Grateful (and other observations from Outliers)

With the Gulf waves crashing on the Easter weekend shore, I sit in the sun finishing the last few chapters of Malcolm Gladwell's book, Outliers-The story of success. This is the guy who wrote Tippling Point and Bling. What I thought would be a purely intellectual analysis of how the most successful people in the world became to be so successful... this page-turner has turned out to be a deeply affirming and inspiring look at how I, or any of us got to where we are. While it's no surprise that he suggests that it's a matter of effort (it takes 10,000 hours of practice to become great at something) and hard work (the rice farmers who work 360 days getting up before dawn each day)... he uncovers countless examples of how it's actually less about effort and more so a matter of timing, legacy, culture, a myriad of the right people helping us at just the right times, and a host of other seemingly coincidences - and the choreography of them. While debunking most of my preset assumptions about what leads to success... he focuses on how successful people constantly move toward "meaningful work", a direct relationship between work and reward, and autonomy... and in stripping away the idea that a person's own volition is enough, he leaves us with a void that only gratitude can fill. If we are successful at all... it is because a host of family, friends, teachers, bosses, co-workers, neighbors, and even strangers have helped us in just the right ways. I finished the book feeling successful - as I have meaningful relationships, meaningful work, a meaningful faith. I could sulk from the disadvantages that come from an absent, abusive father, or limited opportunities growing up fairly poor in rural Maine, and a much longer list of things that don't typically lead to success... or, on the other hand, I started to conjure up an even longer list of people and moments that shaped me that freed me and helped me get to where I am today. A caring nurse and artistic mother... a work ethic I learned from my father, how to navigate keeping the peace and fun with my siblings... building the stamina to work through college and graduate in 3 years... the lucky break of becoming a bus driver for a clinic which eventually needed some marketing help... which eventually led me to help with other start ups... which prepared me for my health care experience at AIM, and the executive training ground which sharpened me and paved the way for "meaningful" work at the Dispensary of Hope. My introduction to wine while dating Kim and later friendship with my Jimmy Collins exposed me to a growing interest in wine - which led ot the invention of Vintage Graphs with my good friend Reb. If I want to feel lucky, I don't need to look any further then crossing paths with Kim - who would eventually be my wife... as while we have our challenges, she has also been a timely source of confidence, support, and formation for me - as just the right times... Without her, I am sure I would have never been ready for any of the past 10 years. And this does not even include the unmerited hidden blessings that come from my legacy of Scottish tenacity, Simpson blue eyes, Yarnell creativity, Philadelphia grit, and Maine down-to-earth-ness. I am aware that each of these bring scars, generational sins, and dysfunctions... but they don't get enough credit for the gifts they bring into my life before I even started. So, yes, while I close this book, feeling affirmed in being successful in terms of coming from so much and now living a meaningful life, it does not puff up my ego - thinking my efforts were the prime motivator... rather, I feel humbled, grateful, and sure that God has been pouring good things into me all along... and this choreography of events has been divinely inspired all along...

PS- the last chapter of Outliers is inspiring and a beautiful tribute to the authors mother and grandmother - and Providence. You should read it if you get the chance.