Helen Keller. A Historical Outlier.

"“Outlier” is a scientific term to describe things or phenomena that lie outside normal experience." That was the definition of an outlier conveyed by Malcolm Gladwell. To expand on his definition,I think a true outlier is someone who has practical intelligence, analytical intelligence, creative intelligence, advantages that outweigh others' advantages, opportunities, concerted cultivation, and parentage and patronage. Not only do they have to have these advantages, but they have to have the courage to make use of those opportunities. A historical figure that showed these qualities was Helen Keller. She was an outlier a successful outlier.

Helen Keller was not born blind or deaf, but lost them by the time she was 18 months old due to a contracted fever. However, that was not the reason why she became recognized worldwide. When Keller was seven years old, Anne Sullivan was engaged to be her tutor. Sullivan taught Helen many things that are related to her analytical intelligence. She, herself, had experience with disabilities, and, so devoted her life to helping other disabled kids and worked tirelessly to promote the rights of the disabled. She was the first deaf and blind woman in the United States to receive a bachelor's degree because of her dedication. 

However, none of these achievements are what makes Helen Keller an outlier. It was the way she achieved them and her commitment towards succeeding. Two of the theories mentioned by Malcolm Gladwell were reasons why Helen Keller is an outlier and succeeded. It was easy for Helen Keller to follow the 10,000 hour rule that says that 10,000 hours of practice is necessary to succeed in something. This is because Helen Keller exceeded in helping people with the same type of disabilities she had. This means that she was practicing her talent all of the time...literally. She was practicing while eating, sleeping, and showering; playing, talking, and even while helping others. According to my math, Helen Keller would have passed 10,000 hours by the time she was just 3 years old. However, it might be 8 years old because she never truly started "practicing" until and opportunity when she was 7 years old. Helen Keller did not know how to learn until she was 7 years old. Although many other people may have passed 10,000 hours, completing 10,000 hours by the time she was just 3 years old is amazing! That is one thing that makes Helen a true outlier.

As I mentioned in the previous paragraph, Helen Keller wouldn't have been able to succeed with an opportunity going her way. This opportunity was Anne Sullivan. She gave Helen a big advantage because she helped her learn, while there was many other failed attempts by other people. This might have made Sullivan an outlier also, but Helen Keller used this opportunity greatly. Anne Sullivan was constantly by Helen Keller's side as she succeeded in the many things that she did. 

All in all, Helen Keller was a true outlier because of the way she achieved her goals more than just her goals and used an opportunity she had to the fullest. Many people wouldn't have been able to do this and that's what makes Keller an outlier.


Sources:
http://www.ingredientsofoutliers.com/hellen-keller-historical-outlier/

(My other sources are in links throughout the 1st 2 paragraphs and the rest are mostly my thoughts.)