Outliers aren't Self-made

I just finished listening to the audio book on "Outliers" by Malcolm Gladwell. This book, I believe, has potential to revolutionise the way we look at self-made success icons. Educationists and planners around the world can make use of its significant findings in making better future societies where every individual's dignity is preserved and potential to rise is nurtured.

An outlier, according to Malcolm, is one who excels despite all odds and leaves everyone else much behind in his/her field of activity. Malcolm concludes that an outlier's success is not his/her own making. It is a product of many factors such as time of birth, opportunities, family & cultural legacy, circumstances, mentor and hard work. All factors are outside one's control, except the 'hard work'. And 'hard work' is what every outlier did.

Malcolm, through painstaking research, found that almost all the outliers had put in a minimum of 10,000 hours of hard work before their tipping points arrived. Most of this time was spent by them in total anonymity, as if they didn't care about the outcome. Then, suddenly they burst on the world scene. Other factors played vital roles along the way.

I am reminded of the oft repeated quote: "Success is 1% inspiration and 99% perspiration." I am also reminded of the famous verse from Bhagavad Gita wherein Lord Krishna tells Arjuna, "Your right is in action only, never to the fruits; let not the fruit of action be your motive nor let your attachment be to inaction." Those who don't give-up their quest are ultimately rewarded. This is what the outliers have proved.

My take from this book is: since we cannot control the result why worry about it. Why not concentrate all our energies in performing the present action to the best of our abilities? The joy of performing cannot be denied even by the nature. And this in itself is the greatest reward for any action.

If we wish to become an outlier, then we also need the help of other factors outside our control. In other words, we also need to be lucky. And the luck, as Derrell Royal defined, is where 'preparedness meets opportunity'. If someone has put in enough hard work to prepare himself, then his becoming an outlier is only a matter of time when suitable opportunity would knock his door.