In her 2001 bestseller Seabiscuit, author Laura Hillenbrand introduced readers to an underdog story about the horse who came out of nowhere to become a legend. Seabiscuit, a small horse so broken that owners had considered euthanizing him, stood only 15 hands high. This smallish mud-colored animal with forelegs that didn’t straighten all the way, had an inauspiciousRead more
In 1968, sociologist Robert Merton used the term “The Matthew Effect” to explain the origins of exceptional people when he formulated the theory of “cumulative advantage.” The term has its foundation in the Christian gospel of Matthew: “For to all those who have, more will be given, and they will have an abundance; but fromRead more
This week, after more than a quarter of a decade at the helm, Amazon founder Jeff Bezos announced that he will step away from his role as chief executive later this year and transition to the role of executive chair. Since its founding in 1995, Bezos has overseen the company from an online bookseller toRead more
About this time last year, I bought a new car that has sensors on the mirrors that warn me when someone travels into my blind spot. It took me a while to get used to the new technology, as it always does, but once I learned to rely on the flashing warning lights, I startedRead more
In 1992, relationship counselor John Gray wrote the highest-ranked work of non-fiction of the 1990s: Men Are from Mars, Women Are from Venus. Gray drew criticism from every corner, primarily because he lacked credentials. Few thought his communication courses in psychology had prepared him to assert that most problems between men and women occur becauseRead more
