Reviewed by Jolly Mokorosi
To say that I was challenged by the book is an understatement. This book looks into common denominators in the success of ‘outliers’ and dispels some deep seated myths about how and why people succeed. I confess that I am writing this review after my second reading of the book. The book is not a Christian book per se but has much that anyone can learn. If anything it supports some strong Biblical themes. It is relevant to the manager as well as the soccer mom, the genitor and the CEO. There are not many books I can say that for.
You can get the book in hardcopy, like the first version that I purchased. This time round I bought a Kindle version for my iPad from Amazon. I later learnt you can download a PDF version too, for free, but my Kindle version is still my favourite. I often like second reads because they bring about deeper understanding of concepts and you catch things you missed the first time round.
There is so much to glean from this book but I will focus on these 3 takeaways:
The 10 000 hours Rule
For years I had heard of the 10 000 hours rule for becoming an expert in anything. The premise of the theory is that you need 10 000 hours of practice to become an expert. Well I am taking deliberate steps to clock in those hours in a number of disciplines.
Cultural Legacies
We are consciously or unconsciously influenced by generations old cultural legacies. This revelation has made me ponder the cultural legacy that has been left for me and that I intend to pass on to my children. What the implications are for nation building is still something I am chewing on and it may become the subject of an economic development paper on my part. More immediately I have become more conscious of it in people I interact with.
Opportunities of a Lifetime
I once heard that the opportunity of a lifetime must be taken in the lifetime of that opportunity. The book makes a strong case for that belief. I really enjoyed the examples that support this theory.
Favourite quote – Those three things – autonomy, complexity, and a connection between effort and reward- are, most people agree, the three qualities that work has to have if it is to be satisfying.
I would give the book a 4.5 out of 5 because it didn’t get to the point fast enough in some areas and then proceeds to labour the point but I will definitely be reading the book again. It is a classic.
Do you have a recommended read? Let us know. Leave a comment below.