Why do some get everything and others - nothing

All topics that affect the book "Geniuses and outsiders," connects one main idea: Causes success we bring people only to their personal qualities, losing sight of the many not so obvious, but no less important factors. This is quite an unusual look at the success that is different from that promoted popular books on self-development and motivation, the main message which can be summarized in the phrase: "Believe in yourself, try, never give up, and all you have It happens. "

So, lets proceed with the key ideas of the book "Geniuses and outsiders."

1. It is impossible to explain to someone's success with personal merit. No less important are the opportunities and luck

Explaining the success of a person solely by his own merits, we reset from the accounts of people who feel hopeless. And it's like to think that the highest oak tree in the forest became such only because of the very hardy rose acorn, not taking into account other equally important factors:

• what the acorn had to get into a fertile place,
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• what other trees do not hide the sun from him,
• and that to him is not got no woodcutters, nor animals.

Huge value opportunities succeed The analysis confirms the birthday of Canadian hockey. Accidentally, it was found that most of them, including members of the National League, was born in January, February and March, and the lowest - at the end of the year.

This phenomenon was not associated with mysticism and astrology. The explanation was simple. The fact that Canada hockey selection in the age group ends on January 1st. The child gets into the group for nine years, even if January 2 he turns ten. And it will play in the same group with the child, who will celebrate the tenth birthday already in December. And in this age difference in 12 months is a noticeable difference in the physical form, that, accordingly, provides significant benefits to children born in the beginning of the year.

More tall and strong children fall into the team's best coaches, they have to train more and to spend more matches, and as a result they make excellent hockey players.

However, most people are convinced that the success is due solely talent and personal merits, and, consequently, no one wants to try to look at those who are considered capable enough.

2. To become a professional, it takes 10,000 hours of practice, which is equivalent to 3 hours of practice a day for 10 years

Thanks to the book "Geniuses and outsiders" were popularized by a study conducted in the early 90s led by psychologist Anders Eriksson (Anders Ericsson) in the Academy of Music in Berlin. This study showed that the best students of the Academy practiced more than others:

• to nine years - six hours a week,
• twelve - eight hours,
• to fourteen - sixteen ...

And so on until 20 years old when they began to engage in more than 30 hours a week. Thus, 20 years from the best students in the amount of recruited up to 10 000 hours of training. The average number of hours students was 8000, while the laggards - 4000.

Then Erickson and his colleagues found a similar pattern among professional pianists, each of which is to 20 years had 10 000 hours of practice, and piano-lovers who have never done more than three hours week.

Erickson's study is interesting by the fact that he could not find a single person who has reached high level of skillWho would not exerted serious efforts and exercised less than their peers. On the other hand, was not found, and those who, sticking his best, did not burst forth.

Based on other studies and professional competence, scientists have deduced the number of hours, leading to mastery in any field (music, sports, programming, and so on).

To become a master, you need 10,000 hours, equivalent to about three hours of practice a day or 20 hours a week for 10 years.

However, it is important to note that in order to earn a number of hours young people need support environment, participation in special programs, or some happy coincidence, which would be given full training.

3. A high level of intelligence does not guarantee success in life

In the 20 years of the twentieth century, a professor of psychology at Stanford University, Lewis began Theremin study about the way of life one and a half thousand children with outstanding intellectual abilities, which he measured using the modified test Alfred Binet. Intelligence quotient of each of selected children ranged from 140 to 200. Theremin tracked the career of their wards and document all important events in their lives. His research he wanted to prove that IQ plays a major role in a person's success.

Despite the fact that some of its geniuses have achieved some success in business, science, authorship, Law, few people became a national figure.

Some had a decent income, but not fabulous profits, and some even can be called a loser. None of carefully selected geeks not won the Nobel Prize. On the other hand, William Shockley and Luis Alvarez, which Theremin colleagues are not included in the sample, considering the inadequate intelligence, these have become laureates.

It turns out to be successful enough to have a high, but not phenomenal the IQ, equal to about 120 points, and all the following points do not bring much benefits. Also it plays an important role enabling environment in which to grow and develop people.

4. Practical intelligence is more important than IQ

But what separates successful people from unsuccessful if they have the same IQ? The point is the so-called practical intelligence - understanding that, when and to whom to speak, and knowledge of how to use these words to achieve maximum results. This home ingenuity must be formed under external influence. In the first place - under the influence of the family.

As an illustration of the importance of the role of the practical intellect to succeed Malcolm Gladwell contrasts the story of two people: the famous physicist Robert Oppenheimer, under the leadership of which was to build an atomic bomb, and one of the smartest people in the world - Chris Langan, whose IQ score ranges 195–210.

The environment in which growing up, Robert Oppenheimer, the son of the artist and a successful entrepreneur, promoted the development of the ability to establish relations, to negotiate with others and resolve difficult situations. Unique case when for trying to poison (!) Of his university teacher Robert Oppenheimer did not get a serious punishment. university administration gave him probation and sent for treatment to a psychiatrist. And even the existence of such a fact in the biography has not prevented Oppenheimer become an important military leader of the project to develop the atomic bomb.

On the contrary, the life story of the most intelligent man like Chris Langan, shows that intelligence without the necessary social skills will not succeed. Chris grew up in a poor family with many children, and are often subjected to attacks of drunken stepfather. He was deprived of attention and care, and a child life had taught him to keep a distance, trust no one and be independent. Despite the fact that many things he understood better than their teachers, with none of them, he could not make contact. And that led to what he had to quit university and work at low-paying jobs. When Gladwell wrote the book, Chris Langan lived on a farm and engaged in their own research. His work is almost not published.

5. Culture, to which we belong, largely determines our behavior

Culture can have a huge impact on the fate of people: to lead to misunderstanding each other or provide certain advantages.

Of great interest is the index of power distance. It shows how one or another culture refers to the hierarchy, the extent to which people are willing to unequal empowerment, test whether members of the public respect for the elderly if they have special powers privilege.

Countries with high power distance index include, for example, India, China, Russia, France, Korea, Brazil. Countries with low - Germany, UK, Portugal, Australia.

Culture also differ in the level of isolation on a scale of "collectivism - individualism". The extreme position on the side of individualism occupy the United States. It is not surprising that the US is the world's only industrialized country that does not have universal health care system.

Cultural heritage is manifested in unexpected areas such as mathematical ability.

Why are the representatives of Asian countries often lead the pack in math tests? According to Malcolm Gladwell, it explains it simply. Asian languages ​​logic and lighter compared with other languages, way of writing numbers initially contribute to better learning a row of Asian children.

Chinese four-year child can count to 40, while the American children in this age think only 15.

All these seemingly insignificant factors influence our perceptions, behavior and ways of interacting. They may give us an advantage, and to deprive the opportunities available in other cultures.

However, as noted by Malcolm Gladwell, the culture - it is not a prison from which escape is impossible. Experiments show that a person is able to try new behaviors and to change their identity, which frees from the fatalistic view of life. But before you decide where to go, you need to understand where we came from.

concluding comments

The book "Geniuses and outsiders," became a bestseller upon its release. And deservedly so. Malcolm Gladwell - a talented journalist, he expounds his theory is not a dry and abstract, but through the stories, each of which in its own interest.

On the one hand, the book offers more pessimistic view of the nature of success. But on the other hand, its conclusions may well be used in practice:

1. Engage in 10,000 hours in what you want to succeed.
2. Do not be upset because of not the highest IQ-test results.
3. Develop practical intelligence in themselves and in their children.
4. Understand their weaknesses and peculiarities of cultural environment.

Book, certainly, will provide useful food for thought, and the disclosure of ideas through interesting history makes it fascinating reading.

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