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“The one most important thing to do is to not try to find the one most important thing to do.” - Jared Diamond(click to tweet)We’re raised around the people most genetically similar to us. This makes it very difficult to isolate how much of our identity comes from DNA and how much is driven by our environment. To complicate things even further, the field of epigenetics has shown that gene expression can be altered by the environment around us. That’s why on today’s episode of MentorBox’s Book of the Day series, we are joined by the American geographer, historian, and Pulitzer Prize-winning author Jared Diamond, to discuss the nature vs. nurture debate. Jared is the author of Guns, Germs, and Steel (1997, awarded a Pulitzer Prize), and in today’s episode he sheds light on this elusive human phenomenon. Tune in to situate your understanding of the nature vs. nurture debate with the findings of research!“In general, friends that you know longer are more unique. They can’t be replaced.” - Jared Diamond(click to tweet)Points to Keep In MindIn the nature-nurture debate, look at resistance to malaria between Swedes and West Africans, and use of metal tools between Europeans and New GuineansTemperate zones have higher agricultural productivity because of richer soilCosta Rica has gone from the poorest country in Central America to now, the richestThe Cuban government has invested more heavily in education and health than the American governmentWithin the last two decades, most communication has shifted from face-to-face to indirect and through digital screensRemember that new friends are good, but old friends are better“The thing about smart people is that they seem like crazy people to dumb people.” - Albert EinsteinRead Walden by Henry David ThoreauThe difference between function and dysfunction is level of specificitySee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Is there such a thing as originality? When we examine creativity, we can see that constructs like language and education have us undoubtedly building off a foundation that’s already been thought of before. This is the predicament the artist finds himself or herself in. To be truly unique is both impossible and very possible. We must understand what base we’re building on top of, while trying to transcend the limits of that foundation with energy that comes from an unknown place.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Succeeding online requires more than great content. We can spend all the time in the world perfecting the marketing video or blog post, but if search engines aren’t motivated to drive traffic there, it is a futile effort. Today, no matter the business, publishing content online is necessary for survival. But embedding SEO-rich keywords into the content is what will push you past survival into actual success.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

A career is a series of lessons to learn from. But often times, it’s hard to see this big picture. At each job, we are met with new challenges that keep us up at night. The anxiety and frustration can be overwhelming, but these momentary obstacles are actually the moments that deepen our learning and understanding to become a bigger force in the marketplace.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

The pet industry speaks for the changing times. It used to be that if you built a big enough business, you could just mass message consumers, and those seeking your product would become your customers. But today, a corgi owner only wants to know about corgi products. Technology has broken the messaging infrastructure, and now social media allows for niche brands to more pointedly target their audience.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

We check email, message our friends, and scroll through social media. This is the story of us using our smartphones. But the camera inside a smartphone offers something far greater than what we’re using it for. We can actually shoot professional quality visual content (photo and video) with just a few taps on our smartphone’s screen.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Doing the right thing sounds too simple. In the pursuit of self-help and self-development, we often find ourselves in the rabbit holes of complex, over analytical thinkers. But what if the best way to move through life was as simple as locking into as reductive as of a mantra as, “Do the right thing.”See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

McDonald’s can ask Wendy’s, “What do you think about Trump?” And then suddenly, Wendy’s has to voice its stance on the sociopolitical climate. It never used to be this way; corporations would hide behind the mechanics of the marketing and advertising machine. But today, a company must voice its authentic message to the market through the megaphones on social media.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

When we don’t pursue our goals, our minds spiral. The energy and ambition that wants to push us to a greater future gets displaced to areas it doesn’t belong. We begin overthinking our situation, second-guessing our relationships, and crafting stories about why we’re not doing the things we want to be doing.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

They say that the world is a confusing place. Is that true? Or are we just letting external stimulus dictate our perception of it? When we mindfully choose to perceive the events around us in a more positive and thoughtful light, our reality becomes simplified.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Some companies are started in a vacuum.The founders draw up a business plan, seek out investment, and go to market on the gamble that their idea will fit into the market. And then there are the companies that constantly push their product  to the public, and iterate based on consumer feedback.Which company does better?See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Monday morning means back to work. And as we sit down at our desks, we’re faced with the question: why does this feel the way it does? Over the weekend, we laugh and hang out with friends, and at work we find ourselves rigid and straight-faced. Tailoring dimensions of our personality for the workplace is inevitable, but just how much is too much?See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

We all want our future reality to be superior to our current reality. But very few of us are actively choosing that course on a daily basis. We are swayed by the temptations and peer pressure of our friends, coworkers, and social circles. To pursue our goals requires a type of sacrifice that means endlessly keeping our eyes on the prize.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Real estate is all over the media. From TV shows like Million Dollar Listing to news reports about the fluctuating real estate market, we are undeniably being served a narrative about real estate. This story, more often than not, touches on the points that it’s easy to “flip” houses and that our national real estate market follows macro-trends.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Are you working for a company or for a person? This question is more important today than ever before. The current landscape calls for businesses and products that are lead by people. Social media is structured to serve the person at the forefront of the company, the voice of the product, and the brains behind the business.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

We must equally experience and observe. A healthy balance between these two forces is the recipe for success. Leaning too far in one direction will shift the balance into an unhealthy space. Those who observe too much often fall into the traps of analysis, and those who solely experience never take the time to zoom out and examine ways to improve oneself.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Approximately half of all marriages end in divorce. So then why does it carry such a stigma in today’s world? If one out of every two marriages in our network are bound to end in a split, then we must adjust our idea of what it means to be married. According to the data, the likelihood of a lifetime partnership is just not in the human being’s favor.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Innovation is required for survival. But most companies forget this in their pursuit of profit. They lock on to strongly to the safe bets, those that ensure a steady gain month-to-month. However, this path plateaus over time, and the organization will become stagnant. To experience growth, resources must be allocated to innovation departments that aren’t constrained with concern for the bottom line.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

It’s hard to know when to work hard and when to relax. Today, more than ever before, the stress on productivity is constant. We feel we can do more with our days, squeeze more commitments into our free time, and then we will live a more fruitful life. But the reality is that we don’t. Increased productivity comes from a different perception of time, not squeezing more obligations into it.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Success is marketed as something that happens overnight. But the truth is that behind every success story is a narrative of continuous hard work. Those who solely focus on getting a tad better with each day in front of them are the ones who end up at the top.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.