outliers terms

The 10,000 Hour Rule

• The idea that it takes 10,000 hours of practice to become an expert in a specific field

• Only the people who are given the opportunity to put in these hours can become outliers

The Matthew Effect

• Small initial advantages accumulate over time, creating huge gaps in achievement

• Systems reward early winners with more opportunities, making their success look inevitable in hindsight

• When we only look at successful people’s talent, we miss the invisible advantages that helped them pull ahead

Chris Langan

• Langan’s IQ was round 195, by only his cognitive ability, he should’ve been successful

• Langan grew up in poverty, with little family support

• When he ran into problems at college, he didn’t have the skills to advocate for himself

• He didn’t have the “practical intelligence” needed for the world

Robert Oppenheimer

• Oppenheimer grew up with elite upbringing and cultural capital

• When he got in trouble at Cambridge, his family connections and social skills protected him from worse consequences

• He had the high IQ and practical intelligence needed to be successful

• This shows that family background and social class are crucial, invisible skills

Bill Gates

• Born when computers were just becoming powerful and viable

• Had access to a computer terminal and later, had nearly unlimited computer access at U of Washington'

• 10,000 hour rule: thousands of hours of programming experience before most people even used a computer

• Grew up in a upper-middle class family that supported his interests

• Gates’s success was a product of timing, access, and background

The Beatles

• 10,000 hour rule: played 8 hours a night, giving them more live experience than any other band at the time

• Grew up in a city with a thriving music scene, giving them venues and mentors to help them

• Successful due to talent plus opportunity plus tons of practice

Hockey Players

• Youth hockey leagues in Canada group players by calendar year, kids born in Jan, Feb, or March, are bigger and stronger than kids born in the fall

• Kids that are slightly better will then get placed on elite teams, giving them extra practice + attention

• What looks like natural talent or hard work is often the result of hidden advantages

• Matthew Effect

Concerted Cultivation

• Common in upper and middle class families

• Parents actively develop their children’s skills through organized activities and constant guidance

• Children learn how to negotiate with authority and advocate for themselves “practical intelligence”

• This equips children with the invisible skills needed to turn potential into success

Natural Growth

• Used by poor and working-class families

• Children are given freedom to play and explore, but lack “practical intelligence”, the ability to negotiate with authority and advocate for themselves

• Natural growth highlights that talent alone isn’t enough