David and Goliath – More than just another underdog victory

David and Goliath. We’ve all heard the story. A ‘little guy’ besting what looks like a vastly superior opponent in a seemingly unwinnable single combat. A story that has today become a short description for any kind of a mismatched contest. The underdog story we all love (and at some point even dreamed of living), where ‘the little guy’ overcomes all odds to beat superior opponents. Case-in-point: Leicester City’s Premier League win in 2016.

Before getting into the narrative of ‘the little guy’, we correct a common misconception. That David and Goliath is a story where David overcomes the physically superior Goliath, with just his courage and faith. Malcolm Gladwell points out why this is a flawed narrative. For what looked like Goliath’s strength was in fact his weakness. Standing over two meters tall, Goliath’s enormous physical structure made him slow. It’s also possible that he suffered from double vision caused by excess growth hormones. If Goliath got his hands on David, he would no doubt come out victorious. But that’s where David wins this battle. His weapon of choice wasn’t a heavy spear, but a sling. Which meant he could fight Goliath from a distance. In essence David overcame Goliath by fighting on his own terms. That is the theme of ‘David and Goliath: Underdogs, Misfits and the Art of Battling Giants’.

What does it take for an underdog to best a superior opponent? Why do some underdogs succeed where so many others fail? Is it just luck, or something more?

Gladwell talks through the dynamics that he believes shape the balance in a stand-off between the small and the mighty. How does ‘the little guy’ or someone with obvious limitations become a world-beater?  A traumatic childhood for instance, a physical disability or the inability to go to a good school, look like massive disadvantages. And for good reason. But through real-life stories, Gladwell talks about the advantages that can be hidden within these disadvantages. He also talks about how privileges, while desirable – can in fact bring with them a set of disadvantages, sometimes forcing a ‘Goliath’ into a mistake that a ‘David’ wouldn’t.

But the success of a David depends not on the mistake of a Goliath, but on his own ability to find and make the most of his hidden strengths. On playing to these strengths and reacting to difficult situations in a manner that lets you make the most of it. Just like David, who fought Goliath on his terms, on his field, playing to his strengths, completely neutralising feared Goliath. It is the realisation that success isn’t solely the result of some great inherent advantage. How else would one explain why so many entrepreneurs are dyslexic?

Key takeaways from Malcolm Gladwell’s David and Goliath

1. Why does David beat Goliath?
   One of the first things Malcolm Gladwell does is make the case that, contrary to popular belief, Goliath couldn’t have possibly been the favourite to beat David. Goliath’s huge physical structure meant he was strong, but slow. It also made him an easy target. And possibly weak-sighted. Combined with David’s strength and accuracy with his sling meant that as long he didn’t come into Goliath’s hands, he could deliver a fatal blow from a distance. David did not beat Goliath simply because he was brave or because of an exaggerated belief in his own abilities as a warrior. But because he knew exactly what he was doing to level the playing field. And in fact tilt it in his favour.
   
2. Understand the rules of the game. Then play by your own rules.
   While most choose to believe that David beat Goliath despite the difference in their physical attributes, the reality is that that David actually beat Goliath because of this difference. While Goliath waited for David with a spear and shield in hand, David had no intention of going anywhere close to his enormous opponent. Knowing that because of his enormous size, Goliath would find it difficult to come close in on him. Instead, he chose to fight from a distance, using his sling to absolute perfection. While the rest of the soldiers simply assumed a single combat meant two warriors beating each other in close quarters, David changed the playing field to his advantage. In a manner of speaking, David played his own game, not Goliath’s.
   
3. Know yourself
   On learning the details of David and Goliath’s story, it’s easy to credit David’s victory to Goliath’s weaknesses that we seemed to have missed before. But no amount of weakness would help David unless he knew his own strengths. And how to use these strengths to exploit his opponent’s vulnerabilities.
   
4. The idea of ‘Desirable Difficulty’
   When it comes to completing tasks, conventional theory would have us believe that the simpler the task, the easier it would be to accomplish it. But that isn’t always the case. There are in fact times when a certain level of difficulty can help, simply by demanding more focus. Because it demands a desirable amount of effort on our part, thereby improving performance. While this is largely studied with respect to tasks related to learning and academics, it’s not too difficult to imagine the effect a desirable level of difficulty in other areas like as well, like business and sports
   
5. Small fish in a big pond v/s Big fish in a small pond
   A question many of us face today. Is it better to be a small fish in a big pond? Or a big fish in a small pond? The answer isn’t always a straightforward one, especially when each of us carries a different perspective towards this subject. Gladwell however believes that starting as a big fish in a small pond gives you the confidence to take on the fishes of a bigger pond later on in life. While this is debatable , Gladwell, does bring out some fascinating stories that form the bases for this suggestion. Even if it is one that will be highly contested in today’s competitive world.
   
6. Is it just David? Or something more.
   One of the important elements to remember from David and Goliath’s story is how David actually beat Goliath. It was with his sling. A weapon of his choice. And that raises a question. Could anyone else with a sling have beaten Goliath? In hindsight, one can claim that anyone from the Israeli army trained in using a sling could have beaten Goliath. But David was the only one in the entire army who saw the opportunity to do it. Perhaps the bigger lesson in this story is not just for Davids to understand and use their strengths. But for both, the Davids and Goliaths to choose their weapons or tools with care.

David and Goliath: A book of facts that shadow certain flaws.

While Gladwell’s claims are based on true stories of individuals, they are a small subset of a larger population. Where these individuals seem to be the embodiment of the expression ‘Live to fight another day’ more than anything else. One can argue that ‘living to fight another day’ on a consistent basis is perhaps the road victory for the Davids of the world. Until a realisation sets in. While David beat Goliath and lived to fight another day, there were also many others who didn’t. Possibly even slingers. That is a parallel that this book seems to miss out. For instance, there are dyslexic individuals who grew up to be extra-ordinary entrepreneurs, like Richard Branson. And while inspiring, for each dyslexic who became a success, there are countless others who still endure difficult lives. You get a feeling that Gladwell takes a handful of cases to generalise a larger crowd.

The last word

Although Gladwell’s theories at times seem a little over-the-top, you can’t help but see the simplicity behind their very real stories. Nor can you deny that a lot of what Gladwell says is what we would in hindsight consider, ‘common sense’. Backed by facts. But in hindsight, so do many other aspects. While this might sound like a book for the ‘underdogs’, it is in fact a revealing read for both, the ‘Davids’ as well as the ‘Goliaths’ of the world. ‘David & Goliath’ is after all a story that we all continue to witness, and be a part of, every day. And it would be worth our time to know the driving forces behind these stories, and the lives that live them.