When we think about how our lives have turned out, we have a tendency to blame circumstances for our misfortunes and talent for our success. As you may already begin to suspect, there's something missing with this convenient explanation.In the following fascinating, thought-provoking and hilarious conversation with Robert Krulwich, pop sociologist Malcolm Gladwell challenges the traditional conception of talent and raw giftedness, and shows in the process that when you're born, for instance, has a much greater influence on your future success than you might imagine. Similarly, all kinds of other external forces usually conspire in brilliantly interesting ways to dictate the way your life will turn out in the end.
You may need the right circumstances to converge, but you don't have to be born 'gifted' in order to succeed. And this means that it's not entirely out of our hands, and Gladwell's research suggests some possible solutions we might want to think about without necessarily falling into the traps of self-delusion to which we are so easily susceptible.
And if you think some people really are born talented, check out the documentary My Brilliant Brain: Born Genius for some perspective.
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