Activity 7.5

I don't believe that Gladwell agrees with the term "recipe for success". A recipe, by definition, means that written every step has to be followed dutifully in order for the end product to be deemed a success. The metaphor also seems to say that if a person doesn't have, say, all the right ingredients, then success is out of reach.

Rather agree with the recipe metaphor, Gladwell advocates that, while a person can better set up success than others (more opportunity, more money, easier access to education), anybody can be successful by devoting all their time, effort and resources onto their craft. There does not seem to be a particular plan or recipe that will lead to success without fail.

It would seem that Gladwell would agree with Dwek and her theory of malleable vs. fixed mindsets. If a person were to be confined by a fixed mindset, then Gladwell would say that success might be out of her reach. There is no growth there, no striving to complete the her goal. Gladwell would say that a malleable mindset is needed; there needs to be the desire to grow, to continuously learn. This is evidenced by Gladwell's comparison between the Russian proverb ("If God does not bring it, the earth will not give it"), which he describes as "the kind of fatalism and pessimism typical of a repressive feudal system, where pheasants have no reason to believe in the efficacy of their own work", and the Chinese proverb "No one who can rise before dawn three hundred and sixty days of the year fails to make his family rich" (237-238).

He writes, "Virtually, every success story...so far involves someone or some group working harder than their peers," (239). This seems to support the idea that one has to have the desire to continually get better at their craft in order to be successful.

Gladwell would also agree that a strong sense of self-efficacy is necessary for success.

Gladwell's main points:

• That a person's willingness to put in the work (his 10,000 hours of effort) into a craft supersedes "talent" or "natural ability". How much effort an individual puts into their circumstances can directly lead to their success or their failure (ie. "the miracle of meaningful work") (269). 
• Also, family background and a person's cultural legacy plays a significant role in figuring a person's propensity for success. Environment is a big part of success, even though it is not the only part. 

The importance of the environment on learning fits into social cognitive theory. What information comes to a people flows from their surroundings, whether it be what type of schools students are exposed to, which teachers they receive, how their friends and families act, what opportunities are in store, etc. This is what people model their behavior of, according to social cognitive theory. Likewise, it plays a significant role in Gladwell's recognition of achievement. Social cognitive theory and Gladwell's understanding of success are analogous in this respect.