Whenever possible, take time to read good for you books like Malcolm Gladwell’s “Outliers.” Not only are these books interesting and well written, they also give you valuable life lessons.
Recently, we have been sharing articles about books that have been around for a while and are good for you. Some books we read for fun, and pure enjoyment. There are other books that are full of intelligent, well-thought-out ideas. Last week I talked about the non-religious inspiration found in the Bible. In future weeks this space will be used to look at:
Think and Grow Rich
The Greatest Salesman in the World
Guess How Much I Love You
This week we shall highlight Malcolm Gladwell’s famous book, “Outliers.” This book has received acclaim and conversation world-wide since it was first published in 2008. I first read it at the recommendation of my son’s pediatrician. In her opinion, the parent of every child with superior intelligence should read the book.
After reading the book, I agree that it should be read on a regular basis by all parents with children of superior intelligence. The main point I received from reading Outliers is that intelligence is a factor that leads to success. It is not the sole factor. Instead, there are a great many other factors that influence success. These factors create what Gladwell calls, outliers.
The book starts with the following definition of outlier
1: something that is situated away from or classed differently from a main or related body
2: a statistical observation that is markedly different in value from the others of the sample
There are so many interesting and incredible parts of the book explaining success. It is not possible to share them all here, but I shall highlight a few:
- the Matthew rule – those who have a lot, tend to get even more
- it takes 10,000 hours of effort to become an expert at something
- it is not enough just to be a genius, you need something more
- culture and tradition have major impact on how situations are handled
- how one is taught impacts how easy it is for that person to learn
- opportunity at the right time leads to more success than mere genius
For me, one of the greatest things I got from the book was the 10,000 hour rule. I taught it to my 18-year-old son when he was only 8. He is still following the idea and trying to practice it. In sum, if you want to be an expert at something, you need to spend 10,000 hours working at that thing. My son likes mathematics, engineering, and electric design. One of the easiest ways to get my son to try something or work on something is to tell him that it counts towards his 10,000 hours.
A good book teaches you lessons you can use in your life. A great book teaches you things you cannot wait to share with other people. For me, Outliers is a great book. So, the question for you this sensational day is, what great book have you read lately that you rushed to share with other people?