It's all genes and some effort. Without the two, it's hard to get anywhere. People with super-high IQs are able to make the necessary epiphanies to 'see' the answer and prove the intended result. Genes play a role in everything, from marathon times, height, life expectancy, to lifting totals, to even math aptitude. no getting around it. Math , much more so than other fields, is heavily dependent on innate factors such as talent.