Quotes
Practice isn’t the thing you do once you’re good. It’s the thing you do that makes you good.
It is those who are successful, in other words, who are most likely to be given the kinds of special opportunities that lead to further success. It’s the rich who get the biggest tax breaks. It’s the best students who get the best teaching and most attention. And it’s the biggest nine- and ten-year-olds who get the most coaching and practice. Success is the result of what sociologists like to call accumulative advantage.
In fact, researchers have settled on what they believe is the magic number for true expertise: ten thousand hours.
Once a musician has enough ability to get into a top music school, the thing that distinguishes one performer from another is how hard he or she works. That’s it. And what’s more, the people at the very top don’t work just harder or even much harder than everyone else. They work much, much harder.
Success is not a random act. It arises out of a predictable and powerful set of circumstances and opportunities.
It’s not how much money we make that ultimately makes us happy between nine and five. It’s whether or not our work fulfills us. Being a teacher is meaningful.
The Matthew Effect the rich get richer and the poor get poorer
The example: 40% of the best hockey players were born between January and March
10000-Hour Rule
The example: Bill Gates and Beatles have practiced about 10000 hours before they become famous
practical intelligence knowing what to say to when, knowing when to say it and knowing how to say it for maximum effect
The example: different path between two geniuses Chris Langan and Robert Oppenheimer
Opportunity
Joe Flom chose a less-traveled road
Thinking
I first read it for the well-known 10000-hour rule, which says you will be an expert in one area if you have practiced for 10000 hours. It gives confidence and guidance for people who want to be an expert in his area. After reading the first half of this book, I have found that it’s actually not what the author means. The 10000-hour is a necessary condition, but it does not ensure one’s success. There are many other conditions to be considered. In this book, Malcolm has proposed some examples to show that enviroment also takes a great part in one’s success. In fact, it is a little depressed to realize that family background has a profound and lasting influence on a child’s achievement. The child in poor family doesn’t have much chance to express himself and he will not learn to how to negotiate with others.