Outliers by Malcolm Gladwell : Discussing 'The 10,000 Hours Rule' & Sharing The Lessons Learned!
Hello Steemians,
If you have been following my blog for a while, you may have an idea that I am a book reader. I wasn't always a reader though. I had to develop this amazing habit with a lot effort and behavior modification. Basically, I have always been a reader but relied on short articles. It all started in 2016. I started reading again (because I had read Harry Potter during School days).
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In 2016, I was able to read eight books, despite starting only halfway through the year. In 2017, I set a goal to read at least 10 books. That is also completed. In 2018, I will read at least, but not limited to, ten books again; this time some books with bigger volumes (pictures later).
Outliers by Malcolm Gladwell
I finished reading this book February, 2017. I found it to be an excellent and thought provoking book I must say. Personally, I felt a few steps nearer to knowing myself. It was an amazing feeling to understand who I was and how I had become the current version of myself.
I would totally agree to what William Nicholson has to say.
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About The Book
Rating: ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐
This book is 'the story of success'. It says that there's nothing really extraordinary about success. It's just a mix of history, community, opportunity, and legacy. Success is a result of habits, culture, chances, and practice.
- It matters where we come from.
- It matters how much we work on our talents.
- It doesn't matter how much talent we have.
- It does matter how we polish our talent and combine it with our attitudes and character.
Despite liking the experience I had while reading this book, I do not agree with the over simplicity of success that it points to. In my opinion and experience so far in life, success does not just happen. While it matters who we are and where we come from, it also matters how much we have tried.
For example, the author credits Bill Gates' and Steve Jobs' success partly to the fact they were born in 1950's; the perfect time to be born if you had wished to build Microsoft and Apple. However, the book contradicts itself by mentioning one very popular rule.
The 10,000 Hour Rule
This is the part I totally agree with. It also negates the author's simplification of success (crediting success to pure opportunity). The 10,000 Hours Rule is based on study of a psychologist named Andres Ericsson. It basically says:-
...10,000 hours of practice is required to achieve the level of mastery associated with being a world-class expert—at anything.
For the sake of clarity, I am sharing a YouTube video in which Malcolm Gladwell himself talks about the 10,000 hours rule.
Interestingly, the very author who had studied 10,000 hours rule, Andres Ericsson, has publicly mentioned that Malcolm Gladwell took his 10,000 hours study wrong. Another study seemed to have destroyed the rule altogether. More interestingly, Josh Kaufman , author of The Personal MBA, has reduced the amount of time required to become good at anything just to 20 hours. Watch his TED video. Interesting!
I would say that 10,000 hours is a good time to become world-class expert at anything but 20 hours of learning should be enough to become fairly good at something.
Conclusion
Reading is a powerful habit. I had a hard time developing it but it's totally worth it. It totally takes you to the top 5 % in the world. George R.R. Martin said: -
“A reader lives a thousand lives before he dies, said Jojen. The man who never reads lives only one.”
My personal opinion on book reading is quite similar.
"The best way to get a brand new pair of eyes is to read books. It changes how you see the world ."
My next ten books to read stacked in the picture below. Have you read any one of them? It would be great to know your review.
Upvote and resteem if you liked the post.
I don't read as much as I used to-- I write more these days-- but I did read quite a bit of Gladwell's work. On the whole, I like what he has to say, but he always struck me as leaving a lot of stuff unanswered and ambiguously open. As you pointed out, he seems to contradict himself at times...
Thank you much for coming here. Let me follow you, sir. I would love to know about your work as well. I think I will pay a detailed visit to your blog.
Receiving a comment from a writer is a great honor for me. Please be around to guide. Thank you!
I read a lot of books in my time, now a days I don't take as much time for reading since I'm so engrossed in steemit. I will get back to my book reading soon enough, but there's so much to learn here, I don't know when I'll get tired of learning about the blockchains :)
I do applaud your efforts, however. Reading lots of books is a key to a well developed mind, in my opinion.
Lately, I have been involved here too much as well and that means less focus on reading. I do not want to sacrifice my hard-earned habit of reading fot anything so I am going to get back to books and reach my goal this year as well.
Thank you so much. I can see why your time has been consumed by your recent activities on Steemit. It is great work that you are doing.
I read The Alchemist two years ago....And it was hell of an inspirational book....
Take my advise and read it first, I bet you will fall in love with Paulo Coelho...
And tell be how many reading hours you spare weekly, because lately I have been lagging in my reading spree and this worries me very much some times.
Watching you write about books made me inspired again.
I have three recommendations for the first book to read this year now. I have been very good in some parts of last year and sluggish in others. Last two weeks have been disastrous.
One good thing to do is to always keep a book with you, always!
Yeah like when travelling on bus or sitting in waiting room.
Wow the best article according to my interest. Ahan I enjoyed to read it tooooooooo much. I have also been crazy of reading books,but not getting enough time these days due to personal engagements.
So I have got some experience from reading books; and I feel that reading really opens a whole new world in front of me. It gives wings to my imagination, lifts my spirit and provides me with an abundance of knowledge.
Reading adds a varied range of words to our vocabulary, and can give us fancy ways to use the words we already know. Usage of correct words at a correct time can help us communicate our point effectively.
As I am focusing on doing M Phil in the nearest future so I am again going to give time again to my studies because it makes me realize who really I am and makes my life more meaningful..
In 2017 you read 10 books and in 2018 you are also going to read ten books again...... that is wonderful achievement. best wishes for you
Thank you so much for sharing such a heart touching article @ilyastarar
It is really nice to learn about your reading experience and educational ambitions. I wish you best of luck for your plans!
Reading Books is an excellent skill. There are many benefits of developing this habit like it will increase our vision and improved focus, concentration, better writing skills, mental stimulation, memory improvement etc!
In 2018, I set a goal to read at least 5 books.
Congratulations on achieving 60 Reputation @ilyastarar!
That's a great thing to set a target and I hope you achieve your goal. Thank you and good luck!
This comes at the perfect time when I am trying to learn German. I know I have to put in the 10,000 hours. Thanks.
update 20hrs not 10,000 hrs
No no no! Don't focus on 10,000 hours. Watch the First 20 Hours video that I included.
Oh sorry I meant 20 hours. Working smarter :)
Nowadays people don't read as often as they ought to.
Anyone can publish, anything on the internet. But to become an author takes a lot of work and vetting by the publishers.
No doubt about that. It's a lot of effort on the part of author to officialy publish a book.
bro can we talk for a min please
Yeah sure. Please reach me on discord. (@ilyastarar)
I apply 10,000 hours rule to my leathercraft. I spend around 7 years, 8 hours per day to practise my leathercraft. I regard after you spent 10,000 hours in one field, you still cannot claim yourself an expert, it is just an entrance of getting into an expert level. You must be very humble, willing to improve yourself. Seeking for rooms to improve your skills.
I would like to share a documentary with you. It called "Jiro Dreams of Sushi" :
This is one of my favourite documentary. Jiro Ono is the world famous sushi craftsman. Even he is 80 years old, he still thinks how to improve himself.
I hope I can bring you some inspiration.
Cheers~@victorshek
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