Nature vs. Nurture // Why do we choose what we do?

Does nature or nurture play a bigger role in determining your path?

If my mom is a podiatrist, am I expected to follow in her footsteps?  If my pops is a car mechanic, Is my curiosity for engines to infinity and beyond. What If I have a passion for art, but there's nothing in the house to paint with, does this dream fade, or does this curiosity spark some creativity in me. So I use my toothbrush and grab moms nail polish and go H.A.M. on a canvas. 

Do these tools of the trade transfer from parent to kid, No doubt genetics play a role right. If both of my parents played professional basketball, and at 14 years old I stand 6'6" and my jumper is wet, the scouts will say "What did you expect, it's in his nature" but is it though?

As kids we are subject to our environment,  but how deep is the correlation between genetics and environment in the paths we choose. What is the ratio between nature vs. nurture in developing our identity and passions? 50/50..

Juice through proximity right. For example, I hang out with pops, so  I'm picking up the gems he's putting down. My ol' man has always been in the restaurant industry, so naturally I know that when making a duck confit, I want to pair it with a right bank vino, something from Pomerol, rich in fruit, less tannin and acid then it's right bank counterpart, to balance out the fat from the duck. Or a Stella Artois, whatever you have handy. 

I'm writing this blog because I had one of those nights of reflection, 'courtesy of tequila.' I started to connect the dots from my childhood experiences until now, and shit! It kinda makes sense how I ended up here. As a kid, I was consumed with drawing and art, I remember painting this shirt and I lived in it for like a month.

 
then playing the violin & trumpet in jazz band. Then, when I realized I was good pretty good at sports, my focus shifted. I gravitated to what I was passionate about. It's how I found my way to the NFL, and now Heart On My Sleeve. 

I ask, how do we end up where we are? Is it fatalistic, or is it on you to choose. Was it nature or nurture that played the biggest part in becoming who you are?

If we are a product of our environment, how much of our success and our failures do we attribute to it?

Personally, genetics played a huge role in my journey. Moms gave my brother and I the tall gene, which for sure gave us a leg up in sports. 

but just like my little bro, I know that my childhood environment has driven me to become who I am. It's all relative, but eventually we choose what we become right...