Is Your Success Your Own Doing?
I’ve always been interested in the quirks of the human mind and how new fields like neuroeconomics and neuromarketing let us peek into the subconscious reasons for certain decisions we make, our analog to an airplane’s black box. Dan Ariely has a fantastic book, now in audio version at www.audible.com, titled “Predictable Irrationality” on cognitive biases. Malcolm Gladwell captured my imagination as a young marketing student with amazing stories and research on how the human brain thin-slices tiny moments with amazing clarity in “Blink.” His second book following “The Tipping Point,” “Blink” is full of high-level studies and neurological research translated into compelling stories for the layperson.
Gladwell has his critics though. Many of his detractors focus on the fact that his stories in both “Blink” and “The Tipping Point” are enjoyable (though maybe stretching credibility), but overall not actionable or useful for marketers. Tales of speed dating, the rise of Hush Puppies, and sizing up presidential candidates don’t lend themselves to serious use. Gladwell’s next book, “Outliers: The Story of Success,” promises to provide just that level of seriousness in scrutinizing the “Boot strap” mantra of the American Dream.
“Outliers” will go further than Gladwell’s previous books, starting with research morphed into dazzling story, then adding on prescriptions to issues that plague our modern society. Why do some people reach extraordinary heights in life, while others simply get by? Of course Gladwell includes some more trivial questions like why do Asian children seem more adept at math or why are more hockey players born in January? But why not look into some of the most extraordinary people like Bill Gates or The Beatles? Can you show that star individuals like these would never have reached their astronomical heights without strings of amazing opportunities and open doors? Gladwell proposes to do just that, opening up a new perspective on the hidden truths behind patterns of success and privilege.
Does your success arise from your own hard work? Or is the sum of many unique opportunities and factors outside your control responsible for your rising rank?