--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: There are exceptional people out there…" description: "\"There are exceptional people out there who are capable of starting epidemics. All you have to do is find them.\" — Malcolm Gladwell" image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/c85/malcolm-gladwell-348_capable_there-are-exceptional-people-out-there-w_2896532.png" --- # There are exceptional people out there who are capable of… ![“There are exceptional people out there who are capable of starting epidemics. All you have to do is find them.” quote by Malcolm Gladwell](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/c85/malcolm-gladwell-348_capable_there-are-exceptional-people-out-there-w_2896532.png) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/c85/malcolm-gladwell-348_capable_there-are-exceptional-people-out-there-w_2896532.png) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/c85/malcolm-gladwell-348_capable_there-are-exceptional-people-out-there-w_2896532.png) > “There are exceptional people out there who are capable of starting epidemics. All you have to do is find them.” [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. Certain individuals can spark epidemics; identifying them is key to prevention. **In simple terms:** Some people start epidemics; find them. Key Takeaway Identify and monitor influencers. Themes epidemics influence prevention Mood analytical urgent Type scientific strategic When to use this quote - health policy - contact tracing - media monitoring Key Concepts network theory public health risk assessment Questions to Reflect On - How can we detect hidden super‑spreaders? - What ethical concerns arise in targeting individuals? A Different Perspective Not all spreaders are equally reachable. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Epidemics](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/epidemics/) [People](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/people/) ## Related quotes > [Starting epidemics requires concentrating resources on a few key area. The Law of the Few says that Connectors, Mavens, and Salesman are responsible for…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/malcolm-gladwell/starting-epidemics-requires-concentrating-resources-on-a-few-key-area/) [Malcolm Gladwell](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/malcolm-gladwell/) > [“The Law of the Few says that there are exceptional people out there who are capable of starting epidemics. All you have to do…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/malcom-gladwell/the-law-of-the-few-says-that-there-are-exceptional-people-out-there/) [Malcom Gladwell](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/malcom-gladwell/) > [“The Overlooked Expert is the person who's fully capable of starting and running a profitable business.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sarah-gerdes/the-overlooked-expert-is-the-person-who-s-fully-capable-of-starting/) [Sarah Gerdes](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sarah-gerdes/) > [I always think that the exceptional people are those who remain outsiders but still communicate on a grand scale. I think I want everyone…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bat-for-lashes/i-always-think-that-the-exceptional-people-are-those-who-remain/) [Bat for Lashes](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bat-for-lashes/) > [When you have a taste for exceptional people, you always end up meeting them everywhere.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/pierre-mac-orlan/when-you-have-a-taste-for-exceptional-people-you-always-end-up/) [Pierre Mac Orlan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/pierre-mac-orlan/) > [Exceptional results arrive only when exceptional people put in exceptional effort. It never arises by accident or good fortune.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/peter-thomas/exceptional-results-arrive-only-when-exceptional-people-put-in/) Peter Thomas > [It was an experience that was exceptional. People frequently ask what it was like and it truly was inspiring. Sometimes during his lifetime, people…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-sexton/it-was-an-experience-that-was-exceptional-people-frequently-ask-what/) [John Sexton](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-sexton/) > [“There are few exceptional people, no normal ones.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/fulvio-fiori/there-are-few-exceptional-people-no-normal-ones/) [Fulvio Fiori](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/fulvio-fiori/) > [“Be exceptional amongst exceptional people.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/wesam-fawzi/be-exceptional-amongst-exceptional-people/) [Wesam Fawzi](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/wesam-fawzi/) > [I have known exceptional people who have endured severe trials while others, at least on the surface, seem to have lived charmed lives.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/joseph-b-wirthlin/i-have-known-exceptional-people-who-have-endured-severe-trials-while/) [Joseph B. Wirthlin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/joseph-b-wirthlin/) > [I am constantly reminded that as Texans, we are exceptional people.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/george-p-bush/i-am-constantly-reminded-that-as-texans-we-are-exceptional-people/) [George P. Bush](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/george-p-bush/) > [One interesting indication of Capablanca's greatness is that to non-chess players his name was better known than the names of all other chess masters…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/fred-reinfeld/one-interesting-indication-of-capablanca-s-greatness-is-that-to-non/) [Fred Reinfeld](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/fred-reinfeld/) > [Exceptional people convert life's setbacks into future successes,](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/carol-s-dweck/exceptional-people-convert-life-s-setbacks-into-future-successes/) [Carol S. Dweck](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/carol-s-dweck/) > [Economists often talk about the 80/20 Principle, which is the idea that in any situation roughly 80 percent of the “work” will be done…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/malcolm-gladwell/economists-often-talk-about-the-80-20-principle-which-is-the-idea/) [Malcolm Gladwell](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/malcolm-gladwell/) > [That is the paradox of the epidemic: that in order to create one contagious movement, you often have to create many small movements first.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/malcolm-gladwell/that-is-the-paradox-of-the-epidemic-that-in-order-to-create-one/) [Malcolm Gladwell](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/malcolm-gladwell/) ## 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 Capable quotes > [When we are capable of living in the moment free from the tyranny of "shoulds," free from the nagging sensation that this moment isn't…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/joan-z-borysenko/when-we-are-capable-of-living-in-the-moment-free-from-the-tyranny-of/) [Joan Z. Borysenko](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/joan-z-borysenko/) > [Everybody is different. Some writers can write reams of great books and then J. D. Salinger wrote just a few. Beethoven wrote nine symphonies.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/billy-joel/everybody-is-different-some-writers-can-write-reams-of-great-books/) [Billy Joel](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/billy-joel/) > [People are capable of great, great change during the span of one lifetime. And women even more than men.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gabrielle-zevin/people-are-capable-of-great-great-change-during-the-span-of-one/) [Gabrielle Zevin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gabrielle-zevin/) > [When you lived it for years and years and years and seen different characters just get pummeled and squashed because 'I said so,' it…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/arn-anderson/when-you-lived-it-for-years-and-years-and-years-and-seen-different/) [Arn Anderson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/arn-anderson/) > [Each man is capable of doing one thing well. If he attempts several, he will fail to achieve distinction in any.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/plato/each-man-is-capable-of-doing-one-thing-well-if-he-attempts-several-he/) [Plato](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/plato/) > [But, outside of being a sweet little girl, she was awfully dumb and capable of doing horrible things.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jack-kerouac/but-outside-of-being-a-sweet-little-girl-she-was-awfully-dumb-and/) [Jack Kerouac](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jack-kerouac/) > [I was terrible student. I was capable, but I never like being told what to do, so I was always in the bottom class…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/chris-lilley/i-was-terrible-student-i-was-capable-but-i-never-like-being-told-what/) [Chris Lilley](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/chris-lilley/) > [Not everyone is capable of madness; and of those lucky enough to be capable, not many have the courage for it.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/august-strindberg/not-everyone-is-capable-of-madness-and-of-those-lucky-enough-to-be/) [August Strindberg](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/august-strindberg/) > [ \[The Community's\] crosses and trials give me confidence. But I derive my hope above all, and most especially, from our utter incapacity, for it… ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/theodore-guerin/the-community-s-crosses-and-trials-give-me-confidence-but-i-derive-my/) [Theodore Guerin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/theodore-guerin/) > [The mathematical facts worthy of being studied are those which, by their analogy with other facts, are capable of leading us to the knowledge…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/henri-poincare/the-mathematical-facts-worthy-of-being-studied-are-those-which-by/) [Henri Poincare](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/henri-poincare/) > [“If you not yet try How to know you can or not?”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sopharat/if-you-not-yet-try-how-to-know-you-can-or-not/) Sopharat > [I'm attracted to the garden, without a doubt, but I always try and image the wolf that's there, too. And that wolf would be…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/michael-light/i-m-attracted-to-the-garden-without-a-doubt-but-i-always-try-and/) [Michael Light](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/michael-light/) > [A man, as a man, could arrive at all the dignity that a man was capable of obtaining or receiving; but it needed a…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-taylor/a-man-as-a-man-could-arrive-at-all-the-dignity-that-a-man-was-capable/) [John Taylor](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-taylor/) > [Playing is much, much harder than composing in my opinion, becoming a player. 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