Hello Steemians,

If you have been following my blog for a while, you may have an idea that I am a book reader. I wasn't always a reader though. I had to develop this amazing habit with a lot effort and behavior modification. Basically, I have always been a reader but relied on short articles. It all started in 2016. I started reading again (because I had read Harry Potter during School days).

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In 2016, I was able to read eight books, despite starting only halfway through the year. In 2017, I set a goal to read at least 10 books. That is also completed. In 2018, I will read at least, but not limited to, ten books again; this time some books with bigger volumes (pictures later).

Outliers by Malcolm Gladwell

I finished reading this book February, 2017. I found it to be an excellent and thought provoking book I must say. Personally, I felt a few steps nearer to knowing myself. It was an amazing feeling to understand who I was and how I had become the current version of myself. 

I would totally agree to what William Nicholson has to say.

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About The Book

Rating: ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐

This book is 'the story of success'.  It says that there's nothing really extraordinary about success. It's just a mix of history, community, opportunity, and legacy. Success is a result of habits, culture, chances, and practice.   

• It matters where we come from. 
  
• It matters how much we work on our talents.
   
• It doesn't matter how much talent we have. 
  
• It does matter how we polish our talent and combine it with our attitudes and character.

Despite liking the experience I had while reading this book, I do not agree with the over simplicity of success  that it points to. In my opinion and experience so far in life, success does not just happen. While it matters who we are and where we come from, it also matters how much we have tried.

For example, the author credits Bill Gates' and Steve Jobs' success partly to the fact they were born in 1950's; the perfect time to be born if you had wished to build Microsoft and Apple. However, the book contradicts itself by mentioning one very popular rule.

The 10,000 Hour Rule

This is the part I totally agree with. It also negates the author's simplification of success (crediting success to pure opportunity). The 10,000 Hours Rule is based on study of a psychologist named Andres Ericsson. It basically says:-

...10,000 hours of practice is required to achieve the level of mastery associated with being a world-class expert—at anything.  

For the sake of clarity, I am sharing a YouTube video in which Malcolm Gladwell himself talks about the 10,000 hours rule.

Interestingly, the very author who had studied 10,000 hours rule, Andres Ericsson, has publicly mentioned that Malcolm Gladwell took his 10,000 hours study wrong. Another study seemed to have destroyed the rule altogether. More interestingly, Josh Kaufman , author of The Personal MBA, has reduced the amount of time required to become good at anything just to 20 hours. Watch his TED video. Interesting!

I would say that 10,000 hours is a good time to become world-class expert at anything but 20 hours of learning should be enough to become fairly good at something.

Conclusion

Reading is a powerful habit. I had a hard time developing it but it's totally worth it. It totally takes you to the top 5 % in the world. George R.R. Martin said: -

 “A reader lives a thousand lives before he dies, said Jojen. The man who never reads lives only one.” 

My personal opinion on book reading is quite similar.

 "The best way to get a brand new pair of eyes is to read books. It changes how you see the world ."

My next ten books to read stacked in the picture below. Have you read any one of them? It would be great to know your review.

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