How much of what we are is innate?

How much of what we are is innate?

Maybe a lot, and it takes a great deal to change from what is innate.

At times what is innate can be interpreted as fatalistic.
At first it is unclear if there is any such correlation, the two seem independent.
The inter-relation though is very subtle.

Some men have a preponderance in their constitution to be confident or timorous, others modest or tractable and a million other such propositions. Some men would like to believe that they have trained themselves to be valourous or equable, but that would mean one attributes much confidence in ones ability to be something or somebody.

There is folklore about a character called Karna.
He was begotten to a maiden Kunti by the sun-god.
Kunti abandons Karna as she is still unmarried and is fostered by a Charioteer.
Karna is trained in the art of war under Parashurama, who was known to teach Bramhins alone. Karna's identity is concealed from others and is reckoned as a Charioteer's son.

Parashurama trains Karna to the point where Parashurama declares Karna to have surpassed him in the arts of war.
However, as Karna's training is completed, Parashurama learns the truth about Karna's origin as a non-Brahmin. One afternoon, he requests Karna to bring a pillow for him to sleep outside in the shade. Karna instead offers him his lap as a pillow. While Parashurama was asleep, an insect comes by and alighting on Karna's thigh, bites him. Despite the pain, Karna does not move as it would disturb his Guru. The insect's bite causes blood to flow out, the warmth and feel of which wakes up Parashurama. He deduces at once that Karna is a Kshatriya as only a warrior could withstand such pain without flinching.
He curses Karna, stating that when he requires his 'art of war' the most, he would be unable to recall it.

Karna pleads with Parashurama and tells him he is not a kshatriya and his act of stoicism would have been the act of any student towards his guru. Parashurama hears his plea but states that his curse is irrevocable & gifts him the Vijaya, Parashurama's personal bow, and that in the end, Karna would achieve what he wanted the most, everlasting honor.

Karna is finally killed by Arjun in the battle of Mahabharat as Karna loses his art at that crucial moment when battling Arjun. He loses his training when he solicits it the most.

The folklore is a startling insight into the human mind and behaviour perhaps it does get one to recognise that we resign to innate behaviour when our training escapes us. In a manner we end up just being or doing what we are at that decisive moment.

So the question, why train then if we are going to lose it all, well because we will never know when is that time of utmost need, as the training fails only when we need it the most.
Which should get us to concede that nothing here is of the utmost need, in other words what would be so acute that it lapses us to lose what we have been trained for.