The “10,000 Hour” phenomenon does not make an outlier as Gladwell proposes, it is a result, not the cause. Each of the “outliers” spent time, practiced their skill because they loved what they were doing. Gladwell quotes (Outliers, pg. 52) Bill Gates as saying “It was my obsession”. All of the “outliers” found their talent, loved it and spent as much time as they could learning and perfecting it. Gladwell uses Wolfgang Mozart as an example of the “10,000 Hour” phenomenon (Outliers, pg. 40) stating that although Mozart was composing at age six, it was not that good. I believe Mozart should have been classified as an “outlier” at age six, the quality of his work is not important. The fact that he composed at such an early age should qualify him as an “outlier”.
I grew up with a parent, my …show more content…
I didn’t really love playing and I really hated practicing but I continued with lessons for the next three years. One day my mother and I were visiting our friends, Mrs. Jakes and her daughter Karen. The Jakes had a piano, so my mother asked me to play a song for our friends. I played one of my favorite songs (I had three that I could play really well), the Jakes were impressed. Karen asked her mother if she could take lessons too. Mrs. Jakes agreed and told Karen she would find a piano teacher in their area. I continued taking lessons thought seventh grade, barely practicing, but still taking lessons. I was finally allowed to quit in eighth grade when my piano teacher passed away. It was unfortunate but I was happy to stop the piano lessons. About two years later, my mother and I visited our friends again, the Jakes were happy to see us, it had been a long time in between visits. We knew that Karen had been taking piano lessons, so it wasn’t a surprise when her mother asked her to play us a song. When Karen started playing, my mouth almost hit the floor, she was fantastic. I couldn’t believe she was that good after two years! She was
I grew up with a parent, my …show more content…
I didn’t really love playing and I really hated practicing but I continued with lessons for the next three years. One day my mother and I were visiting our friends, Mrs. Jakes and her daughter Karen. The Jakes had a piano, so my mother asked me to play a song for our friends. I played one of my favorite songs (I had three that I could play really well), the Jakes were impressed. Karen asked her mother if she could take lessons too. Mrs. Jakes agreed and told Karen she would find a piano teacher in their area. I continued taking lessons thought seventh grade, barely practicing, but still taking lessons. I was finally allowed to quit in eighth grade when my piano teacher passed away. It was unfortunate but I was happy to stop the piano lessons. About two years later, my mother and I visited our friends again, the Jakes were happy to see us, it had been a long time in between visits. We knew that Karen had been taking piano lessons, so it wasn’t a surprise when her mother asked her to play us a song. When Karen started playing, my mouth almost hit the floor, she was fantastic. I couldn’t believe she was that good after two years! She was