The Kobayashi Effect: What a Kid Eating 50 Hotdogs Can Teach Us About Human Potential

In 2001, a 23-year-old made history by shoving 50 hotdogs down his gullet in 12 minutes. And while that event may not seem significant, it has a profound impact on the way we understand psychology and the perception of human potential.

The scene was Coney Island, New York — home to three historic (and defunct) horse racing tracks, two amusement parks, and one of the world’s most famous competitive eating competitions.

Before 2001, the hotdog eating record at Nathan’s Hot Dog Eating Contest was 25.5 hotdogs. The idea of someone eating double that number was laughable.

But a newcomer named Takeru Kobayashi showed up with an empty stomach and a technique called the “Kobayashi Shake.” By dipping his hotdogs in water, then employing a unique body-wiggle to slide them down into his stomach, Kobayashi ingested a record-smashing 50 hotdogs.

After decades of competitive eating at the Nathan’s Hot Dog Eating Contest, the record was doubled overnight.

Once Kobayashi had proven it was possible to shove 50 hotdogs into a human stomach, his record was eclipsed by another guy who loves his hotdogs: Joey Chestnut. In 2007, Chestnut ate 66 hotdogs, edging out Kobayashi and the rest of the field. Chestnut went on to top his own record multiple times, and this year he set a new high of 75 hotdogs.

To put this in perspective, in 2000 the record was 25.5 hotdogs. One year later someone doubled it, then someone tripled it.

Kobayashi broke the seal. He redefined what was possible, then others quickly followed. One could call this the “Kobayashi Effect”:

Once someone accomplishes a seemingly impossible task, a psychological seal is broken, enabling others to complete the same task with remarkable speed.

But the impacts of this principle stretch far beyond the realm of competitive eating competitions.

Throughout human history, our species has made a habit out of assuming that certain limits could never be reached. After someone reaches a limit, others do the same in quick succession — proving that the limit was perhaps more psychological than physical. The first person reveals the path, then others walk down that path.

The same limit-pushing has happened in countless other fields as well. In 1999, skateboarder Tony Hawk landed the first-ever 900, which is skateboard slang for completing two-and-a-half rotations (900 degrees) mid-air. According to the X Games, “The 900 was skateboarding’s Holy Grail at the time, perched on the line that separates possible and impossible.”

After Tony Hawk proved it was possible, other athletes followed his lead. In 2011, a 12-year-old named Tom Schaar even completed the trick. In 2019, a skateboarder named Mitchie Brusco completed an extra full rotation beyond the 900 (1260 degrees).

“This is what happens when someone sets a precedent, as Hawk did,” reports the X Games. “Once something has been proven to be possible, people move on. Following the first — despite the fact that the same physics apply and the trick is just as difficult — is indisputably easier. And seemingly less worthy of applause.”

The second person completing the feat has to apply the same amount of physical exertion, but the psychological weight has been lifted. The impossible has been proven possible.

The same thing happened in track-and-field with Roger Bannister’s famous four-minute mile. Bannister crossed the finish line in 3 minutes and 59.4 seconds in 1954. No one in human history had ever completed the task, yet Bannister’s record was broken in a mere 46 days.

When Bannister accomplished his feat, “a psychological barrier was shattered,” says the Smithsonian Institution. “What once was impossible became standard.” To date, over 1,400 male athletes have broken the four-minute mile, including nearly a dozen high school runners.

After someone reaches a limit, others quickly follow — proving that the limit was perhaps more psychological than physical. The first person reveals the path, then others walk down that path.

One could employ many arguments for why this phenomenon happens — why the first person who breaks the seal opens the floodgates for others. Evolutionary biologists would argue that human capabilities continue to advance, year after year. Pragmatists would say that the record-breaker exposes a new method that their competition can later employ against them. Others would say that the competitive human spirit awakens something deep within the challengers, enabling them to rise up and compete at a new, higher level.

None of those arguments are incorrect, but they are incomplete.

It takes someone completing a remarkable task to teach us that the task was within humanity’s grasp all along. Our brain imposes more limits on us than our body does.

What does all of this mean for you?

It’s both daunting and liberating to know that human limits are more psychological than physical. But that knowledge can enable you to do three specific things to achieve more in your respective field.

1. Find inspiration in the accomplishments of others.

Many writers get depressed when they hear about the prolificacy of someone like Stephen King. King has written over 70 novels — a figure that is difficult to imagine. His books have sold more than 350 million copies.

Reading about King’s productivity could throw you into a mental death spiral: If he can do so much, why am I doing so little? Such comparisons are fast-acting poison that cripples creativity and sabotages self-esteem.

But what happens when you view someone else’s success through the lens of the Kobayashi Effect?

The second person completing the feat has to apply the same amount of physical exertion, but the psychological weight has been lifted. The impossible has been proven possible.

From that lens, another person’s ability to overcome a limit operates as a match — not a fire extinguisher — for your own growth.

Knowing that Stephen King has been able to write 70 novels shows you that you could conceivably do the same. His success exposes what is possible.

2. Reverse-engineer someone else’s process.

Kobayashi’s unique method of eating hotdogs changed the game of competitive eating. Other competitors were able to watch what he did, then model their process after his process.

In the same way, other people’s success can show you what you need to do to be successful.

If you’re in sales, watching one of your colleagues crush the company’s annual sales goal not only proves that you could do the same, it offers a blueprint for how to attain that success. You can learn how that person crafts their elevator pitch, structures their sales appointments, and interacts with prospects during a sale.

The same principle applies to qualitative fields as well, like public speaking. If you’re inspired by the speeches of leaders like John F. Kennedy, Steve Jobs, or Michelle Obama, you can learn how those individuals perfected their craft. You can employ JFK’s usage of bold imagery and concrete goals, Steve Jobs’ intense practice habits, and Michelle Obama’s optimism in your own speeches.

Once you see how someone else has attained their success, you can learn from their example. Your path becomes easier.