happier for everyone. Look at the difference art and design make in our world, the joy music and theater bring us, the benefit to society of a well-constructed product or a well-done repair. Think about the benefits of math and science to human kind, the comfort and security a well built home provides, the power of poetry to enrich our lives.
We need to know that we were born with talents-talents that are both fun and useful. We need to connect those talents with issues and causes in the community that we CARE about. Last, ask everyone to help you find mentors who can show you what skills you'll need to build on your interests and talents and where you can learn those skills.
In conclusion, it's not hard to build a meaningful, successful, and happy life. To find meaning, be happy, and successful, your life MUST be built on who you are. Theologian Frederick Buechner's insightful advice is also good career-planning advice: "Child, look for the place where your deep gladness and the world's deep hunger meet."
Dr. Susan Quattrociocchi, Ph.D. is Director of the Washington State Initiative, A Call to Parents: How to Cut the High Costs and High Risks of Education After High School and the Northeast Tech Prep Consortium. Headquartered at Bellevue Community College, Bellevue, WA, this consortium of nine school districts and five community and technical colleges is dedicated to seamless education for students. A popular speaker and writer, Susan is a respected authority on the power of parental involvement and the educational needs of young people.
Among her various academic and professional appointments, Dr. Quattrociocchi has been Associate Dean of Instruction at Everett Community College, Everett, WA, Director of Evening Vocation Programs at Lake Washington Technical College, Kirkland, WA, and held a variety of leadership positions in Youth Employment and Training Programs in Michigan.
You may contact Dr. Susan Quattrociocchi at Sussan@aol.com.
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