Welcome back for another edition of the Bonker BookShelf. As a reminder, these blogs will come out twice a month, and will be short book reviews and recommendations based on what I am reading. If you have an interest in the book for you or someone you know, I will leave affiliated links to purchase the books on Amazon!
What I Read:
Outliers- by Malcom Gladwell
What it's about:
In his New York Times bestselling book, Malcom Gladwell takes writes about what forces are really behind what makes exceptionally successful people. Gladwell does not provide the typical narrative around high levels of success resulting from from brilliance or un-beatable work ethics. Rather, Gladwell argues that the true story of extreme successes can be attributed to factors often times people don't always see or recognize. Outliers goes into the success stories of what made the Beatles one of the greatest bands of all time, how Bill Gates had what it took to found Microsoft, the extraordinary success of Asians at math, and much more. Gladwell lays the foundational argument that often times circumstances can ultimately dictate the highest levels of success, even more so than true innate talent or work-ethic. The book really challenges the way the "Outliers" around us can be perceived, and leave you with a fresh new perspective of what it takes to be successful at something.
What you will learn:
Among the many lessons I learned from this book was the importance of perspective, and how it can benefit you to see the world from a new point of view. I believe that in today's world, it is increasingly important to learn to understand other points of view in order to form your own.
Another important lesson that comes from this book is the importance of patience. It is in Outliers, that Malcom Gladwell published and explained his theory called, "The 10,000 hours rule." (Yes, this theory existed before the low-key banger 10,000 hours by Dan and Shay ft. The Biebs) I wrote more about the 10,000 hours rule in my first ever blog, "Our Greatest Asset" and if you have not read it yet, I highly encourage you to check it out. But essentially, the rule states to truly be an expert at something, you must commit 10,000 hours of time to that craft in order to master it. This reminder of how long it takes to truly become great at something helped me remember how patience is so essential in your growth at any job or skill. I often find myself to be easily frustrated when I do not see immediate results in something I am working on, however this book allowed for me to recognize the need to be patient with myself, and allow for time to run its course.
Lastly, there is a ton of really interesting stories that you will read from the book that will surprise and captivate you. The opening few chapters tell stories of patterns found in NHL hockey players birthday's, health anomalies found in remote villages of the early American-Italian settlers, and the similarities of some of the most powerful and wealthy Americans who ever lived. I found the writing to be very easy to follow, and I think Gladwell is a great story-teller.
My Rating: = 7.9/10
Outliers was a really unique perspective and interesting read. I think there are some chapters in there for everybody, and there is plenty of lessons to be learned. Some chapters in the book can be a little dry, but its okay to skim them if they are not entirely interesting you. If you are fan of reading personal development, history, or even business books, this could be a great read for you.
In summary, Outliers provides you with a new and refreshing view on what goes into making certain people and groups "Outliers" in our society, and will leave you with a new perspective and set of knowledge about what it takes to be successful.
Interested? Buy it using my link!
Other Books on My Shelf: