Book 253 - A Year of Magical Learning

Reflection Title: Nothing is ever as simple as it seems!

Book – David and Goliath: Underdogs, Misfits, and the Art of Battling Giants by Malcolm Gladwell (Part 2/2)

Book Description:

In David and Goliath, Malcolm Gladwell challenges how we think about obstacles and disadvantages, offering a new interpretation of what it means to be discriminated against, or cope with a disability, or lose a parent, or attend a mediocre school, or suffer from any number of other apparent setbacks.

Gladwell begins with the real story of what happened between the giant and the shepherd boy those many years ago. From there, David and Goliath examines Northern Ireland's Troubles, the minds of cancer researchers and civil rights leaders, murder and the high costs of revenge, and the dynamics of successful and unsuccessful classrooms—all to demonstrate how much of what is beautiful and important in the world arises from what looks like suffering and adversity.

Reflection:

While I may have spent my first reflection of David and Goliath making sure I let the world know that the words “desirable disadvantages” is offensive, gross, and just plain wrong, I still really did enjoy this book and learned a lot and thought I owed it to Malcolm to write another reflection with my usual positive outlook. So here it goes…

One of the biggest lessons I took from David and Goliath that will always stick in my mind is nothing is ever as simple as it first appears. This sentiment is the true calling card of any great Malcolm Gladwell work as he makes you think differently, view the world differently, and opens your eyes to thoughtfully crafted alternative explanations.

We’ve discussed this a lot over this journey, but paradigms are everything. Understanding how you view the world and how others view the world might be the most critical element in effective communication and navigating this world. As Daniel Kahneman puts it, we are all blinded by the “what you see is all there is” bias. To overcome this, we really must dig deep into our imaginations and unleash our curiosity if we have any chance at what we see NOT being all there is.

How do you do it?

Sadly, for me, it was an atomic blast that was a direct hit on my family that came in the form of the early birth and subsequent death of my first-born child, Emilia. Let me tell you, there is nothing like an atomic blast to wake you from your slumber to see that this world is not as simply as you once thought. I had no choice but to see things differently if I was going to survive this world. It took me a long time, but from this atomic blast and the subsequent pain and suffering my family endured is what led me ultimately to find my imagination, rediscover my curiosity, and invent a new way for me to look at the world where I could still live a lifetime with my daughter in my mind and through my actions.

That atomic blast is something I would never wish upon anyone; hence my aversion to the words “desirable disadvantages”.

However, there is no denying that there are advantages in waking up from this world, unlocking the ability to see the hidden paradigms that exist all around you, and using your God given superpowers of your imagination and curiosity to guide your journey through this world. If you do that, I can promise you that you will be well on your way to living a life of meaning and purpose which is what this journey is all about.

Malcolm Gladwell asks the question, “Are you desperate enough to change?”

I think that is the wrong question to ask because it implies that something out of your control is forcing your hand to guide you toward change or self-destruction.

I would change that question to say, “Are you healthy enough to stay curious?”

If there is anything that I hope someone else to learn from my life, it is that YOU DO NOT NEED an atomic blast or a “desirable disadvantage” to happen to you to awaken you up from your slumber. It is tempting to listen to Malcolm Gladwell’s hypothesis of desirable disadvantages or hear my story of an atomic bomb that rocked my world and think to yourself, “Well that must be the only way”.

Believe me…it is not.

All you must do is focus on living a life filled with actions that correspond to your values and your imagination and curiosity will find you find you. That is how you tap into the best of your humanity naturally and end up living a life of purpose and meaning. It is really that simply…or I guess you can wait for some atomic bomb to rock your world and force your hand and see if you survive…your decision!

Question: Are you healthy enough to stay curious?

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Links:

What is The Year of Magical Learning? - An Introduction

YOML Podcast Discussion - Coming Soon

YOML Bookstore - David and Goliath by Malcolm Gladwell