Middle Class and Hard Work
In life, all individuals want to stand out. They want to be the diamond in the rough, but only a few of them can ever be such a thing. According to Malcolm Gladwell, in his book Outliers, he asserts that individuals who are granted opportunities and advantages, which not everybody is given by fate, are more successful. He implicates that opportunity, hard work, birthdate, 10,000 hours rule, and the background of the person are essential factors when being an outlier.
Out of these aspects, working ard would have to be the one factor that surpasses the rest in this scenario. Malcolm Gladwell emphasizes many characteristics on what being an outlier is. The most important is hard work, “… [for] if you work hard enough and assert yourself, and use your mind and imagination, you can shape the world to your desires”(1 51). Without hard work, nothing will ever be accomplishable. Tonina Hoang, a McDonald’s franchisee, writes, “l work hard to ensure that they stay motivated and develop their careers… Nothing ever comes without having to work for it.
Everyone who is famous, or a doctor, or a lawyer has gotten through the baby steps and have overcome many obstacles to reach where they are now. Gladwell states that, “No one who can rise before the dawn three hundred sixty days a year fails to make his family rich”(137), further emphasizing that success is achievable if hard work is put in. Hard work will eventually pay off in the end. “A Success Story’ an article in the Infotrac Newsstand claims that “hard work, patience and dedication helped Muhammad Ayub of Wasa] become assistant director (legal) from a Junior pump operator. Always have optimism because one may think people do not notice what one does, but in fact, everyone notices whether one is putting effort or Just going through the motions. Gladwell touches on how “We overlook Just how large a role we all play–and by ‘we’ I mean society–in determining who makes it and who doesn’t”(33). Sometimes people do not see how big of an impact they have to the society, but everyone is essential in order for the society to function properly. Gladwell fortifies diligence when he asserts “Hard work is only a prison sentence when you lack motivation”(42).
In order to be successful, the individual must have the motivation to pursue their ambitions without feeling obligated to. Although working hard is a critical aspect in becoming an outlier, there are other factors that are important but not as critical. Gladwell claims “It comes from our time: from the particular opportunities that our place in history presents us with”(58). People are given different opportunities; they all depend on the time one was born nd how each and everyone’s background began.
Not everyone had the same openings. For example, a lower class family would not have had the same chances as a middle class family. Gladwell affirms, “It’s knowledge that helps you read situations correctly and get what you want”(87). Being highly intelligent is perhaps another key factor in becoming an outlier, for not being so, one would not have as much success as others. However, none of these things would ever be possible if one does not push oneself and commit to work harder than others.
Outliers play a huge role on society It we did not nave them, some ot the high quali corporate items, like Apple products, would have never been created. Success does not come as easy as it may seem. However, if one decided to stand out from the rest of society with Gladwell’s guidelines, they could possibly become the next outlier. Outliers are not Just born out of the blue (although some may be); they work hard, take the opportunities when they are given the chance, and overcome their social status.
