Outliers: The Story of Success by Malcom Gladwell
Key Points
- Extraordinary achievers are not simply products of their own talents and hard work, but also beneficiaries of hidden advantages, cultural legacies, and unique opportunities.
- Mastery in any field typically requires about 10,000 hours of practice. You also need opportunity for deliberate practice (Bill Gates example).
- Birth dates and historical context can impact success (Canadian hockey players born in Jan).
- Your place of birth and the traditional work of ancestors could have a bearing on how skilled you are at something (Rice farmers in China had to work hard since rice farming is tough. This manifest in children being good at Math which requires a lot of patience.)
Table of Contents
INTRODUCTION
The Roseto Mystery
“These people were dying of old age. That’s it.”
PART ONE: OPPORTUNITY
Chapter One: The Matthew Effect
“You don’t even have to do any statistical analysis. You just look at it.”
Chapter Two: The 10,000 Hour Rule
“In Hamburg, we had to play for eight hours.”
Chapter Three: The Trouble With Geniuses - Part 1
“Knowledge of a boy’s IQ is of little help if you are faced with a formful of clever boys.”
Chapter Four: The Trouble With Geniuses - Part 2
“After protracted negotiations, it was agreed Robert would be put on probation.”
Chapter Five: The Rise of the Jewish Lawyer
“Mary got a quarter.”
PART TWO: LEGACY
Chapter Six: Harlan, Kentucky
“Die like a man like your brother did!”
Chapter Seven: Turnaround in the Skies
“Captain, the weather radar has helped us a lot.”
Chapter Eight: Rice Paddies and Math Tests
“No one who can rise before dawn, 360 days a year, fails to make his family rich.”
Chapter Nine: Marita’s Bargain
“All my friends now are from KIPP.”
EPILOGUE
A Jamaican Story
“If a progeny of young colored children is brought forth, these are emancipated.”