Here are some interesting points and reflections derived from the talk.
The importance of Outliers
They illustrate the manners or ways to rise above the average.Though they don't fit neatly in theories and thus inconvenient to explain or acknowledge.
Focusing on the average
There is a tendency to focus on the average or the normal. Even if the "normal" is above a greater average - for example in a class in one of the best schools.
Actually the idea of streaming in school in Singapore is similar to what he said about sitting in a class of smart peers in harvard or yale. people will just tend to feel less special or accomplished (as being a part of an increasingly homogeneous group) and benchmark changes. which in turn affects happiness as well.
Formula for success in singapore context?
The formula for happiness is not: if you work harder > become more successful > more happy
As that means your goalpost keeps shifting further in the other side of the next triumph or success.
Perhaps that's why the singaporeans are not so happy because we are always compelled to do better than our peers, and then streamed according to the results and so on.
Strategies to improve happiness
If we reverse the formula > positive training that will make you more success.
"3 gratitudes" exercise > will help train the brain to scan our environment for good things.
The critical attitude - the need for authority, supervisors, to "value add" by criticising the existing > results or corresponds to the way a sense of authority naturally comes with the one who would give pointers or a new perspective.
The correlation of authority and criticism is confounding, i think.
We ought to reexamine this relationship.
For true and worthy deference and respect is never given resentfully or offered in compensation to escape from a sense of inferiority from the, well, inferior.
Anyway, it's worthwhile to pursue these strategies to be happy and ignore the conventional measures of success such as status, promotion, money, and ostentatious luxuries, such as recognition and fame.
