Ruminating Out Loud

What do Asian-Americans, Jews and West Indian blacks have in common? Well, these groups are considered to be relatively successful in the U.S. Nicholas D. Kristof provides, yet again, another insightful opinion piece on the connection (or lack thereof) between genetics, intelligence, I.Q., and success. He debunks the myth of the connection between genetics and intelligence (and success) by contrasting the experience of these genetically disparate groups of people.

“Asian-Americans are renowned — or notorious — for ruining grade curves in schools across the land, and as a result they constitute about 20 percent of students at Harvard College.

As for Jews, they have received about one-third of all Nobel Prizes in science received by Americans. One survey found that a quarter of Jewish adults in the United States have earned a graduate degree, compared with 6 percent of the population as a whole.

West Indian blacks, those like Colin Powell whose roots are in the Caribbean, are one-third more likely to graduate from college than African-Americans as a whole, and their median household income is almost one-third higher.

These three groups may help debunk the myth of success as a simple product of intrinsic intellect, for they represent three different races and histories. In the debate over nature and nurture, they suggest the importance of improved nurture — which, from a public policy perspective, means a focus on education. Their success may also offer some lessons for you, me, our children — and for the broader effort to chip away at poverty in this country.”

Paul Graph has an instructive essay about what it takes to be a good startup founder. He is advice is “Be Relentlessly Resourceful.”

Be relentlessly resourceful.

That sounds right, but is it simply a description of how to be successful in general? I don’t think so. This isn’t the recipe for success in writing or painting, for example. In that kind of work the recipe is more to be actively curious. Resourceful implies the obstacles are external, which they generally are in startups. But in writing and painting they’re mostly internal; the obstacle is your own obtuseness.

There probably are other fields where “relentlessly resourceful” is the recipe for success. But though other fields may share it, I think this is the best short description we’ll find of what makes a good startup founder. I doubt it could be made more precise…”

This strikes me as being a good way to look at a recipe for success not just as a startup founder, but also in any avenue of interaction where one party offers a service that is consumed by another -  specifically in the new age of information explosion and super-expansion of Null Information.

We have recently looked at this issue from the perspective of publishing, in which it was argued that the interdependence between a blogger or any other generator of synthesis of information and a reader and follower is one that is symbiotically sustained and strengthened by the exchange of the pleasure of intellectual stimulation, on the creator’s part, with the source of inspiration for further creative engagement, on the part of the consumers. The creator accomplishes the ability to attract a certain level of interest from the audience by being resourceful. The good ones, you might say, are proportionally more relentlessly resourceful than others.

I think that this concept can be expanded to any avenue of creativity and business where the chances of success are directly tied to the ability of the creator or business person to offer the type of service or good that is relevant and useful to the consumer. In succeeding at being resourceful, there is an inherent accomplishment in figuring out what the needs are of the the consumer of information, service, or good. That level of understanding is the catalyst for a successful venture, to which a startup is just one of the many examples. Endowed with the keen awareness of what ticks a consumer, a properly tailored offering can be made. The genius in the phraseology Paul Graham has come up with is in the marriage of that understanding in being resourceful and the drive it takes to succeed, as in being relentless.

That is the lesson in psychology we get courtesy of a study conducted by David DeSteno and collaborators at Northeastern University and published in  Psychological Science.

Contrary to popular belief, the researchers found that pride not only leads individuals to take on leadership roles in teams, but also fosters admiration, as opposed to scorn, from teammates. “We found that pride is quite undeserving of its negative reputation,” said David DeSteno, associate professor of psychology and co-author of the study. “Pride actually constitutes a functional social emotion with important implications for leadership and the building of social capital.”

DeSteno and lead author Lisa Williams designed an experiment including individual and group activities. For the individual activities, certain participants were induced to feel proud. Participants next interacted cooperatively on a problem-solving task and were asked to evaluate their partners’ leadership and likability. The participant who received the pride induction took on a dominant role and was perceived as the most “hands-on” during the activity. In addition, their teammates viewed them as more likable than the other participants.

“These are some of the first findings that show functional outcomes of pride within the context of actual social behavior,” said Williams. “Although when taken to extremes, pride can certainly be maladaptive, this research demonstrates the emotion’s potential for fostering successful interpersonal interaction… “Pride,” they note, “can play an integral role in enhancing team functioning by fostering confidence and admiration.”

Fractional distillation is a process by which crude oil is extracted from the belly of the Earth, refined and desegregated into its multiple components.  A more elaborate explanation about the process is found in the video above. The topic I wish to discuss about is far from the actual process of distillation. It is not even related to the grand energy challenge that we face, as central an aspired focus as it is to ROL. If there is any parallel to be drawn with previously discussed topics, it is one of relating scientific concepts to other endeavors of human experience, as can be seen here and here.

The topic I wish to ROL about is one of drive, refinement, and success. The distinguishing characteristics of fractional distillation is that the boiling point of the various constituents of crude oil are dissimilar due to their respective unique molecular weight. The heavier components tend to have the lower boiling point and are evaporated out of the bottom end of the distillation column. The lighter components endure the length of the column with agility and flight until the hotter sections of the column are reached and they are finally liberated from the crude composition.

It dawned on me: Is it not the same with success? Is it not the same with perseverance? Is it not the same with endurance? There is one trait that I think is a driving force for any form of accomplishment: drive. The willingness and eagerness to continue to work at an issue is what is the equivalent of the molecular weight of the crude oil components. I will lay the following claim from the outset: The underlying universal rule of life is that perseverance pays off. It may be a delayed return to effort expended now. It may even be a goal never realized, a dream never reached, and a life toiled with pain and suffering. In the process of it, even absent the desired outcome, one gets a sense of mission and direction to life that would not have existed otherwise. Indeed, those who persevere and perspire arrive at long last to the exaltation and fruition of their dreams, if not in their life times, but generations later. They lay the foundation on which the giants of the future scale to higher ideals and places of existence.

It takes more than a goal to get a want fulfilled. It takes the agility and flexibility and the high boiling point to make it to the higher strata of a destiny. For a destiny to be realized, some of the molecular weight bearing down on us needs to be shed – the low self-esteem and expectations need to be unveiled; the fear of rejects and failure conquered, and a sense of unwavering direction and commitment built. Only when that weight is let go can the soul be freed to flights of fancy and imagination. Only when the “yes we can” mentality sears deep down and holds root, can a son of a single mother and a goat herder aspire to be  and become the leader of the free world.

Distillation has consequences. It is fundamentally a process of refinement. As such, it discriminates against the components of the crude oil based on one primary trait. Life is much like that. Life has an exacting efficiency in distinguishing between the driven and the rest. It is ruthless in endowing opportunities on the prepared and rewarding the successful. A drive, however, is the not the only consequential trait as one could argue that there are many examples of suffering peoples despite efforts. There are examples of farmers who go hungry not for the lack of drive, but the absence of timely arrival of natural rain. There is a kid who will grow up amounting to little productivity not for the lack of drive, but the negative externalities of policy failures. Indeed, one could even argue that there are many that land on success by virtue of inheritance. In spite of these examples to the contrary, I still hold that life is really a process of fractional distillation for the misfortune of unrewarded labor is only a symptom of failed societal organization. And the landing on success without the refinement process leaves one devoid of the sense of purpose for existence. I say life is all about refinement and distillation. The winners rip the benefits of attaining, if not delayed gratification, the compass and meaning for life. The losers and the short-cutters waste away a life destined for greatness if only they could climb up the distillation column.

This is the time of the year when we start discovering that we have set unrealistic expectations for ourselves. It is the time when that new year resolution that was set in the spirit of excitement and desire for self-improvement slowly slips from the grasp of reality. It is the time for an awakening; a realization of limitation.

Resolutions and goals are intrinsically expression of desire for an upward progress in fulfillment. When they are properly set and utilized, they have a channeling effect on our focus and resources towards meaningful ends. In fact, a life without goals is one that is aimlessly wandering and drifting with every-which-wave that splashes across the shores. The failure is in not reconciling the current state of being with the final destination that one aspires to get to. There is the omission of and obliviousness to the process it takes to get there. It is in the course of that process a winner is made, excellence is achieved, bad habits conquered, and relationships built. It is that hard-work that is not taken into account when the new year resolution is proclaimed.

With regard to resolutions and finding ways to effectively keep them, it is teachable to explore the issue of gifts, talent, and world-class performance. The first misconception about success, I think, is gifts and talents are desired by many and possessed by few. The thinking goes that athletic abilities, agility, dexterity, and reflexes are all endowed by creation. You can aspire to be a Michael Jordan or a Tiger Woods or a Michael Phelps or a Ronaldinho. Such pursuit leaves one exactly at one place, aspiration. That the life long preparation nurtured by environment only helps sharpen and polish a pre-existing set of skills that allows one to excel. They say a leader is born, not made. You can spire to be a Barack Obama. But, that kind of aspiration leaves one only at one place, imitation. These pronouncements are partially true in that it is highly unlikely for one to achieve a similar level of impact, let alone duplicate the success achieved by any number of these people. The key, however, is in the realization that the inspiration Barack Obama is to millions and the power he holds in his ability to communicate effectively, although cultivated through years of engagement with people of various backgrounds, is unique unto him. The abilities any number of athletes have and the package of skills they demonstrate in their craft is uniquely shaped by the environment they were brought up in and the life long coaching and preparation that has gone into accentuating their gifts and talents.

I believe excellence is a manifestation of unique gifts endowed by creation that for the most part wither undiscovered. I wonder what would have been of Roger Ferderer if he had not picked up a tennis racket; what would have been of Tiger Woods if he had not be handed a set of golf clubs; what would have been of Isaac Newton if he had not stumbled upon the thoughts about the issue of gravity; what would have been become of any person that is the epitome of excellence and a standard of high achievement. It is in musing about such scenarios that I have come to believe that there is a hidden unexplored potential that is waiting to be discovered; anxious to come alive and change the world. What distinguishes those that excel and those that fail to capitalize on the hidden gift and talent is the recognition of current level of abilities and the desire to continue to improve. Such marriage of reality with ambition is what results in sustained improvement resulting in remarkable accomplishments. It is what is lacking in the the wishful thinking that is new year’s resolution to many. The other factor is the impatience with status quo. Apparently, Obama was told that he was too young and inexperienced; that it was not his turn. He should just wait for a few election cycles before he ventures into such a grand adventure. Michael Jordan was apparently warming the bench at his college basketball team and Tom Brady as wallowing as a backup quarterback before he stepped into greatness by seizing the opportunity he had to start. It is that ability and readiness to excel that differentiates the “talented” from the rest of us. It is the impatience to self-improve and not simply settle for mediocrity. They are relentless in trying new ideas and overcoming defeats and despair; raising oneself to continue marching on the arch of success and progress.

Therefore, the lesson is that one should not despair about failing to keep a resolution. But, one should assess the current state of being, project a way forward, and commit to the process required to get there. Without that, those resolutions that are not achieved this time around and upcoming ones in the years to ahead will simply be wishful thinking. A wish without work is as thin as air; un-graspable and forever-invisible.

What is responsible for world-class achievement? How does success come to pass? The topic of performance and two books by Malcom Gladwell (Outliers: The Story of Success) and Geoff Colvin (Talent Is Overrated: What Really Separates World-Class Performers from Everybody Else) were discussed on Charlie Rose (12/19). It was an incredible program to watch as these two authors have cristalized two notions that I firmly believe are not only contributing, but determining, factors to achieving a goal or distinguishing oneself from others in any field of endeavor. These two ideas are concerned with:  

1. How conducive an environment one is brought in to that helps cultivate the the gifts and tendencies of individuals? Gladwell argues that, indeed, the fabric of recognized or unrecognized support system are behind some of the greatest achievers success. This support system that give a hidden competitive advantage to the high-achievers could come in the form of societal, cultural, or experiential. We have looked at a study that has recently come out that highlighted the effect of socioeconomic status on brain development. Needless to say, this is an example of the the impact of the environment has in endowing some with a structural advantage over others.
2. What role does disciplined and focused work ethic play in breeding success? Colvin argues that this has everything to do with it. In fact, it is not really that of natural gifts and advantages, but the persistent and focused hard-work applied to a field of study or experience that culminates into a world-class achievement. He points out that the building of greater advantage over others overtime through the understanding of past failures and the application of specific effort at addressing them is what leads to differentiation.

These two books, and other related publications, have successfully highlighted the importance environmental advantages in shaping up the outcome of an endeavor. That success is not an accident and a miraculous and immediate confluence of events to catapult one to a high level of dominance over others. It is the building of competitive advantage overtime by capitalizing on the smaller fast-starts given to one at each step of the way. Capitalizing on these fast-starts leading up to world class performance requires the application one’s mind and the discipline and perseverance to continue to improve over a long period of time. This is a prime example of what I would call the laws of incremental returns. In fact, this shall be the second law of incremental returns.

About the books via editorial reviews:

Outliers: The Story of Success (Amazon.com review)

Now that he’s gotten us talking about the viral life of ideas and the power of gut reactions, Malcolm Gladwell poses a more provocative question in Outliers: why do some people succeed, living remarkably productive and impactful lives, while so many more never reach their potential? Challenging our cherished belief of the “self-made man,” he makes the democratic assertion that superstars don’t arise out of nowhere, propelled by genius and talent: “they are invariably the beneficiaries of hidden advantages and extraordinary opportunities and cultural legacies that allow them to learn and work hard and make sense of the world in ways others cannot.” Examining the lives of outliers from Mozart to Bill Gates, he builds a convincing case for how successful people rise on a tide of advantages, “some deserved, some not, some earned, some just plain lucky.”
Outliers can be enjoyed for its bits of trivia, like why most pro hockey players were born in January, how many hours of practice it takes to master a skill, why the descendents of Jewish immigrant garment workers became the most powerful lawyers in New York, how a pilots’ culture impacts their crash record, how a centuries-old culture of rice farming helps Asian kids master math. But there’s more to it than that. Throughout all of these examples–and in more that delve into the social benefits of lighter skin color, and the reasons for school achievement gaps–Gladwell invites conversations about the complex ways privilege manifests in our culture. He leaves us pondering the gifts of our own history, and how the world could benefit if more of our kids were granted the opportunities to fulfill their remarkable potential

Talent Is Overrated: What Really Separates World-Class Performers from Everybody Else (Product Description at Amazon.com)

Expanding on a landmark cover story in Fortune, a top journalist debunks the myths of exceptional performance.
One of the most popular Fortune articles in many years was a cover story called “What It Takes to Be Great.” Geoff Colvin offered new evidence that top performers in any field–from Tiger Woods and Winston Churchill to Warren Buffett and Jack Welch–are not determined by their inborn talents. Greatness doesn’t come from DNA but from practice and perseverance honed over decades.
And not just plain old hard work, like your grandmother might have advocated, but a very specific kind of work. The key is how you practice, how you analyze the results of your progress and learn from your mistakes, that enables you to achieve greatness.
Now Colvin has expanded his article with much more scientific background and real-world examples. He shows that the skills of business—negotiating deals, evaluating financial statements, and all the rest—obey the principles that lead to greatness, so that anyone can get better at them with the right kind of effort. Even the hardest decisions and interactions can be systematically improved.
This new mind-set, combined with Colvin’s practical advice, will change the way you think about your job and career—and will inspire you to achieve more in all you do.