Outliers, the story of success (Malcolm Gladwell)

It took 10 hours flying time from Sydney to Seoul, the first leg of my European holiday. I normally read during holidays and this one has begun in fine fashion: Outliers, The Story of Success by Malcolm Gladwell.

Ordinarily I don't read a book in one sitting. This book breaks all the rules. Especially the rules about how one thinks. That's the thrust of the book. Gladwell demonstrates from page one that we are so immersed in our cultural presuppositions that when we hear the great stories of success we hear one truth: people who are successful have individually triumphed over the obstacles other mere mortals fail to negotiate. In other words, we accept as truth without question that the difference between success and failure is up to the individual; his or her choices, drivenness, expertise and intelligence.

Gladwell, basically, rewrites history's biographical stories of success in terms which causes us to respond: ah ha! I didn't know that! He writes about Bill Joy, Bill Gates, Christopher Langan, Robert Oppenheimer, Joe Flom and (unsettling as it might seem because I was flying in one of their planes as I read this book) the horrid history of Korean Airlines (they have since recovered their safety reputation, thank goodness!). Malcolm is saying this: success is always due to the right person being in the right place at the right time. Before you jump all over Malcolm or give up your dream of conquering the world, he is not shoving environmental determinism down our throats. He is not saying that you have no control over success or failure. He is saying that we've gotten the parameters wrong and we need to recalibrate our thinking when it comes to understanding success (and failure).

So what are some of those principles? Read the book! I recommend it. But until you do, here are some of the things I have learned.

1. "Outliers are those who have been given opportunities -- and who have had the strength and presence of mind to seize them." Nothing surprising here. Except to remember that when we compare ourselves to the great social innovators of life, we are doing ourselves an injustice. We are not all given the same opportunities and no matter how hard you try, you cannot create a place where the playing field is level. A lot of it is by chance. He demonstrates this by showing the prevalence of birthdays to success (no, he's not talking about astrological signs here). It actually gave me a great sense of relief to know that the struggles I face in making my project and story a success is all about the opportunities I have been given. And the "greats" usually have been given opportunites by chance.

2. It's all about community. Being a social entrepreneur and a "community organiser", i took delight to see how Malcolm snatches the definition of success from the culture of the individual to the community context. Wonderful stuff! He asserts that the great and successful entrepreneurs reached their pinnacle of success on the shoulders of the community in which they operate. We think of success in terms of personal drive, individual IQ and and one's innovative powers. He debunks this myth.

3. There's no substitute for hard work. Malcolm really gets under our skin with this one. He proposes the 10,000 hour rule. Successful people have worked hard. Really hard. 10,000 hours hard. Whether they are violin players, sports stars, rock stars or social entrepeneurs, they have given hours and hours of effort to the area of expertise. 10,000 hours of practice, practice practice seems to be the minimum requirement for success. He really bothers us with the Chinese rice paddy culture and the KIPP school in the bronx examples in which we come to understand that people aren't just lazy or driven due to their character. We develop our viewpoint of hard work from our journey. Wow.

These are just three of many principle which Gladwell highlights throughout this story-filled book. But what did I take from this reading? It definitely changed me and my way of thinking. From reading Galdwell, I would want to apply the following principles to what I do in life:

1. See in everyone the potential for success and leadership. I think there are so many people around me that are untapped resources of change and good but don't even realise it. They are trapped culturally as I am trapped in my "small thinking" that if I could help them release themselves from those walls, we will make a difference in this world.

2. I want to become even more disciplined in my life. I am not even sure what that means. Sure, I want to enjoy life. But Gladwell has reminded me that we must waste a lot of our time in trivialities which are not really necessary.

3. I am going to rely even more on the community around me for the success I am after in life. I will look for the opportunities as they arise. I am not going to worry about the opportunities that don't arise (if that's even possible). I want to tell a story that is much like the stories he tells and be satisfied that they may be on a smaller scale.

And have fun doing it all.

Read this book. It will change you too.

Ronaldo

11 July 2009

Seoul, Korea

Outliers. The Story of Success

Malcolm Gladwell

Penguin Books, 2009