Practical Intelligence

I'm reading a book called Outliers by Malcolm Gladwell. He's talking about how people are successful. Once concept he is writing about is "practical intelligence." This is where you know what to say and how to say it and with whom. This is what gets some people into certain opportunities and other not. I think this is the reason that some people get certain jobs--they know what to say and how to say to impress. I'm not sure if I used my practical intelligence in the interview. I just pray for God's favor because when I fail, God has to step in.

In the book Gladwell speaks about 10,000 hour rule. I like this chapter. He is basically saying that in order to be great and successful, it's not based upon your intellect, education, or money, but it's based upon your practice. How many times do you practice what you want to do? He goes on to explain how Bill Joy and Bill Gates didn't just luck up to being the successful people they are today. Their stories stated when they were teens practicing what they loved--computer work. He also talks about the Beatles and the hours of performing in Hamburg because they became famous.

This is one thing that I've been telling some of the people that I work with. We have to be in preparation for our opportunity. No one is successful without first being prepared. I gave them the illustration of David and Goliath. Before David killed Goliath, he was tending his father's sheep and a bear came along and he protected the sheep by killing the bear. Then a lion came along and he protected the sheep by killing the lion. David was prepared for Goliath. Just like Bill Gates was prepared for Microsoft because as an 8th grader he started a computer club when there was no such thing as computer clubs even on college campuses. Then the opportunities came and he nailed it.

Many people say that all you need is an idea. Well, that is true, one idea can change your life, but you have to have that experience to make that idea work. You have to have been prepared to make it work!! I thank God for the validation of what he gave me!!