Outliers

Hard work is a prison sentence only if it does not have meaning.

It is headquartered in the prestigious office building known as Black Rock.

Their world—their culture and generation and family history—gave them the greatest of opportunities.

“practical intelligence.”

“knowing what to say to whom, knowing when to say it, and knowing how to say it for maximum effect.” It is procedural: it is about knowing how to do something without necessarily knowing why you know it or being able to explain it.

Instead, what started out as adversity ended up being an opportunity.

changed and he was ready.

The sense of possibility so necessary for success comes not just from inside us or from our parents. It comes from our time: from the particular opportunities that our particular place in history presents us with.

what truly distinguishes their histories is not their extraordinary talent but their extraordinary opportunities.