Outliers By Jim Carrney

The Climb to the Top

Jim Carrey is one of the most prominent figures in modern day comedy films. He has starred in many blockbuster comedies and won many awards such as Golden Globes, Mtv awards, and Teen Choice Awards. However, under all of this abounding success people might be surprised to learn of the obstacles Carrey had to overcome and the qualities that made him successful. In Outliers, an informational text by Malcolm Gladwell, the author uses many writing strategies such as recursive arguments and factual data to try to convey his argument about success and what qualities make a person successful. Gladwell argues that although hard work and talent are crucial for success, one's opportunities and cultural legacy are what truly lead

In Outliers, Gladwell states that “Success is not a random act. It arises out of a predictable and powerful set of circumstances and opportunities” (?). He then goes on to say that without opportunities, one cannot be successful. Duckworth takes a different approach and says that grit and hard work are the key values that lead one to success and that opportunities only supplement this fact. Jim Carrey had a few opportunities, such as the opportunity to perform comedy for his classmates at school and the opportunity to perform stand up comedy at a club, but he proved rather unsuccessful at the latter and one might be surprised to know that he was faced with many more obstacles than opportunities. Carrey had a rough upbringing. He had dyslexia and always struggled with school and making friends. To complicate matters further he was also the youngest of four children in a poor family while his mother struggled with depression. As a result of this, Carrey had to quit school at age fifteen in order to get a job as a janitor to help support his family. Throughout all of this, one thing he learned and kept with him was his ability to make people laugh. He decided to move to Los Angeles to pursue his comedic career but was penniless and struggling for many years before his big break. I think the challenges in his childhood were obstacles on his way to success, but they were also opportunities in the sense that they

In the preface of Grit, Duckworth explains that “what we eventually accomplish may depend more on our passion and perseverance than our innate talent” (Preface). She goes on further to explain that talent is severely overrated and that “Grit is a common denominator of high achievers across very different fields” (Duckworth 3). Jim Carrey is a remarkable example of the power of grit and determination. According to, Carrey had a vision to become a successful actor and comedian, but he went through many trials. Despite being dyslexic and struggling at school which led him to ultimately having to drop out at 15, he worked hard and never gave up on his dreams (Abhinandhinee). He never let his past dictate, but instead he used it as a platform for his success. He was willing to go the extra mile and put in the hard work to reach his goals. Carrey was not afraid of failure, and he used it as a tool to learn, grow, and become even more successful. Even in the face of overwhelming odds, Carrey used grit, passion, and perseverance to achieve his goals and