Winning is not a DNA thing
A video by Gary Vaynerchuk has been circulating over the last few days. and it has me concerned. The video is called “A Rant from the Heart, Hip, and Head,” (warning, a lot of Not-safe-for-work language) and in it, Gary argues that he is a winner because he was born to be a winner. It’s in his DNA.
On the one hand, the temptation is there not to disagree with this guy. After all, he is a best-selling author, a huge force in the online world, and a much admired speaker. He has accomplished more in 35-36 years than many do in a lifetime. Is there something to his “DNA” statement? Maybe.
I think, however, that given the times we live in, this is a dangerous and potentially harmful sentiment to spread. Here is why.
If I’m not winning now, I must be incapable
During the very very early years of European colonization in what is now the US, the Puritans were here looking for religious freedom. The Puritans believed in pre-destination. In other words, as soon as you were born your fate was sealed – you were already set on a path that would lead you to heaven or hell, and there was nothing you could about it. The Puritans spent all of their lives searching for signs that would tell them if they were good people or bad people, and they believed that their actions, rather than controlling their fate, simply reflected it.
If we say that winning is in our DNA, I feel we could suffer the same fate. Am I a winner? Well, depending on how you define “winner” maybe your answer is no. Does that mean the capacity to win is not coded in your DNA? Does that mean you can never be a winner?
Any person who has experienced a “rags to riches” story (and they still do happen) would probably disagree.
Working hard is not enough
The other thing Gary says in this video that I fear could misguide people is that working hard is only part of the equation. You need to have the right kind of DNA that will enable your hard work to pay off. I see where Gary was going with that statement, but I fear that that could fill a lot of people with a sense of disillusionment or even despair.
Actually, what came to mind was the movie Pursuit of Happyness, starring Will Smith. In looking at the story of Chris Gardner, whom Will Smith plays in the film, it would be tempting to say that he had nothing but bad luck in his DNA. He undertook an aggressive project and mostly failed. He lost his home. He lost his wife. He worked hard during the day while sleeping in the bathroom at a subway station during the night. What about this man’s innate life story would point to his eventual success?
Nothing, really, except his desire to make life great for himself and his son.
But Gardner did the impossible. He learned skills that were entirely new to him. He learned how to wine and dine. He learned how to balance his difficult personal situation with his professional life and he learned how to toughen up for the business world.
I would argue that Gardner recoded his DNA. He reset his program. He put himself on a path towards something new. It wasn’t a DNA thing. It was a hard work, self-confidence, defeating the impossible thing.
In hard times, leave the door open
Even though a lot of us are living comfortably, there are tons of people who have it super tough right now. They have a family member who chronically ill and they don’t have health insurance. They’ve been unable to find a new job since they were laid off in 2009. You know these stories. To say that following an established business model will lead you to be a C or D player is irresponsible, in my opinion. To say that hard work is not enough to make you a winner is irresponsible me during these trying times. In fact, using words like “winner” is kind of tough to stomach during times like these, when so many people who really are winners are living in situations that simply have escalated beyond their control.
There are no silver bullets out there. Very few people can snap their fingers or scratch a lotto ticket and find themselves with millions of dollars. But there are a lot of people who are working their butts off. They are trying to change the story that their lives are telling right now. They are trying to reprogram what their situations have instilled in them. They are trying to win as they define that word, which may be what Chris Gardner wanted – a safe neighborhood for his son to play in, a roof over their heads, and a great, stable job.
Is now the time to say that winners are winners because it’s in their DNA? I don’t think so.
What do you think?
Image Credit: http://www.flickr.com/photos/dullhunk/439737660/ via Creative Commons
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Ah! The talent vs nurture debate. Do we win because we were born winners or is our environment what makes us winners?
The whole 10,000 hours of training which top performers like Gary V or Gardner put in in order to rise above the herd is a popular idea.
So yes, even if they have the DNA, if Gary V spent his weekends siting in front of TV drinking beers well we wouldn’t be the man we see now.
Where I think Gary confused what DNA means is that our DNA is our genes. We are born with a certain set of genes and then it’s up to us to decide if we want to practice certain behaviors which will trigger the expression of these genes.
For example, exercise has been shown to trigger the expression of genes which lead to an increase in connections in our brains. We ALL have this gene, it’s in our DNA. But we can chose to exercise and increase our brain power or stay a couch potato and let both our brain and bodies rot.
So what would be more interesting is finding out why some of us decide to live a life that matters, serving and helping others, or simply say “hey it’s all in the DNA, I can’t do anything about it”.
A very dangerous thing to say by a smart man who should realize his words have power considering his reach online.
@John Falchetto Great point John. I think Gary deserves a lot of credit for using his skills (or his DNA, perhaps) to create great things. A person less ambitious or less motivated would not have done so well even if they had had the capacity.
But that’s also a slippery slope, right? What can appear like laziness to some may be paddling underwater for others. I do some of my best thinking seemingly pacing around aimlessly. What is up with that??
Anyway, yes, your last sentence is my greatest concern. I don’t want people to watch that during these desperate times and get discouraged or bummed out. You’re not a loser just cuz you haven’t had the same kind of success, or as much success, as Gary Vee. Hang in there.
HAHAHA we are gonna start one here. Funny how when I ask these same questions no one wants to engage.
Having had several conversations ( and we know I am not the surface conversant) with Gary, he is not saying you have to be predestined to be a winner. He is saying entrepreneurs have a specific drive it is an inherent part of our DNA. It allows us to do and be what others want and say they strive for, but they usually never get out of first gear to accomplish.
Gary who is an entrepreneur does not want a stable job, he wants to create massive:
jobs
cients
change
resources
things that go beyond, that let me learn a new skill so I can perform in this capacity type thinking.
Yes, change the story you are telling yourself is important ( especially if it is self-defeating -which many are).
Will changing that story eclipse their DNA, only time will tell. Our minds have a great capacity to formulate and create a great many things. The time it takes to effect that type of shift, is not in most people’s patience barometer. It takes a relentless reprogramming and ability to stand in that space with such a fortitude of strength and believingness ( yeah I invent new words-creators do that) that many are not able to accomplish it.
Otherwise everyone would be a winner! Gosh, there is that word again.
@prosperitygal It’s true. I always come back to the line from The Invincibles. If everyone is special than no one is.
I understand that Gary’s goals are different from your average bear, but I think that needs to be highlighted a bit more. I think when a person gets to a certain plane of success, no matter what it is, they can forget how hard it can be to be on a lower rung of the ladder (as perceived by the person climbing). Think just about Twitter – how easy it seems after you’ve been doing it for awhile and yet how frustrating it can be when you first start. A lot of people quit after a month or so because it just seems not to work.
But if you stick with it, it can do good stuff for ya.
There’s a lesson there I think. On a small, small scale 🙂
@margieclayman I do not think Gary has forgotten what it is like to be on the bottom rung at all. I think that is what makes his message so powerful, he talks about what he had to do and how he did that in every business he had. Gary is brilliant in how we mixes the emotions of what it takes to reach success and he does not shy away from the hard work it is. Love how he added in (new point) ” do you think it is easy to say/tweet for the 168,000 time in a year what goes good with fish? It is not but you do it”
Appreciate your willingness to dig deeper in the conversation than the average blogger. Which is why I comment seldom in our online world. Most stuff is just blah.
Oh my~
Dear Gary,
I’ve been insulted several times during Your RANT ~ You end with ‘ to be 50 – 60 … and not to have…” Please Gary, don’t declare that if you aren’t on the A-list by the time you hit 50 … means I’ve failed at life.. Life is so much more than what you have RANTED about in those few minutes. Do you really think you’ve ‘figured it all out’ and can surmise it in quick You-tube video? Oh, my young friend, you have much to learn.
You are a Thirty-something who has a talent that many in the wine industry longs for ~ an amazing palette. But, respectfully, my friend, you are not a ‘mover & shaker” in the ‘ENTIRE WORLD” Stick with the Wine you are very good at that. Leave the esoteric life lessons to Kierkegaard.
Dear Margie,
Thank you for bringing this RANT to my attention. I could go on and on.
Cheers!
A bit elitist if you ask me but I’m just one of the losers 😉
I think you should read “A Winner’s DNA” which more or less comes to the same conclusions…. http://www.amazon.com/Winners-DNA-some-people-work/dp/0983897204/ref=tmm_pap_title_0
The temptation to disagree with Gary is definitely there– this time I think Gary’s got it all wrong!
Success comes in many forms, and means different things to different people. How many times have we seen that position and money *do not* lead to happiness..? This is Gary’s definition of success– and I respect that –but it’s not mine.
Gary’s video may inspire some, but I much prefer the simple words of Dicky Fox… Enjoy! http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LG-Wnd4Q41Q
The temptation to disagree with Gary is definitely there– this time I think Gary’s got it all wrong!
Success comes in many forms, and means different things to different people. How many times have we seen that position and money *do not* lead to happiness..? This is Gary’s definition of success– and I respect that –but it’s not mine.
Gary’s video may inspire some, but I much prefer the simple words of Dicky Fox… Enjoy! http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LG-Wnd4Q41Q