If I don't succeed don't blame me

I'm sure Malcom Gladwell did not intend the psychological outcome of his book Outliersto encourage people to retreat from ambition, but after finishing it I breathed a deep sigh of relief. From nationality, to upbringing, to even the month in which someone was born, Gladwell deconstructs the american dream to include factors that determine success beyond individual's ambition and hard work. Although he affirms that success includes the ability to work ten thousand hours to perfect one's capability, the story of successful people, he argues, always includes a larger story about crucial advantages conferred on individuals from external factors. I know that the take away Gladwell intended was more along the lines of helping us recognize these external "outliers" so that we can give these external advantages to more people, while encouraging them to work hard. I must say,though, from a personal point of view I am breathing a sigh of relief that at the end of the day when I work as hard as I can, my success cannot only be attributed to my will and ability. You might think that my belief in a God that is in control of my life might have already given me the perspective that I alone am not responsible for the outcome of my life, but I suppose I often need reminding of my most foundational beliefs. God must be among the "outliers".