Shocking: “You can do it if you try” is a lie? Reskilling failure was not due to “lack of effort” but to “heredity.

The Limits of “You Can Do It”

The government has been shouting loudly about “reskilling. The Ministry of Economy, Trade and Industry (METI) is promoting career development support through reskilling, and courses for individuals as well as for companies are expanding.

Many people are investing large sums of money in learning IT, programming, digital marketing, AI, English, and other skills to improve their careers or change jobs, or even to acquire skills that will lead to a second job. At the same time, however, there are businesspeople who fail along the way and are depressed by their “inability to work hard.

Is this due to a lack of effort or a weak will? Professor Hisayasu Ando, professor emeritus of Keio University and researcher of behavioral genetics, says, “All individual differences are related to genetics, which also affects the way we strive and our ability to continue.

As a leading researcher on lupus, Professor Ando has been studying how heredity and environment affect cognitive ability and personality.

When we hear the word “heredity,” we tend to think of parents and children having similar facial features, height, and body shape, but in reality, there is more to heredity than that. Genetics also plays a major role in academic achievement, IQ, personality, and even the inner workings of the mind, according to the researchers.

We tend to think that if we do it, we can do it, and if we create the right environment, we can improve,” he says. However, research to date has shown that the influence of heredity is much greater than we imagine. However, not everything is determined by genetics, nor can we ignore the influence of the environment.

The important point is that heredity plays a role in all individual differences, and the “effort” to learn itself varies from person to person.

Failure is not a lack of effort

What is important to know about the reason for failure is the “type” of effort. Professor Ando says that there are three types of “effort,” the first being “concentrated effort for a certain period of time.

The first type of effort is “concentrated effort for a certain period of time,” he says, “such as studying for a qualification or an entrance examination. In the brain, a network centered on the prefrontal cortex in the front part of the cerebrum works to organize information and keep us focused on the task.

However, this effort is temporary, exerted on a specific task, and is easily restored once the exam for certification, for example, is over.

The second is “effort as a character that works hard.

There are people who are serious and diligent, who do what needs to be done whether they like it or not, and those who are not. This difference is related to the way neurotransmitters such as dopamine and serotonin secreted from the brain work, and is thought to manifest itself as a person’s behavioral tendencies. Since this type of effort is a personality, it is not temporary and can be demonstrated in any situation.”

The third is “effort as a genetic predisposition.

Because he or she likes and is absorbed in his or her work, it may appear to others that he or she is making an effort, but to the individual, there is no sense that he or she is making an effort.

They have a strong interest in or aptitude for a particular field, and naturally continue to think about how they can improve and what kind of innovations they can make, and develop a clear image of their goals and ideal image. Because a prominent genetic predisposition is at work, it is characterized by long-term persistence in a particular area.

For example, in the second category, “effort as a personality trait,” it is not easy for a person with a tendency toward inattentiveness to suddenly change into a serious and diligent hardworking person as an adult.

Thus, there are individual differences in the degree of effort, and it is not necessary to attribute every setback to one’s own lack of effort. It is possible that there are differences in genetic traits that make people more or less suited to the endeavor.

More than a boom, “one’s aptitude

The key to avoiding failure in reskilling is to determine “what is necessary for you,” rather than choosing a field based on a boom.

In fact, one of the most common examples of stumbling in reskilling is jumping into a popular field even though it is not in line with one’s aptitude. Furthermore, if you start learning without a clear objective, such as whether you are aiming for a career change or a side job, it is easy to lose your sense of direction along the way.

Blurring” becomes self-analysis.

The default mode network (DMN), one of the neural networks in the brain, is active when we are not concentrating on external stimuli and when we look inside ourselves or reflect on the past. The DMN is activated when you are not concentrating on external stimuli, and is active when you are looking inside yourself and reflecting on the past.

Try to notice your previous experiences, strengths and weaknesses that came to mind at that time. By noticing things like, “What did I enjoy doing?

There are certainly skills that are in demand in today’s business market, such as AI, programming, and digital marketing. However, they do not necessarily match one’s aptitude or genetic traits. Furthermore, matching the right school, course, or instructor is also a key to skill acquisition.

Preventing setbacks by choosing the right instructors

What kind of school or instructor you meet is just a matter of chance. If the matching is right, it will be easier to continue learning without falling behind. Whether or not you are able to demonstrate your abilities is also greatly influenced by this compatibility. Even if you have high potential, if the learning environment and instructor are not a good match, it will be difficult to draw out your full potential.

You will not know the match with the school or instructor until after you have taken the course, but if you feel no response and negative feelings are increasing, one option is to make a break and change direction at an early stage. This is because you have already made enough efforts in your own way.

Comparative advantage of focusing on what you are good at

Each person has his or her own bias between “good at” and “bad at.

By taking advantage of one’s strengths, even if one’s absolute ability is not high, one can optimize one’s role in the group and increase the efficiency of the group as a whole. The important thing is to focus on what you are good at, not on whether you are better than others.

If you get carried away by the boom, you may waste time and money. The key to success in reskilling is to accurately grasp your own characteristics and interests.

Hisayasu Ando is a behavioral geneticist and professor emeritus at Keio University. Professor emeritus at Keio University. Representative Director of the Japan Society for Children’s Research. President of Children’s University Yokohama. Specializes in behavioral genetics, educational psychology, and evolutionary pedagogy. In 2007, he received the Takemi Incentive Award for Research in Ars Vivendi, and in 2015, the James Shields Award. He is the author of many books, including “Can Education Beat Genetics?” (Asahi Shinsho) and many others.

Click here to purchase Professor Ando’s book, “Kyoiku-No-Brain: Let’s Talk about Genetic Talent and the Learning Necessary for ‘You'”.