Tuesday, November 29, 2011

The Lessons of Outliers, Pt. 1

Haley Scholar Reading Groups

We've been having an extended conversations about Malcolmc Gladwell's book Outliers over the last several weeks. We've covered issues related to practical intelligence, the 10,000 hour rule, and accumulative advantage among other issues.

I'm curious about the lessons we've gained so far and topics that we need to further develop. What idea from the first half of the book has been especially memorable and why?

Or, what important idea related to outliers would you want to bring more attention to? Why?

23 comments:

Cara C. said...

Each of these lessons about why people succeed is very interesting to me, but the one that stands out most would probably be the "10,000 hour rule." Needing this much time to succeed in an area seems like so much. I'm intrigued on this argument. I believe people would be able to succeed with less time, but they must also be extremely talented. I am curious to see how this rule plays out in the rest of the book.

Cara C.

Brenda W said...

For me, the most memorable part of the first half of the book was the 10,000 hour rule. I feel many can gain insight and encouragement from that chapter. Individuals tend to underestimate themselves by saying they were not "born" smart or "born" with talent when in actuality, they can achieve any task they desire if they put the right amount of time and effort into it. It is a great philosophy to live life by; there is nothing you cannot do or achieve and the only thing stopping you is yourself. After reading that chapter, I look at every obstacle as an opportunity for me to push harder and work at it because there's nothing I cannot do if I try.

Stephanie M said...

One lesson that has been especially memorable for me is that “success” only truly comes from seeing opportunity and seizing it. Outliers has made me think about the fact some many truly gifted individuals will never get the chance to excel. If you have the talent, that is wonderful but what makes one truly stand out is extraordinary the use of it. How you make use of what you are given defines you as an outlier or just part of the crowd.

Robin Huang said...

What really interested me was the 10,000 hour rule. It just goes to show that hard work pays off and anyone willing to put in the effort will come out a better person. Throughout the whole first half of Outliers, we had read a lot about a person's personal capabilities, and the author really showed us how we are all born with the same ability to do well; it all depends on how we go about it. This is why I really like this book, it points out things on how to improve ourselves while providing examples to motivate us and give us confidence that anything is possible.

Anonymous said...

The 10,000 hour rule would be the memorable section of the book. This part truly portrays how important time and dedication is when it comes to success. Without putting effort into something, one would not be able to master it.

Zoe Ramirez said...

I liked the 10,000 hour rule method the most. It seems like so much to be able to succeed in one area but it's what you have to do to be successful. I think that most people think that as long as they're good at what they do they don't need to practice but the truth is that everyone needs to practice at things even if they think that they're already pros at something. It's inspiring to know that If someone puts that much effort into something than they'll get what they want in life especially if it's to succeed.

Beau Butzirus said...

The most memorable idea from the first half of Outliers to me is “The 10,000 Hour Rule”. I believe that it is important to practice for anything that one wishes to become a master at. It is impossible to be good at anything without practicing, because practice does make perfect. Anyone that puts in the effort to become a master at something will become significantly better if they put in the 10,000 hours of practice. This is interesting to me because if people start an activity when they are little, like a sport or hobby, by the time they are young adults they will be really good at whatever they practiced. When you ask someone who is really good at something, when they started practicing their sport or hobby, most of the time they have been practicing for a while.

Minh Nguyen said...

The 10,000 hour rule is memorable to me because time management important. It also plays a crucial role on being successful. Like they say, practice makes perfect, so the more dedication you have, the more likely you will succeed.

Ashley said...

The 10,000 hour rule stands out to me as well.I like that it shows that you can do anything that you put your mind to. It's a great way to view life.

Dylan P said...

The most memorable moment would certainly be the 10,000 hour rule. Of course, like any general rule, there are its exceptions. I think knowledge is progressive over time. 10,000 hours may help us gain significant achievement, but there is always something one can learn more from. Learning and progress is never ending, and we should always strive to know more. It is similar to the concept of a limit in mathematics. We can come so very close to a certain value, but we will never quite get there.

Christina Rojas said...

I feel that the most memorable part of the book was the part in which he describes the idea that it matters very much when you were born in order to be successful in certain sports such as hockey or soccer. I never thought that luck plays just as big a role in the success of an athlete as pure hard work does. In fact, it seems almost unfair that it works out that way. It seems that these kind of life chances play a big role in many other aspects of life, and I'm very curious to see how this extends to the rest of the book.

Ridge Lin said...

The idea of 10,000 rule was the most memorable concept that changed the mind-set of how I viewed studying and practice. I felt a giant push after reading that chapter to pull out all my textbooks and study all night. The stories of other people's success stories is what aided the concept and motivate me to actually want to study knowing that despite the hardship of it, the hours of studying I would have to endure now will pay off in the future. I would like more attention on the idea of why people succeed and methods of how we can follow in their footsteps.

Martin Garcia said...

I find that the most interesting rule was the 10,000 hour rule. It is very interesting to hear that giving up that much of one's life would make one a master at a single skill. So I find it that I honestly don't want to be a master at any one skill. I would rather be above average at a variety of skills and be a jack of all trades. I can't wait to read what else happens in the book.

Charris Wells said...

The section on the book that was the most memorable for me was when we discussed Accumulative Advantage. I find it interesting that people believe that the more privileged your upbringing is (monetarily speaking) the more advantage you have. In many cases, like my own, I have found that to be precisely the opposite.

Megan L. said...

What has really stuck with me is the fact that it is dedication and practice that will help you succeed than ability or intelligence. It's inspiring to know that you don't have to be born with a gift to be able to do well at something you really want to do. But then on the other hand it was kind of unfortunate to find out that the difference between getting opportunities and not making the cut was when you were born. All this information has been put a new perspective on other people's success and how I can achieve my own.

Megan L.

Tiara Yoakum said...

The appealing lesson from the book in my opinion is the one that talks about Accumulative Advantage. This is so because in other words this is saying that you have no option to become a product of your environment. If your care giver does not have the resources to stay in a well-kept neighborhood with a good school system then you d not get the same opportunities to overcome these objections. It basically means that you have to settle for the hand that you are dealt which is not true at all, in my opinion.

GF said...

I have to say, all of the ideas from the first half of the book have been memorable. However, the accumulative advantage idea strikes me the most. When I saw the book, I thought it would be dry and difficult to read. Instead, I was pulled into a relevant and surprising revelation. Those with a little head start eventually gain a huge advantage. I had to learn more. I could even apply this lesson to my own life. It would explain some of my success versus the success of my sisters. That being said, it blew my mind.

Travontae Williams said...

Out of all the issues we have discussed, I believe the "10,000 Hour Rule" is the most interesting to me. After reading about how one must devoted that much time to a skill in order to truly master it, I almost felt as though I had not mastered many of skills I have. However, after pondering this concept for quite some time, I came to a conclusion that I do not agree with that concept. This is because mastering does has more variables than just how much time is devoted. Passion, interest, and purpose all have just as much influence on how quickly someone masters a skills. Though time is crucial, it is not the deciding factor.

Charlene Y. said...

The idea that has been very memorable was the 10,000 hour rule because in my opinion it makes sense that the more you practice or work will make your talent better. Even if you are naturally good at whatever you do, you still need practice

Evan Lawler said...

I personally thought the 10,000 rule was memorable. I thought it was a great way to show that no matter how difficult with practice things can be accomplished and be mastered. If someone is willing to put in the time and effort to practice that much then they are truly driven and no matter the challenge, have the ability to succeed.

Vanessa C. said...

The most memorable idea from the first half of the book has been the 10,000 hour rule. The fact that there is evidence given to show that this is actually true interests me. It took 10,000 hours for many to gain the success many have only dreamed of achieving and they did it all by working hard. You are not just born with success or given it, you have to work hard and want it.

Vanessa C.

ChelseaD said...

Outliers has made me realize how much effort you need to put in to be successful, and how much what you're born affects it as well. The "10,000 hour rule" is exceedingly interesting. It does make sense that the more you practice, the better you are, but there's always exceptions and I think we should further go into everything that could affect that.

Rachael Obernuefemann said...

I think the most memorable part of the book so far has been talking about the 10,000 hour rule. People do not have to be born with talent to be successful. As long as someone puts time and effort into something they can be successful. Although it does take some knowledge to get through life, if someone puts forward their best effort they can achieve their goal.