Did they know why they knew? Not at all. But the Knew!

You don't start at the top if you want to find the story. You start in the middle, because it's the people in the middle who do the actual work in the world.

We overlook just how large a role we all play--and by 'we' I mean society--in determining who makes it and who doesn't.

It takes ten thousand hours to truly master anything. Time spent leads to experience; experience leads to proficiency; and the more proficient you are the more valuable you'll be.

There are exceptional people out there who are capable of starting epidemics. All you have to do is find them.

To build a better world we need to replace the patchwork of lucky breaks and arbitrary advantages today that determine success--the fortunate birth dates and the happy accidents of history--with a society that provides opportunities for all.

...mediocre people find their way into positions of authority...because when it comes to even the most important positions, our selection decisions are a good deal less rational than we think.