To be successful...
- Yes, you have to have an IQ, some talent or gift; but this is not enough.
- Timing of your birth and the next _______ revolution (ie. bill gates was born in 1955 so by the time of the computer revolution he was the right age)
- Family Background - 2 parenting styles: Concerted Cultivation = parents involved in developing the child's potential vs. Accomodation of Natural Growth = loving accomodation as the child develops naturally. People with concerted cultivation have a greater chance of success.
- Community and Culture: people who come from a culture of honor that are easily offended when called an asshole have less chances of being successful.
- 10,000 hours or 10 years of preparation to become an expert. (the beatles performed eight hours a night in strip clubs 7 days a week for 7 years before coming to the US)
- Persistence - attitude not ability
- Hard work that is meaningful: autonomous, complex, relationship between effort and reward
- OPPORTUNITY - "to build a better world we need to replace the patchwork of lucky breaks and arbitrary advantages that today determine success...with a society that provides opportunities for all." So give a guy a chance.
Gladwell gives great anecdotal evidence that success needs a threshold of intellegence and ambition but also the right history, community, opportunity and legacy.
I would argue one chapter is missing. Behind the scenes in all of our lives we have a God who is working out the details. More than we wanting to reach our human potential, God wants it for us more. I believe He orders the steps of the righteous and all we need to do to succeed is to respond to His leading. Gladwell does a good job of sketching out what the response looks like.
Posts
