I appreciate this but what about rarities such as Mozart. Mozart wrote his first symphony when he was eight years old. Isn't it true that some people just have a "knack" for it.
I often like hearing the stories of the rise of people like that. While I haven't read this book, I have it in my list and is related: Outliers: The Story of Success
Hi, interesting AMA, thanks for that.
I hope this question isn't too personal, but I recently read a book, outliers, that said, in order to become an expert at something you need to have put in 10,000 hours at your craft.
Would you agree with this? and If you were to estimate, how many hours do you think you've spent programming or becoming an engineer?
>Luck may play a part, but talent and will is what made him a billionaire, and the fact that he was a successful CEO of multiple companies is proof of that
Here's an okay book on the subject: http://www.amazon.com/Outliers-Story-Success-Malcolm-Gladwell/dp/0316017922
Basically, you need hard work + genetic ability + luck to "succeed." Two of those factors are outside of anyone's control, and you can make an argument that the third (hard work) is outside of your control as well; you don't choose who your parents/peers/community are, and so you can't choose the values that you're socialized into having.
>The goal of religion is to gain members.
As a social "meme," maybe, but for the vast majority of religious adherents/clergy-people, the goal of participation in religion is to live a good life and benefit others. But yes, this particular point is a digression.
>Plus, I don't like the negative tone of the comments posted here. He was a businessmen man that few people knew personally, not Gaddafi.
That's cool, just know that shame as a social mechanism for normalizing behavior is something that's as old as human society itself. It's as vital a part of human society (as it's currently configured) as anything else.
at the risk of belabouring the point, if you are interested in expanding your horizons a little, I suggest you check out this book which basically debunks the myth of the so-called "self-made man" - he actually interviews Bill Gates in a section where he looks a little beyond the surface features of Gates' story (lots of hard work and business savvy) and examines other factors that were just as important to his success - and demonstrates the same factors are apparent over and over again, when you look closely at other success stories which have been rather lazily ascribed to simply a matter of hard work alone...
-he also looks at some examples where being exceptionally gifted or working just as hard or whatever - but in slightly different circumstances (when you were born actually plays a big part in this) to those great success stories - has brought nowhere near the same level of wealth and recognition to people who, according to the myth, should by rights be just as spectacularly successful
You should read this book:
http://www.amazon.com/Outliers-Story-Success-Malcolm-Gladwell/dp/0316017922
Buy the audio book if you don't like to read. That is some of the best advice I can give to you. The rest is really up to you. If you have good people in your life and are "wired" to be successful then you will most likely be. Social skills really do help in the real world.
Like is life - it is a process with a start middle and end. You must be able to see the next step from the point where you are at now. Goals should be written on paper with a date that you want to finish them by. If you get good at this process you can do anything. Run a marathon, marry way above your class, be successful, be highly educated.
The last thing is "you go to school to become an educated person - not to get a piece of paper to make a lot of money." Understand that what you are doing is for YOU. Your brain develops bit by bit over time. Money is made by working smart and harder than most.
I'm an artist and graphic designer, and I am extremely particular about art classes. Most art classes are targeted at total beginners and older folks, not young, talented people with existing experience and creative passion. Forgive my blatant sexism, but I notice that male, alternative-ish teachers tend to be more willing to let students work at their own pace.
You absolutely, absolutely need to encourage her to practice every day for at least an hour. Outliers asserts that, whoever you are, you can master a field with about 10,000 hours of study. No matter how talented you are, you've gotta put in the time. If she spends a few hours a day drawing, no matter how rough her work is now, in a few years she will be a GREAT artist. I once heard Slash say, "If you want to be a great musician, you've gotta practice, and I mean you need to practice about 8 hours a day for 4 years." Guess what? That's about 10,000 hours. My friend is the best bassist I've ever met, and pretty much the last two years of high school and the entire time I was in college he'd practice at least four hours a day.
Forcing yourself to practice every day is hard. It might mean making some sacrifices (tv, etc), and there will be times when you fall off the wagon. As long as you keep getting back on, you will get there in the end. Tell her "good luck" for me!
I read Outliers and found out that this is very true. People enjoy believing in the mystical mind set story, but that is not the case.
> But if you were, say, the Kobe Bryant of whatever you love to do, could you not help but suspect divine intervention?
People don't just have gifts, they work their asses off for it... usually for about a decade. If I was Kobe, I would have spent my younger years doing nothing but playing basketball, and hence I would not know much science, would not have a degree in engineering, would live in a different part of the country... so of course my life would be different including my beliefs. You should read this book.
http://www.amazon.com/Outliers-Story-Success-Malcolm-Gladwell/dp/0316017922
Don't nerds read? In Outliers, Malcolm Gladwell supplies plenty of evidence for the view that it takes about 10,000 hours to master almost anything that requires skill. Innate ability just needs to be adeqeuate, not world-beating. Then it's all about getting your sorry ass to work. Full time. Five years. You might not be Clapton when you're done, but you'll be better than 99.9% of all the so-called guitar players in the world.
I think it's in Outliers that Malcolm Gladwell makes the observation that a lot of "gifted" people end up living lives of modest achievement and are generally very happy with their choices. His speculation is that the gifted people are smart enough to realize they don't want the headaches that come with being a high achievers. As one who fell into that statistical category I think there's a certain amount of truth to that. I sometimes feel guilty for not having wanted to do more but I'm quite content with the life I've led so far.
> You cannot learn a talent
That's debatable. http://www.amazon.com/Outliers-Story-Success-Malcolm-Gladwell/dp/0316017922/ref=cm_cr_dp_asin_lnk
That is a title of a great book by the way.
He is featured in the book "Outliers: The Story of Success." The author discusses some of the factors that probably played into his non-success.
http://www.amazon.com/Outliers-Story-Success-Malcolm-Gladwell/dp/0316017922
Have you read Outliers? I think you'll find you're not alone.
I suggest you have her practice for 10,000 hours.
Take that Malcom Gladwell!
It's all about opportunity and working it the right way. Steve Jobs, Bill Gates, and several others of their time found theirs in the computing industry; it was the most optimal time of entry.
Read <em>Outliers: The Story of Success</em> by Malcolm Gladwell for more information. I'm sure you'll enjoy it.
10,000 hours is about what it takes to get to that level. http://www.amazon.com/Outliers-Story-Success-Malcolm-Gladwell/dp/0316017922
And there you have it. You admit that you are a king among men, and the rest deservedly should suffer to support your life of avarice. Clearly the only reason you support libertarianism is so can hoard your precious.
I never said salaries should be equal. Note: most wealth generation comes from ownership, not salaries - it's generational, not individual or ability based. But they're grossly distorted. I can't believe you honestly think any person could be worth 4000. The world works by people doing things - farming, building, serving. What could one man do that could possibly be of more benefit than 4000???
You overestimate your ability to be successful (see outliers). There are many people that work as hard or harder than you and do "the right things" that are not as well off as you may be.
You're right, it only took 4,000 to die in Iraq.
Point in case - when did I say you made 15k/yr?
> I don't know what "studies" these were but I wonder if you are interpreting them in a certain way.
It comes from here.
> If you've tried to learn to compose music, you'd realize why Mozart was one of the greatest to ever live. His brain was simply better suited to the task in the field of memory and aural processing
And he was also exposed to music and taught by his father from a very young age. I think you'll find that behind every genius is vast amounts of dedication to an art, craft, or occupation. It helps a lot if you get started at a very young age. Can you guarantee that Mozart would have achieved greatness had he not been immersed in music from a a very early age?
In <em>Outliers: The Story of Success</em>, Malcolm Gladwell has a whole chapter on the Beatles' Hamburg era, if you haven't already read it.