Friday, September 23, 2011

How to Become an "Outlier"

reading Malcolm Gladwell's 'outliers' makes me wonder if reverse-engineering success is possible by simply taking stock of one's personal and environmental 'legs up.' I suppose this is what some people equate to truly getting to know oneself. the earlier we realize that whether or not we become successful is a matter of choice and efficient preparation, the easier it is to take initiative and the sooner we find ourselves 'lucky' to take advantage of the many opportunities available (yet many fail to see).

Gladwell had the reputation to leverage promotion of this book. we, a self-selected group who were piqued by its concept, are fortunate to ponder his observations. so how does one go on to achieve success of 'outlying' proportions?

of the traditional passion + talent + hard work axiom, perhaps passion bears further decomposition:
a) passion for doing something (e.g. playing basketball), and arguably more important,
b) passion for success itself.
in other words, the level of passion (read: one's desire, determination, and innate drive) becomes, effectively, one's own competitive advantage—his or her 'secret sauce,' if you will. that can be something we're born with, choose to have, or both.

and as we (theoretically) have the capability to be in full command of our passions, we can increase our level of success simply by knowing what we're good (and not so good) at and working hard at it. bottom line, love what you do and love who you do it with. easier said than done, of course, but nonetheless a digestible roadmap to 'outlier'-land.