Countless books have been written about why some people are successful, and others are not. The answers always go the same direction: talent, intelligence, diligence, passion, perseverance.
All of these points are important; there's no question about that. But one topic is almost always left out – and that is exactly what this book is about: chance!
Malcolm Gladwell shows (as always) with numerous entertaining stories supported by studies, which fortunate circumstances paved the (career) path for successful people.
For example, professional athletes born in January, February, and March: Within their cohort, they have physical advantages over younger players. These advantages don't equalize throughout their careers but grow stronger and stronger through a feedback loop of success and encouragement.
There are Asian students who are a year ahead of their European counterparts in math simply because Asian languages pronounce numbers in a way that makes them easier to calculate with.
There's Bill Gates, who was at the right school at the right time – namely, one of the few that had a computer at the time and allowed him regular access to it.
Of course, not these external factors alone make for success. To be successful, you also have to seize the opportunities that come your way. And that's where diligence, passion, and perseverance (also known as "grit") come into play again.
This Gladwell bestseller is again a very entertaining and enjoyable read and allows us to look at the success of outliers from a different angle.
🎧 Suitable as an audio book? Yes.
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