From Chapter 10 “Optimism/Enthusiasm” in Ingredients of Outliers. I imagine that, at one time or another, you’ve read or heard various definitions comparing optimism and pessimism. Perhaps the oldest and most familiar one involves a glass of water (or other beverage), which the optimist describes as half-full, and the pessimist as half-empty.Well, I recently heard of a young boy who turned that comparison upside down. After drinking half of his glass of milk, he set it down and announced: “I’m an optimist. My glass is half-empty.” Told that his view was pessimistic, he replied: … [Read more...]
Key Traits of an Entrepreneur
From Chapter 7, "Tolerating Risk: Being a Doer, Not a Dreamer" in Ingredients of Outliers Integrity/Detail-Oriented Setting the integrity bar high (more on that later) is a must for the successful entrepreneur. At one point in our history, I had someone working for me who was the embodiment of hard work. She worked night and day and knew every aspect of the business. She just had two little issues. The first was that she was like Chicken Little—the sky in her world was always falling, though she was always there to save the day. I learned over time that she devised some of these … [Read more...]
Imperturbability- Staying Calm
From Chapter 6, "Imperturbability- Staying Calm" in Ingredients of Outliers In this age of technology and instant everything, which arrived with visions and promises of greater efficiency and effectiveness, we were assured that by now we’d be enjoying lives of greater leisure and pleasure than ever before. Instead, stress levels are sky- high as we collectively bemoan the gloom and doom that awaits our children and grandchildren. Do you know anyone who hasn’t stated, “Oh, my Gosh, I am so stressed!”? It seems as though Uncle Sam, the once tall and proud symbol of our nation, has … [Read more...]