In reviewing the life of a successful person, the usual focus is the personal or inborn traits of that person. This is not the entire story, as discussed in the new thought-provoking book of Malcolm Gladwell, the Outliers: The Story of Success (Little, Brown and Company [2008], 309 pages).
An “outlier” is “something that is situated away from or classed differently from a main or related body”. The central thesis of Mr. Gladwell is that while the inborn traits if the successful people play a role in achieving their success, other external factors are crucial: family, birthplace, birth dates, culture, among others. The book about those “who do things out of the ordinary”.
When it comes to family, Mr. Gladwell discussed a formal study which resulted to a conclusion that “there were only two parenting ‘philosophies,’ and they divided almost perfectly among class lines. The wealthier parents raised their kids one way, and the poorer parents raised their kids another way.” Wealthier parents, for instance, are more involved in the free time of their children. The rest of the details on such interesting differences are discussed in the book, something that we first-time parents may find helpful in shaping the way we plan to raise our kids. Anyway, click here for more review on the book.
Mr. Gladwell is also the author of the bestselling books The Tipping Point and Blink (the trend that emerge from these books is Mr. Gladwell’s gift to lift a formal study on human beings and discuss it in an arresting and interesting way).
Comment by Mari-Pat Weber
I read Blink, The Tipping Point and Have not read Outliners but have seen your presentation via the internet. I love your books and the info and insights are incredible, other sports such as horse racing are very similiar to basketball atheletes as well-PLEASE FORGIVE MY MISSPELLINGS AS I BROKE MY RIGHT HAND. The Tipping Point as well as Blink changed the way I think about my life
which has been sales/maven/connecter in some fashion. You are a maverick and I look forward to reading Outliners in full, but I love your open and honest presentation as it was great. Thank you for taking the time and the love to do it.