Poe Reads Outliers With Predictable Results

I’ve been reading this book by Malcolm Gladwell. (NOTE--I AM ABOUT TO GIVE AWAY MUCH OF THIS BOOK, SO IF THAT BOTHERS YOU, SKIP THE REST OF THIS PARAGRAPH)He says the road to success is being born in either January, February, or March between 1953 and 1955 into a middle class Jewish family working in the garment trade. I go “ditto ditto ditto (if you count that my great-grandfather was a hatter.)” But if I’m so smart, why aren’t I successful?

Suddenly I feel not good enough.

I’d like to ask Mr. Gladwell how many outliers grew up in violent, alcoholic homes, where there was hell to pay for making any kind of a mistake, including being too happy or spontaneous? How many were social outcasts for being atheists, Yankees, non-athletic, and having a dad who was a communist? Huh? Huh?


Then I read this: Successful people don’t just spring full grown from Zeus’s forehead. If you spend at least 10,000 hours (about ten years) of doing something, you’ll be a huge success.

I realize I have done 10,000 hours of Al-Anon, reading, petting cats,and goofing off.

(This morning I shared all this with my friend Donna and she tells me I am way too hard on myself. Donna suggests...

A SOLUTION:
Imagine looking at yourself from outside and visualize how you'd like to be. What would you look like, even down to facial expression?

I will try this and report back.)