--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: It is those who are successful, in other…" description: "\"It is those who are successful, in other words, who are most likely to be given the kinds of special opportunities that lead to further success. It’s t..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/8c8/malcolm-gladwell-348_advantage_it-is-those-who-are-successful-in-other_1859382.png" --- # It is those who are successful, in other words, who are… ![“It is those who are successful, in other words, who are most likely to be given the kinds of special opportunities that lead to further success. It’s the rich who get the biggest tax breaks. It’s the best students who get the best teaching and most attention. And it’s the biggest nine- and…” quote by Malcolm Gladwell](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/8c8/malcolm-gladwell-348_advantage_it-is-those-who-are-successful-in-other_1859382.png) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/8c8/malcolm-gladwell-348_advantage_it-is-those-who-are-successful-in-other_1859382.png) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/8c8/malcolm-gladwell-348_advantage_it-is-those-who-are-successful-in-other_1859382.png) > “It is those who are successful, in other words, who are most likely to be given the kinds of special opportunities that lead to further success. It’s the rich who get the biggest tax breaks. It’s the best students who get the best teaching and most attention. And it’s the biggest nine- and ten-year-olds who get the most coaching and practice. Success is the result of what sociologists like to call “accumulative advantage.” [Malcolm Gladwell](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/malcolm-gladwell/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. Success often stems from a cycle where early advantages lead to more opportunities, reinforcing the initial edge. **In simple terms:** Early advantages create more chances for success. Key Takeaway Leverage early gains to build momentum. Themes success advantage inequality opportunity Mood critical analytical Type sociological insightful When to use this quote - education - career advancement - sports training - financial planning Key Concepts cumulative advantage social capital resource allocation Questions to Reflect On - How can we create equal starting points? - What policies reduce cumulative advantage? A Different Perspective Not everyone can access initial advantages, making the cycle unfair. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Accumulative Advantage](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/accumulative-advantage-2493881/) [Advantage](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/advantage/) [Attention](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/attention/) [Best students](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/best-students/) [Best teaching](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/best-teaching/) [Break](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/break/) [Coaching](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/coaching/) [Education](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/education/) [Given](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/given/) [Kind](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/kind/) [Nine](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/nine/) [Opportunity](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/opportunity/) [Practice](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/practice/) [Results](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/results/) [Rich](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/rich/) [Sociologists](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/sociologists/) [Special](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/special/) [Students](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/students/) [Students Best](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/students-best-2493880/) [Success](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/success/) [Success Rich](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/success-rich-401561/) [Successful](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/successful/) [Taxes](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/taxes/) [Teaching](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/teaching/) [Years](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/years/) ## Related quotes > [“That the best students from mediocre schools were almost always a better bet than good students from the very best schools.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/malcolm-gladwell/that-the-best-students-from-mediocre-schools-were-almost-always-a/) [Malcolm Gladwell](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/malcolm-gladwell/) > [Stop teaching students that they are the best and the brightest.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-maister/stop-teaching-students-that-they-are-the-best-and-the-brightest/) [David Maister](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-maister/) > [Our students are the best investment we can make for our country and our future economic prosperity. It's in our best interest to ensure…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jared-polis/our-students-are-the-best-investment-we-can-make-for-our-country-and/) [Jared Polis](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jared-polis/) > [Generally students are the best vehicles for passing on ideas, for their thoughts are plastic and can be molded and they can adjust the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/theodore-white/generally-students-are-the-best-vehicles-for-passing-on-ideas-for/) [Theodore White](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/theodore-white/) > [My own experience is that a certain kind of genius among students is best brought out in bed.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/allen-ginsberg/my-own-experience-is-that-a-certain-kind-of-genius-among-students-is/) [Allen Ginsberg](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/allen-ginsberg/) > [Students are always the best.. Look how we study 1) B4 paper unnecessary sms to frndz. :O 2) Plan each day to study butend…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rachna-lakhwani/students-are-always-the-best-look-how-we-study-1-b4-paper-unnecessary/) [Rachna Lakhwani](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rachna-lakhwani/) > [“During those long stretches on the links, as I carried their bags, I watched how the people who had reached professional heights unknown to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/keith-ferrazzi/during-those-long-stretches-on-the-links-as-i-carried-their-bags-i/) [Keith Ferrazzi](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/keith-ferrazzi/) > [“I am a SUCCESS! I am the RICH! I am an associate of God's kind. I am a Champion forever.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anyaele-sam-chiyson/i-am-a-success-i-am-the-rich-i-am-an-associate-of-god-s-kind-i-am-a/) [Anyaele Sam Chiyson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anyaele-sam-chiyson/) > [The man who lives for himself is a failure. Even if he gains much wealth, position or fortune, he is still a failure. The…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/norman-vincent-peale/the-man-who-lives-for-himself-is-a-failure-even-if-he-gains-much/) [Norman Vincent Peale](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/norman-vincent-peale/) > [Poor and most middle-class people believe "If I have a lot of money, I could do what I want and I'd be a success."…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/t-harv-eker/poor-and-most-middle-class-people-believe-if-i-have-a-lot-of-money-i/) [T. Harv Eker](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/t-harv-eker/) > [“This country is founded on some very noble ideals but also some very big lies. One is that everyone has a fair chance at…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-hodgman/this-country-is-founded-on-some-very-noble-ideals-but-also-some-very/) [John Hodgman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-hodgman/) > [No one can possibly achieve any real and lasting success or 'get rich' in business by being a conformist.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/j-paul-getty/no-one-can-possibly-achieve-any-real-and-lasting-success-or-get-rich/) [J. Paul Getty](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/j-paul-getty/) > [Example, not precept, is the best teaching aid.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sathya-sai-baba/example-not-precept-is-the-best-teaching-aid/) [Sathya Sai Baba](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sathya-sai-baba/) > [There are men who teach best by not teaching at all.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/abraham-flexner/there-are-men-who-teach-best-by-not-teaching-at-all/) [Abraham Flexner](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/abraham-flexner/) > [There would be those of us who say that in many ways, you worry about what the Jews in Israel are doing to themselves.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/desmond-tutu/there-would-be-those-of-us-who-say-that-in-many-ways-you-worry-about/) [Desmond Tutu](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/desmond-tutu/) ## More by Malcolm Gladwell > [When I go to my health club, and it's in the basement, you have to take the elevator down. And this drives me crazy.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/malcolm-gladwell/when-i-go-to-my-health-club-and-it-s-in-the-basement-you-have-to-take/) [Malcolm Gladwell](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/malcolm-gladwell/) > [The tipping point is that magic moment when an idea, trend, or social behavior crosses a threshold, tips, and spreads like wildfire.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/malcolm-gladwell/the-tipping-point-is-that-magic-moment-when-an-idea-trend-or-social/) [Malcolm Gladwell](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/malcolm-gladwell/) > [“The scholars who research happiness suggest that more money stops making people happier at a family income of around seventy-five thousand dollars a year.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/malcolm-gladwell/the-scholars-who-research-happiness-suggest-that-more-money-stops/) [Malcolm Gladwell](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/malcolm-gladwell/) > [We need to be clear when we venerate entrepreneurs what we are venerating.They are not moral leaders. If they were moral leaders, they wouldn't…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/malcolm-gladwell/we-need-to-be-clear-when-we-venerate-entrepreneurs-what-we-are/) [Malcolm Gladwell](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/malcolm-gladwell/) > [“Some people look like they sound better than they actually sound, because they look confident and have good posture," once musician, a veteran of…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/malcolm-gladwell/some-people-look-like-they-sound-better-than-they-actually-sound/) [Malcolm Gladwell](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/malcolm-gladwell/) > [A handicap is like trying to race and you have a ten pound weight stuck to your waist. That is a handicap.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/malcolm-gladwell/a-handicap-is-like-trying-to-race-and-you-have-a-ten-pound-weight/) [Malcolm Gladwell](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/malcolm-gladwell/) > [“neighborhood was filled with engineers from Hewlett-Packard, then as now one of”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/malcolm-gladwell/neighborhood-was-filled-with-engineers-from-hewlett-packard-then-as/) [Malcolm Gladwell](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/malcolm-gladwell/) > [“People are ruined by challenged economic lives. But they are ruined by wealth as well because they lose their ambition and they lose their…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/malcolm-gladwell/people-are-ruined-by-challenged-economic-lives-but-they-are-ruined-by/) [Malcolm Gladwell](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/malcolm-gladwell/) > [The single most important thing a city can do is provide a community where interesting, smart people want to live with their families.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/malcolm-gladwell/the-single-most-important-thing-a-city-can-do-is-provide-a-community/) [Malcolm Gladwell](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/malcolm-gladwell/) > [ \[Norden\] said, with the Mark 15 Norden bombsight, he could drop a bomb into a pickle barrel at 20,000 feet. ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/malcolm-gladwell/norden-said-with-the-mark-15-norden-bombsight-he-could-drop-a-bomb/) [Malcolm Gladwell](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/malcolm-gladwell/) > [The willingness to be self-critical in England is much greater than the willingness to be self-critical in America.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/malcolm-gladwell/the-willingness-to-be-self-critical-in-england-is-much-greater-than/) [Malcolm Gladwell](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/malcolm-gladwell/) > [The conventional explanation for Jewish success, of course, is that Jews come from a literate, intellectual culture. They are famously "the people of the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/malcolm-gladwell/the-conventional-explanation-for-jewish-success-of-course-is-that/) [Malcolm Gladwell](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/malcolm-gladwell/) > [“An archway to one side leads to a church, the Madonna del Carmine—Our Lady of Mount Carmine. Narrow”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/malcolm-gladwell/an-archway-to-one-side-leads-to-a-church-the-madonna-del-carmine-our/) [Malcolm Gladwell](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/malcolm-gladwell/) > [People are experience-rich and theory-poor.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/malcolm-gladwell/people-are-experience-rich-and-theory-poor/) [Malcolm Gladwell](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/malcolm-gladwell/) > [“Most psychologists believe that nature—genetics—accounts for about half of the reason why we tend to act the way we do. His point is simply…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/malcolm-gladwell/most-psychologists-believe-that-nature-genetics-accounts-for-about/) [Malcolm Gladwell](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/malcolm-gladwell/) [Explore all 647 Malcolm Gladwell quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/malcolm-gladwell/) ## More Advantage quotes > [Dogmatists have one advantage: they are poor listeners.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/frans-de-waal/dogmatists-have-one-advantage-they-are-poor-listeners/) [Frans de Waal](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/frans-de-waal/) > [ Next came the Patent laws. These began in England in 1624; and, in this country, with the adoption of our constitution. Before then \[these?\],… ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/abraham-lincoln/next-came-the-patent-laws-these-began-in-england-in-1624-and-in-this/) [Abraham Lincoln](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/abraham-lincoln/) > [Talented people can predict with great accuracy what's about to happen just a tiny bit ahead of their competitors. It might be two seconds…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kevin-maney/talented-people-can-predict-with-great-accuracy-what-s-about-to/) [Kevin Maney](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kevin-maney/) > [All I ever wanted was an unfair advantage](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/garrison-wynn/all-i-ever-wanted-was-an-unfair-advantage/) [Garrison Wynn](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/garrison-wynn/) > [Part of the advantage, and part of the result of trying to be a producer and director, are the practical things, you find. It's…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/campbell-scott/part-of-the-advantage-and-part-of-the-result-of-trying-to-be-a/) [Campbell Scott](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/campbell-scott/) > [I was born with a silver microphone in my mouth, and that was an advantage. My father wrote books and was also a great…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jonathan-dimbleby/i-was-born-with-a-silver-microphone-in-my-mouth-and-that-was-an/) [Jonathan Dimbleby](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jonathan-dimbleby/) > [Like funny men, skilled diners are apparently perceived to have an evolutionary advantage.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dana-goodyear/like-funny-men-skilled-diners-are-apparently-perceived-to-have-an/) [Dana Goodyear](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dana-goodyear/) > [For some reason when I decide to pursue something, I never have any fear that it won't happen. I think it's just ingrained in…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kelly-blatz/for-some-reason-when-i-decide-to-pursue-something-i-never-have-any/) [Kelly Blatz](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kelly-blatz/) > [I think I have good hands, so I try to use them to my advantage.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bianca-andreescu/i-think-i-have-good-hands-so-i-try-to-use-them-to-my-advantage/) [Bianca Andreescu](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bianca-andreescu/) > [My influences are jazz, blues, European classical music; they are rock music and pop music. So many kinds of music. World music from different…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rokia-traore/my-influences-are-jazz-blues-european-classical-music-they-are-rock/) [Rokia Traore](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rokia-traore/) > [Baseball needs to put the steroids era behind it by having and enforcing tough rules against all kinds of artificial advantages, so that spring…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/marvin-olasky/baseball-needs-to-put-the-steroids-era-behind-it-by-having-and/) [Marvin Olasky](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/marvin-olasky/) > [Daily contact with some teachers is itself all-sided ethical education for the child without a spoken precept. Here, too, the real advantage of male…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/g-stanley-hall/daily-contact-with-some-teachers-is-itself-all-sided-ethical/) [G. Stanley Hall](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/g-stanley-hall/) > [ If \[Donald\] Trump throws 20 million off of health care, that's going to be - if he handles this badly - and it's very… ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/van-jones/if-donald-trump-throws-20-million-off-of-health-care-that-s-going-to/) [Van Jones](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/van-jones/) > [Live in the world you inhabit. Look upon things as they are. Take them as you find them. Make the best of them. Turn…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/robert-e-lee/live-in-the-world-you-inhabit-look-upon-things-as-they-are-take-them/) [Robert E. Lee](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/robert-e-lee/) > [I always tell women that the fact that you're different and that you're noticed, because there are few of us in the tech industry,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/padmasree-warrior/i-always-tell-women-that-the-fact-that-you-re-different-and-that-you/) [Padmasree Warrior](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/padmasree-warrior/) [Browse all 3,503 Advantage quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/advantage/) ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "It is those who are successful, in other words, who are most likely to be given the kinds of special opportunities that lead to further success. It’s the rich who get the biggest tax breaks. It’s the best students who get the best teaching and most attention. And it’s the biggest nine- and ten-year-olds who get the most coaching and practice. Success is the result of what sociologists like to call “accumulative advantage.", "creator": { "@type": "Person", "name": "Malcolm Gladwell" }, "isPartOf": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website" }, "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/malcolm-gladwell/it-is-those-who-are-successful-in-other-words-who-are-most-likely-to/", "about": { "@type": "Thing", "name": "Advantage" }, "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/malcolm-gladwell/it-is-those-who-are-successful-in-other-words-who-are-most-likely-to/#quotation", "image": { "@type": "ImageObject", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/8c8/malcolm-gladwell-348_advantage_it-is-those-who-are-successful-in-other_1859382.png", "contentUrl": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/8c8/malcolm-gladwell-348_advantage_it-is-those-who-are-successful-in-other_1859382.png", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/8c8/malcolm-gladwell-348_advantage_it-is-those-who-are-successful-in-other_1859382.png", "width": 1080, "height": 1080, "caption": "“It is those who are successful, in other words, who are most likely to be given the kinds of special…” — Malcolm Gladwell", "creditText": "SMS4Smile Quotes", "creator": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#organization" } } }, { "@type": "BreadcrumbList", "itemListElement": [ { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 1, "name": "Home", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 2, "name": "Quotes", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 3, "name": "Malcolm Gladwell", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/malcolm-gladwell/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 4, "name": "It is those who are successful,...", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/malcolm-gladwell/it-is-those-who-are-successful-in-other-words-who-are-most-likely-to/" } ], "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/malcolm-gladwell/it-is-those-who-are-successful-in-other-words-who-are-most-likely-to/#breadcrumb" }, { "@type": "WebSite", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website", "name": "SMS4Smile Quotes", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/", "publisher": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#organization" } }, { "@type": "Organization", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#organization", "name": "SMS4Smile Quotes", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/", "logo": { "@type": "ImageObject", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/wp-content/themes/sq/assets/icons/icon-512.png", "width": 512, "height": 512 } } ] } ```