Success is something many people strive for while becoming the person they want to be. Success isn't just an equation you can put into a calculator. To achieve what an individual calls “success,” there are many complex paths to get to the destination. But what exactly is the definition of success? Malcolm Galdwell, the author of Outliers: The Story of Success, never actually defines his own version of success. After taking the time to analyze the book, I came to see what Gladwell's version of success really was. From what I understand, Gladwell's definition is that success is a combination of opportunity and cultural heritage that leads to wealth or power. Gladwell believes success is anything but simple. Outliers only tell the story of people and companies that rose to money, power, or built an empire. Many of the people cited as examples in Outliers, like the Beatles and Steve Jobs, would be considered great men by most of the world. What about the typical Joe? How does he define success? Not everyone wants money and power. Some people just want to start a family and find a place to live. So what is the difference between a great man like Steve Jobs and a good man like the rest of us? Their heritage is what sets them apart. So the real question I hope to answer in this essay is: Is it better to be a good man or a great man? Say no to plagiarism. Get a tailor-made essay on “Why Violent Video Games Should Not Be Banned”? Get the original essayMalcolm constantly talks about the opportunities many of the men in his book had that led them to change the world. A good example is the 10,000 hour rule, which states that one must train for 10,000 hours to master that specific task. One way to understand the 10,000 hour rule is that success is not necessarily about talent but rather about hard work. An illustration to support Gladwell's claim is "...I could not find 'natural' musicians, who floated effortlessly to the top while practicing a fraction of the time their peers did" ( Gladwell 39). What makes great men great is the ability to put in 10,000 hours. Without 10,000 hours of practice, we wouldn't have some of today's popular musicians such as The Beatles and even Billie Eilish. How great men had the opportunity to spend their hours was usually a chance discovery. It was a matter of coincidence and timing. Practice time is what makes them “great,” but without it, many of the people we know as successful wouldn't even be famous at all. Gladwell talks about how people don't take advantage of opportunities that come their way. Has he ever thought that maybe they don't practice things that can be tracked for hours? A good man has an impact on the people around him. They practice loving and helping others their whole lives because they chose to seize this opportunity. Even though someone who is defined as successful can help the world at large, those around them don't really feel that way. A good scenario is that of Bill Gates. Bill Gates has 3 children but is also known to be very dedicated to his work. His entire world revolves around his work. They may not be the main focus of one's life. He loves his children very much but he is not always there for them because of his busy work schedule. This consequently leads him to neglect his.