From Chapter 13 “Efficiency” in Ingredients of Outliers. Food For Thought I'm sure you've noticed some recurring themes: Put it in writing, use a checklist, press on when you feel like quitting, and stay positive-- it will work, you will learn, and you will have fun! It's much easier to be efficient when you're having fun. When you're no having fun, change your course or change your perspective. In Other Words The most efficient way to live reasonably is every morning to make a plan of one’s day and every night to examine the results obtained. ~ Alexis Carrel There is never … [Read more...]
Excellence = Effort + Preparation
From Chapter 4: "Preparation: When the Wind Blows" in Ingredients of Outliers Effort + Preparation = Excellence Having illustrated what dangerous and tragic results can occur as a result of inadequate preparation and, inversely, the amazing results of the response to danger by a thoroughly trained and prepared flight crew, let me switch gears. I began this chapter with some words of wisdom by a man named Joel Weldon. You may not know who he is, so let me introduce you to him. A former construction worker, he turned down a four-year college scholarship because he thought he wasn’t … [Read more...]
The Importance of a Checklist
From Chapter 4: "Preparation: When the Wind Blows" in Ingredients of Outliers An Important Tool During my careers as a physician, attorney, and entrepreneur—and as a pilot—I’ve come to rely heavily on a relatively simple but highly effective tool to ensure that I’m thoroughly prepared to carry out my prescribed responsibilities, as well as to respond effectively should something unexpected occur. That tool is called a checklist—a significant asset, in a wide range of activities, to prepare to deliver positive results and prevent negative ones. A pioneer and a … [Read more...]
Where’s the Flight Deck?
From Chapter 4: "Preparation: When the Wind Blows" in Ingredients of Outliers Where’s the Flight Deck? If you’re sitting on a commercial airliner that’s preparing for takeoff and happen to overhear the captain asking that question, it probably wouldn’t do a whole lot for your peace of mind. An unlikely situation? Sure it is, but I heard of one case where it could have happened. Years ago, a senior captain of one of the major airlines was preparing to fly a Boeing 747 from Los Angeles to Seoul, Korea. It would be the first time he’d ever even set foot on a 747, much … [Read more...]
Preparation
From Chapter 4, "Preparation: When the Wind Blows" in Ingredients of Outliers There’s an old tale about a wealthy farmer whose large dairy farm covered several hundred acres along Maine’s Atlantic coast. Because of the sudden and severe storms that would blow in frequently from the ocean, the farmer had trouble keeping hired hands. As soon as one of these storms would hit, they’d be on their way to safer places inland, leaving farm equipment and frightened cattle out in the storms. Then one day a young man showed up at the farmer’s front door looking for work. As the farmer … [Read more...]
Ingredients of Outliers Summary, by Dr. Douglas Winslow Cooper
What better way to look at your own work than through a fresh set of eyes? We found a summary of the foundational book in the Outlier Series, Ingredients of Outliers, not written by the author, Dr. John Shufeldt, but by another doctor, Douglas Winslow Cooper, PhD. He put the summary together for Asiance magazine, in an article titled, "How to be Outstanding". Check out his synopsis with a few of our instagram photos (follow us at @outlier_series) here: In his recently published The Ingredients of Outliers, physician-lawyer-businessman John Shufeldt, MD, JD, MBA, has written a succinct … [Read more...]