1. Outliers
The Story of Success
Malcolm Gladwell
By Aden Pereira

2. Malcolm Gladwell
Canadian author born in 1963.
Outliers Published on November 18, 2008
#1 on the New York Times bestsellers List.
Author of The Tipping Point and Blink.
3. What Equals Success?
Preconceived notion of traits you need to have to be successful
4. Y
5. Coincidence?
In anyelite group of Canadian hockey players:
40% born between January and March
30% between April and June
20% between July and September
10 % between October and December
6. Opportunity
Eligibility cutoff for age-class hockey in Canada is January 1
Boy who turns 10 on January 2nd plays against boy who turns 10 at the end of the year
12 month age gap = huge advantage at that age
Those thought to be more talented get more of an opportunity to get better.
7. Termans Experiment
In 1921, Lewis Terman set out to find the best and the brightest of the nations elementary schools.
Tested 250,000 children, identified 1,470 children whose IQs averaged over 140 and reached as high as 200.
8. Meet Chris Langan
Einsteins IQ = 150
Chris Langans IQ = 195
IQ is literally off the charts, needs to take special IQ test designed for geniuses.
9. IQ and Success
There is nothing about an individual as important as his IQ Lewis Terman (prior to his experiment)
We have seen that intellect and achievement are far from perfectly correlated Lewis Terman (post-experiment)
10. Opportunity
Overwhelming majority of the children deemed failures came from poor families.
Chris Langan grew up with an abusive father and an alcoholic mother.
Wealthier children usually go to better equipped schools, participate in more intellectually stimulating extracurricular activities,and are the recipients of better, more active, parenting.
11. Jewish Lawyers
In 1940s and 50s top NYC law firms would not hire any Jewish lawyers.
Forced to start their own law firms
Took the work that top law firms didnt want.
Most law firms didnt have a division dedicated to defending and filing lawsuits.
Corporations just didnt sue each other in those days Paul Cravath, founder of one of the top NYC law firms.
12. Opportunity
Discrimination against Jews created an opportunity for them.
Litigation and corporate takeovers exploded years later
Jews already well versed in that work
corporations came to them before top law firms
13. 10,000 Hour Rule
Just an opportunity is not enough
You need to practice
Beatles played 8 hours a day, everyday before making it big.
Bill Gates lived computer programming before Microsoft.
14. What Does it Mean?
Not developing our nations entire talent pool
IQ and talent should be greatest determinants of success
Sometimes it boils down to luck
15. Critiques
Gladwell oversimplified complex sociological phenomenato compact, pithy explanations
Business week questioned whether Gladwell withheld information contrary to his thesis
Why doesnt Gladwell hold a tenured professorship at the University of the Bleedin Obvious? Boyd Tonkin, The Independent
16. My Opinion
Easy, Quick, and Fascinating Read.
Some material, while interesting, didnt seem relevant.
Uplifting
Highly recommended