The Surprising Lesson from a Study of Identical Twins

If you’re looking for an inspiring podcast that will make you think (maybe too hard at times), look no further than Huberman Lab, hosted by the brilliant neuroscientist and Stanford professor, Andrew Huberman, Ph.D. These long-form, deep dives into science are true works of art that will have you hooked from start to finish.

In one episode, Huberman welcomed Dr. Andy Galpin, who shared an intriguing story about two identical twins in their mid-fifties. While their genetics were the same, of course, their lifestyles couldn’t have been more different.

One twin was an endurance athlete who kept detailed records of every workout, while the other was a sedentary potato chip delivery driver (really! and not that there is anything wrong with that). This was the perfect opportunity to study the impact of lifestyle versus genetics on fitness.

The results were surprising. The endurance athlete was leaner and had better health markers, like a higher VO2 max. But when it came to muscle quality, the non-exerciser took the win. And get this – they both had the exact same amount of muscle mass!

So what’s the moral of the story? Hard work doesn’t always pay off? Endurance running is a bad sport?

How about: working at something makes you better at that specific thing, but not necessarily everything else. The runner was better at running, but not necessarily better at all the other fitness and health markers.

This highlights the importance of being mindful of our experiences, as they shape us in precise and specific ways. If you dedicate your time and efforts to coding PHP, you’ll become an expert in PHP, but not necessarily a master technologist. The same goes for cold calling and business development – dedication at that will make you good at pitching business introductions, but not necessarily a “master of sales.”

When selecting team members, it’s crucial to pay attention to the specific experiences that they bring to the table, rather than simply labeling them as “masters” of their trade. We all hone very specific talents over time through dedication and hard work. So, let’s be mindful of specific experiences – the exact areas to which people have devoted their time – as this may be key to unlocking our true potential and understanding others’ abilities.