Do you believe that this is true: You can do anything you put your mind to?

[Nocturnal]

I'm talking general context such as getting a PHD, or a masters if you have your BS already.

Not necessarily things like flying into space without a spaceship or being immortal etc.

Do you honestly feel that if you put your mind to it, anything is possible?

 

[Skipholiday]

YES

As long as you don't get arrested~!

 

[BigJ]

False.

You get to a certain level where you'll be held back by genetics. Most of us can train 365 days a year for 10 years, but we still won't have what it takes to become a professional athlete or concert pianist.

 

[IronWing]

Depends what you've done to your mind along the way.

 

[Farang]

Depends where the line is drawn in your question--if being immortal is outside of its scope, is becoming a professional athlete or concert pianist also? If we're talking academic achievements, then anyone who isn't mentally disabled can get a PhD if they put their mind to it. It really depends on what your goal is, but in general yes I think as long as you work harder than everyone else you can reach most of them.

 

[Agentbolt]

No, absolutely not. It's a tired old sentiment that wasn't true back then and it's not true now. I could never learn genius-level math, no matter how hard I tried. I could never, ever become a competent athlete. I could absolutely not nail Isla Fisher.

 

[soydios]

you really have to set your mind and body to it when they are most malleable: when you are young.

 

[PrinceofWands]

No, not really. There are basic genetic requirements to some things. You can't be a surgeon unless you have good fine motor skills, you can't be a theoretical physicist with an IQ of 60, etc.

You can accomplish most anything in general, but some things have pre-requisites.

 

[Dirigible]

No. Some people just aren't talented enough to do some things.

 

[Special K]

Originally posted by: BigJ
False.

You get to a certain level where you'll be held back by genetics. Most of us can train 365 days a year for 10 years, but we still won't have what it's take to become a professional athlete or concert pianist.

My thoughts exactly. Hard work and dedication are very important, but they will only take you to the best of your own capabilities, not to the best of anyone's - unless, of course, your genetics are such that you ARE the best.

 

[adairusmc]

Originally posted by: Special K

Originally posted by: BigJ
False.

You get to a certain level where you'll be held back by genetics. Most of us can train 365 days a year for 10 years, but we still won't have what it's take to become a professional athlete or concert pianist.

unless, of course, your genetics are such that you ARE the best.

As far as I know, there is only one Chuck Norris.

 

[MrWizzard]

Originally posted by: Agentbolt
No, absolutely not. It's a tired old sentiment that wasn't true back then and it's not true now. I could never learn genius-level math, no matter how hard I tried. I could never, ever become a competent athlete. I could absolutely not nail Isla Fisher.

Not even if I try my BEST......

 

[clickynext]

No. But it's impossible to argue on this because of the use of the word "anything". There's no way to draw a definitive line on just what it implies. For example, for many, I think it would be impossible to get to a level of playing in the NBA, no matter how hard they tried. Yet I don't think it's out of the scope of the term "anything", since some do make it, perhaps even from similar circumstances.

 

[Mucho]

My guess would be no. I doubt anyone with less than 130IQ could get a PhD in mathematics.

 

[irishScott]

To a degree. All things require a natural talent to be "phenomenal" at something, but if you've got the right base tools, then yeah you can do anything.

 

[Syringer]

No, but the potential of human beings is much greater than what we are accustomed to. When someone says they're giving it 100% it really is at best 60-70% w/ a lot of untapped potential left to go.

We will have moments where the moons will strike just right and our outcomes far surpass our abilities. Think of some of the greatest sporting achievements in recent memory--Kobe dropping 81, A. Peterson breaking the all time rush record, etc..so obviously they are capable of such ridiculous accomplishments, but why are they unable to do this day in, day out?

The point is, there exists a ceiling for any individual for any certain accomplishment, but that ceiling is a lot higher than most people would believe.

 

[BigJ]

Originally posted by: irishScott
To a degree. All things require a natural talent to be "phenomenal" at something, but if you've got the right base tools, then yeah you can do anything.

I have a problem with this "if you've got the right base tools."

Simple fact is you probably don't. We're talking about can you, as you are right now, accomplish anything you put your mind to.

And I'll qualify anything. Anything has the scope of whatever task or job a human on this planet can do. So if someone can walk across the Great Wall on their hands, that would count as anything. As far as I know, humans can't fly, so that would be excluded.

 

[Jeff7]

Originally posted by: PrinceofWands
No, not really. There are basic genetic requirements to some things. You can't be a surgeon unless you have good fine motor skills, you can't be a theoretical physicist with an IQ of 60, etc.

You can accomplish most anything in general, but some things have pre-requisites.

Oh come on. You'd just be a bad surgeon. And you'd be the only theoretical physicist who is working on the theory behind Jello's bounciness.



Sometimes, your best just isn't good enough. If I want to be an astronaut, but I pass out each time I hit 3 G's, even after years of training, I'm not going into space. If I'm mute, I'm not going to win any spelling bees.

 

[ppdes]

No. I've worked with plenty of people who clearly tried their hardest and yet were many times worse than the people with talent. Sometimes the incapable people were the more experienced ones too. I can only assume that they will never become competent in our field.

 

[ultimatebob]

No. I could never be the equal of RossMAN no mattered how hard I tried.

 

[invidia]

No, there is an innate limit that will be reached.

 

[MovingTarget]

I would preface it with ..."If I had time and money..." Sure you can do anything you take the time to learn and apply yourself to. Problem is, the rest of the world won't wait around while you are doing just that.

 

[TXHokie]

Nah, that's just a line to fool someone into trying harder but it can't fool me. I know when to quit long time ago.