Outliers - the Story of Success (Summary)

The intriguing riddle of why some individuals achieve considerably more than others is explored in the book Outliers. Gladwell says, in his own thought-provoking style, that the truth of success is much different, and that if people want to truly understand why individuals achieve, they need to look into other aspects of their lives, such as their birthplace, family, and birthdates. Gladwell reveals the keys behind Bill Gates', the Beatles', star sportsmen', and other great individuals who have pushed the limits in their life.

CHAPTER 1: THE MATTHEW EFFECT

Throughout the first chapter, Malcolm discusses several discoveries. Surprisingly, he claims that our notion of success is fundamentally flawed. He reveals a unique statistic that defines the Canadian hockey league's selecting process. While everyone believes that skill, intellect, hard effort, and a positive attitude are all important, Gladwell claims that an individual's success is greatly influenced by external circumstances. In the case of the hockey players, the order in which they were born was important to their success.

For example, 40% of the players in the hockey league were born between January and March, 30% between April and June, 20% between July and September, and 10% between October and December. This basically means that a child born in January will have a considerable edge over other children since he will be physically and cognitively developed. These fortunate children will be chosen for the finest teams, receive even better coaching, and practice with even better teammates, further enhancing their inherent advantage over children born after that year.

As Gladwell discusses the benefits, one could ask if skill plays a part in success. As an answer, Gladwell acknowledges that it does have a part, but it may not be as significant as you may believe. Not everyone born in January who plays hockey becomes a success right away, but there are other qualities that might help someone succeed. The "Matthew Effect," coined by sociologist Robert Merton, says that persons who acquire unique advantages during their life are more likely to achieve success.

CHAPTER 2: THE 10,000-HOUR RULE

What determines a person's success if it is not entirely dependent on his or her abilities or talents? According to Gladwell, it also hinges on the "10,000-hour rule," which asserts that mastery in any profession requires about 10,000 hours of effort. Furthermore, this regulation applies to a youngster who enrolls in a unique program that provides amazing possibilities, allowing him to put in those practice hours. Gladwell uses the examples of Bill Joy, Bill Gates, and the Beatles to better demonstrate this notion.

Sun Microsystems co-founder Bill Joy discovered that he was given a slew of possibilities to assist him to achieve. He was able to attend one of the few colleges that had a timesharing system for its computers, and because the machines had a flaw, he was allowed to use them for an indefinite period. Gladwell claimed in an interview that it took him 10,000 hours to practice and create programs that are still used by millions of people today.

Similarly, Bill Gates encountered several coincidences since he attended the only private school that enabled students to use their computers in a timesharing system. Bill Gates, like Bill Joy, took advantage of the chance, and the fact that he resided near the University of Washington, which provided free computer hours, aided him as well.

Gladwell finds that persons born between 1954 and 1955 had a better chance of becoming successful in the computer sector based on his research. Bill Gates, Paul Allen, Steve Blamer, Steve Jobs, Eric Schmidt, Vinod Khosla, and many others were among those who had tremendous success. The reason for this was that they were at the proper age and had the opportunity to put in the hours and gain experience prior to the computer boom.

CHAPTER 3: THE TROUBLE WITH GENIUSES, PART 1

Gladwell discusses how people are awestruck by geniuses with higher IQ scores in this part. He mentions Christopher Langan, a genius who has become a celebrity as an outlier. Many people believe him to be the smartest man in America, owing to his IQ of over 195, which was higher than Albert Einstein's IQ of 150. Gladwell also mentions Lewis Terman, a Stanford University professor who chose to test the IQ of a little kid called Henry Cowell. Terman was taken aback by Cowell's IQ of 140 points, which was close to genius territory. People commonly believe that these men are destined for higher things since they are so intelligent.

Terman gathered a group of gifted youngsters who were chosen after a series of IQ tests. Terman had been keeping track of his group's geniuses, dubbed 'Termites,' for years. Terman, who had hoped for his Termites to become great leaders in society, was dismayed to learn that intelligence and accomplishment were not linked.

Gladwell elaborates on this notion by claiming that an individual's IQ or intellect does important, but only to the extent that it reaches or exceeds a particular threshold. It is comparable to basketball, where a player's height undoubtedly gives him an edge, but height, like brains, has a limit. Simply put, if one has an IQ of around 120, more IQ is unlikely to assist. Outside of basic intelligence, there are additional elements that influence how successful you will be.

CHAPTER 4: THE TROUBLE WITH GENIUSES, PART 2

Gladwell compares the lives of two geniuses, Christopher Langan and Robert Oppenheimer, in this section. He goes on to say that if Langan had been born into a wealthy family of doctors with many high connections, he would most likely be a doctor today. Langan was born to a controlling father and a careless mother. He had a lot of problems as a youngster, and he even lost a scholarship to Reed College because his mother could not complete out the paperwork. Langan worked in industries as well as as a bouncer at a Long Island nightclub.

Robert Oppenheimer, on the other hand, was born into a wealthy family to a successful businessman and rose to prominence as a physicist during World War II. He was given the chance to attend the top institutions when he was young, and while his thought process was like Langan's, he was able to build a path for himself in the most difficult of circumstances.

According to Gladwell, Oppenheimer's practical intelligence was a key element in his success. Gladwell illustrates his thesis by presenting the results of research done by Annette Lareau. The research compared the parenting practices of wealthy households to those of disadvantaged ones. Surprisingly, Lareau observed that children who grew up in a sophisticated setting were able to converse with people more effectively, even challenging authority, but children from poorer homes tended to avoid such circumstances. (Explained with detailed examples in the books)

Langan could not operate like Oppenheimer since he was born into a poor family, and there was nothing he could do about it. Terman's 'Termites' had a similar destiny since none of the youngsters from a lower socioeconomic background were able to establish a name for themselves.

CHAPTER 5: THE THREE LESSONS OF JOE FLOM

Gladwell discusses a Jewish man named Joe Flom, who has the ultimate rags-to-riches narrative. Flom had a meteoric rise to fame, earning over $1 billion each year until his death. Gladwell, on the other hand, encourages the reader to put all he is learned in the first four chapters into practice and to realize that success does not happen by accident.

Successful people do not attain their goals entirely on their own, and their past obviously counts.

The Importance of Being Jewish (Lesson 1)

Alexander Bickel, a guy who sought to acquire a position with Mudge Rose, was a Harvard University classmate of Flom's. Bickel's background was comparable to Flom's in that he, too, was the son of a Jewish immigrant couple, and he, like Flom, attended a New York school before enrolling at City College.

However, he was turned down for a job at Mudge Rose because the senior partner believed that hiring a boy with his ancestors would limit the firm's ability to develop. As a result, Flom and Bickel took employment at less desirable companies with less work. Though, as the sector witnessed a significant surge in mergers and acquisitions, these professions, which included litigation and aggressive takeovers, suddenly became wonderful possibilities. The greatest part was that their unappealing occupations had suddenly become attractive, putting Bickel, Flom, and others in a prime position to take advantage of the situation.

Demographic Luck (Lesson 2)

Gladwell discusses Maurice Janklow, the son of a Jewish immigrant couple, and his fascinating life. He graduated from Brooklyn Law School in 1919, acquired a writing paper company, and seemed like he was on his way to becoming a millionaire. However, the firm collapsed, and Maurice suffered, although his son Mort Janklow amassed a fortune when he worked for Cox Broadcasting.

Gladwell contrasts the father and son's experiences and claims that the date of their birth was crucial to their success. While Maurice purchased the company just as the United States was about to enter the Great Depression, Mort, who was born in the 1930s, was well-positioned to pursue a solid education and become a successful lawyer. Gladwell claims that the 1930s were ideal for ambitious attorneys, much as the year 1955 was ideal for software programmers.

The Garment Industry and Meaningful Work (Lesson 3)

Here, Gladwell discusses how Jews were unlike any other immigrants in this part. He speaks of Louis Borgeicht, a Polish immigrant, and Regina Borgeicht, a Hungarian immigrant. When Louis and Regina learned there was a strong demand for clothing in New York, they started making aprons at home and selling them on the streets.

The couple did not have their own land in Europe, but they were seasoned city dwellers who understood how to get about. Furthermore, they possessed clothing-making talents, and the garment industry's boom provided them with several opportunities. An entrepreneur in the clothing business discovered that his work was important since it involved intricacy, autonomy, and a perfect balance of hard labor and reward.

Gladwell observes the family trees of Jewish immigrants created by Louise Farkas, a sociology student, and notes that there are clear parallels between how they started working and how they ended up working. While the second generation was typically made up of garment manufacturers, the children born to them went on to become successful, educated professionals. Despite the obstacles that Jews experienced as immigrants, they eventually proved to be tremendous opportunities.

CHAPTER 6: HARLAN, KENTUCKY

Gladwell highlights in this part how cultural legacies work like strong forces, extending to successive generations. Despite the various changes in our economic, demographic, and social circumstances, our cultural heritage continues to influence our behavior. Gladwell elaborates on his argument by describing a series of inexplicable occurrences that occurred in Harlan, Kentucky in the nineteenth century.

Harlan County, which is located on the Cumberland Plateau, was founded by around eight British Isles families. After a length of time, two families began fighting, and what began as a little poker game escalated into a bloodbath in which scores of people were slain in a series of savage attacks. Surprisingly, this was only one of the numerous feuds that were raging across Kentucky at the same time. So, what is the best way to describe this phenomenon?

Several original inhabitants from England, Scotland, and Northern Ireland believed in the "Culture of Honor," which claimed that they had to show themselves to be strong and courageous, according to sociologists. In other words, the herders valued their honor and reputation beyond everything else.

Richard Nisbett and Doy Cohen of the University of Michigan performed another research in which numerous students aged 18 to 20 were treated to a barrage of insults before returning to their courses. The pupils' emotions were assessed by closely examining their facial expressions, saliva hormone levels, handshakes, and other characteristics. Surprisingly, the data revealed that pupils from the southern states were enraged, which experts linked to their cultural heritage. Furthermore, when some kids were compared to others from various locations, there were clear variations in their reactions.

(Well, here I can relate this to my country and region)

CHAPTER 7: THE ETHNIC THEORY OF PLANE CRASHES

Beyond the Harlan County conflict, the notion of cultural heritage extends much beyond. In fact, the theory can explain the fatal air disasters that happened on Korean Air aircraft from 1988 to 1998. Korean Air was regarded as extremely dangerous to travel with at the time, as its crash rates were 17 times greater than United Airlines'. The inquiry began with a thorough examination of all data relating to the 1990 Avianca 052 disaster.

An aircraft crash involves numerous elements, and while it is not the result of a single fault, it is the consequence of a series of errors that often end in tragic outcomes. Captain Laureano Caviedes, the pilot of Avianca 052, was neither inebriated nor under the influence of any drugs; rather, he was tired after being held up for 77 minutes by the Air Traffic Controller (ATC). Finally, he was given permission to land, but the plane was unable to do so due to the significant decrease in the breeze. Unfortunately, the autopilot was not working, and despite the pilot's best efforts to rescue the jet by circling around and landing again, the engines failed, culminating in a massive disaster that killed 158 people. He had just run out of gas.

This raises the issue of why the jet crashed even though both the pilot and first officer were aware of the fuel shortfall. Gladwell now offers a transcript of the dialogue obtained from the black box, and the first officer's failure to communicate properly in such a terrible circumstance was the primary cause of the disaster. Klotz, the guy who intended to connect with ATC, was discovered to have participated in "mitigated speech," a phrase used by linguists to characterize persons who tend to cover up or sugarcoat facts.

Pilots are highly respected in the airline business and have the authority to order others in dangerous circumstances, but Klotz, who was the first officer, had difficulty delivering the precise message when the jet was ready to crash. In such stressful conditions, you would anticipate frenetic activity in the cockpit, but there was a lot of stillness in this incident, and Klotz never informed the ATC that they would crash if they were not given urgent attention. Klotz was unable to express himself when the occasion demanded it since he came from a nation with a different cultural tradition. (This can be related to last year airplane crash in Karachi, Pakistan)

Gladwell goes on to describe research that found that individuals from low PDI nations (Power Distance Index) tend to minimize authority, whereas those from high PDI countries adhere to authority with respect. In other words, Klotz, who was from Columbia, a nation with a high PDI, could not ignore the officer in ATC's authority and so end up in a tragic crash.

Fortunately, Korean Air recognized what went wrong when its pilots used the same attenuated speech patterns, making it impossible for them to converse. After they figured out what was wrong, they fixed it, and Korean Air is now regarded as a highly safe airline to fly. One method to do this was to switch the cockpit's language to English. English has a lesser power distance than Korean, which allows you to talk in four various ways depending on the rank and politeness of the person you are speaking with. In an emergency, where communication must be rapid and without misconceptions, a casual tone is essential.

CHAPTER 8: RICE PADDIES AND MATH TESTS

According to Gladwell, Asians are typically better in math computations than other westerners. For example, if a group of people was given 20 seconds to recall the numbers 4,7,8,5,9,6,7, most Chinese people would generally get the full sequence correct, but only 50% of English speakers would be able to report the numbers aloud in the correct order. Why? Humans can memorize information in less than two seconds, and Chinese numerals are smaller, therefore they have an edge. Furthermore, Asian children learn to count at a young age, and their languages are structured differently, making it easier for them to understand numbers.

Gladwell then discusses how rice farming had a significant impact on China's cultural legacy. Rice farming necessitates a unique combination of skills and extra effort, and it is well recognized that rice farmers work harder than any other sort of farmer. The Chinese value hard labor and despise sloth.

Gladwell concludes that the Chinese tradition of valuing hard effort, teamwork, and foresight will undoubtedly bear fruit in the future. Because mathematics is not based on aptitude but rather on an individual's perseverance, Asians are well-versed in it because of their cultural heritage.

CHAPTER 9: MARITA’S BARGAIN

Gladwell emphasizes the importance of cultural heritage and how it may radically alter people's lives. He discusses KIPP, a public school in New York that focuses solely on academic performance. KIPP has attracted a lot of attention, largely because it has been able to assist low-income children. We already know how hardworking countries that focus on rice farming are.

Our attitude and conduct are linked to our cultural heritage, and the western cultural legacy differs from that of other countries. While rice paddies are planted multiple times a year, maize and wheat fields in western culture are planted, harvested, and then allowed to rest for a while.

Surprisingly, this tendency can be seen even in western educational systems, where the average number of working days per year is around 180, far less than the 220 days in South Korea or 243 days in Japan. A sociologist named Karl Alexander observed an intriguing trend among Baltimore children. He saw a significant disparity between children from rich households and children from lower-income families. What is more intriguing is that he discovered this disparity in their performance only after the summer holidays, implying that although the wealthy children improved their skills throughout the summer, the poorer children regressed.

According to Gladwell, western nations' schools, like KIPP, should expand the number of working days. For example, KIPP kids go to school from 7.25 a.m. to 7 p.m. on weekdays and from 9 a.m. to 1 p.m. on Saturdays. The school was held from 8 a.m. to 2 p.m. every day throughout the summer. They follow the Asian model, in which students study hard, developing a strong sense of discipline. The pupils receive a lot of attention from their teachers, and even though at least 80% of impoverished children enroll in school, KIPP students have a good start in life.

CONCLUSION: A JAMAICAN STORY

Gladwell discusses his own rags-to-riches narrative, in which his grandmother, a Jamaican slave, was taken as a concubine by William Ford. Gladwell traces his lineage back to his mother, a well-known Canadian author. He also claims that a series of fortunate occurrences impacted his family's fortune. Gladwell has truly been able to change the way most people think about success. An outlier can seize golden opportunities and build a wonderful future for himself. To summarize, success is a result of a mix of hard effort, opportunities, and skill.