Genes And Potential...

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It’s funny how the average human has so much potential, but they might never really be able to pursue it due to one factor or another. Someone might have the gifts to be a world-class athlete or even an actor, but that might simply end up being a potential that was never really pursued. For some, they probably never found out, or they never saw in themselves a world-class status, or even worse, they did, but their environment wasn’t conducive enough to pursue it.

From a young age, we start showing just how versatile we can be. Our ‘promise’ and potential begin even when we’re children. It’s from then on that parents will know for sure if their child has a thing for music, or if he’ll be a footballer or a wrestler. Even as a child, they’d know if the kid would be more academically inclined. Many times, there are so many potential, but only one usually takes the focus, and as a result, the others just die from abandonment.

Haven’t you wondered why it is that when two parents work in the same industry, they have kids who would most likely work in the industry as well. That’s how you can see a particular family having multiple generations of lawyers, doctors, soldiers, and even police officers. They’d wear it like a badge of honor, toeing the family path. Many times, all it takes is for one parent to be super successful in a field, and their kids would simply go the same route.

That’s why you have actors who go on to give birth to one or two actors themselves. Artists end up having kids who also become artists. Even if they choose not to be in the same craft as their parents, they’d most likely be in the same industry. The son of a famous actor may choose not to be an actor, but instead stick to modelling, dancing, or simply be a movie producer. All in all, they remain in the same world of entertainment.

That’s why it’s a bit hard to see the child of an actor go on to try being a footballer. I’m not saying it doesn’t happen, I’m just saying that it’s a bit hard. This is because kids don’t necessarily have a choice in how their lives turn out, nor do they choose the environment they grow up in and the opportunities that are available to them. An actor's child will always be exposed to other actors, movie sets, fans, crowds, and all that. A footballer’s child will always be exposed to the world of sports, the business of it, and the crazy fandom. Meanwhile, a lawyer’s child will always be exposed to laws, criminality, suits… I could go on and on.

That’s what determines the environment for the child. Without even noticing it, they simply go in the path that’s already laid out for them. So, when the actor’s child goes on to become an actor, we’re not really surprised. It was more or less expected. But then, can all these be said to be genes? Is a child actor a good actor simply because his mother was also a good actress? Is this skillful footballer this way because his father was also a skilled footballer? Or were they just given the right exposure to grow their talents?

So, what do I think? I believe that we could have the very best genes in the world, but if we’re not placed in a conducive environment that will help us reach our fullest potential, the genes will simply remain as they are; genes. The environment you find yourself in is so important, and there have to be factors that support what you want to go after.

And this is why when people make it in one field, they find it easier to expand to other fields. You’d find a skitmaker who went on to become an actor and even an entrepreneur. Or a rapper who moved into the movie industry and went on to own his own studio. Some of your faves, when you Google them, you won’t just find that thing you know them for. You’d find out that they’re involved in several other things as well. And they could only do this because they eventually found an environment that encouraged them to push themselves to their fullest potential.

So yeah, while gene is important and whatnot, I believe that the most important thing is the environment and the supporting factors. If not, the child with the potential to be a speedster would just end up as a conductor, running after buses in Lagos traffic.

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_{Thank you for reading. Feel free to share your thoughts in the comments below, I would love to know what you’re thinking. Till we meet in the next post.}

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_{N.B: All images used in this post are mine. The thumbnail was designed using Canva.}

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