Have you ever wondered why, despite all your hard work and effort, you still haven’t gotten the success or merit you feel you deserve? On the flip side, have you ever wondered why certain groups of people and individuals have become so successful at certain fields despite working as hard as everyone else and lacking a tangible genetic advantage? Is diligence and effort really all that matters, or are there grander factors involved with one’s success?
Outliers: The Story of Success, by Malcolm Gladwell, explores all of these ideas and more. Using various, diverse real-life examples, Gladwell breaks down the various factors involved with the success of different people, groups of people, and systems, and proves that hitting it big isn’t as easy as simply working hard. While many deny it, Gladwell proves that the time period someone grows up in, the place they grow up in, and the culture they’re from play a massive role in their behavior, personality and success/failure. After all, as Gladwell succinctly puts it, “Who we are cannot be separated from where we’re from.” He is certainly not denying the power and necessity of hard work, but is proving that time and time again, success comes to those who have been given the opportunities to take it.
If you read Outliers, you’ll not only learn the fascinating reasons behind why Chinese people are so good at math, why so many lawyers are Jews from early 20th century New York and why the Beatles were able to become as successful as they did, but it will also change your entire outlook on the ideas of success, opportunity and background. It is a fascinating and gripping read, and if you haven’t checked it out before, I highly recommend you do yourself a favor and do so.