The Matthew Effect
“For whomever has, to him shall more be given, and he shall have an abundance…”
Outliers
From time to time, I stumble upon new (at least to me) information that I think can be helpful to you, so you can…What? Achieve your dreams and live your best life! Yes! Of course. Because this new information does not fit into my weekly post sequence, I may have an additional post for that week. This is one of those times.
As you know from reading these posts, I am a voracious reader. Because when you or I read, the material we read often references other material that is similar or pertinent to the topic we are reading and studying. And what I usually do is pause and look that material up and study it. If it’s a book, I often buy it. As I scan my bookshelf right now, I find that I have perhaps 25 to 30 books in queue to read. And when we are traveling, it’s my time to get most of my reading in. We will soon go on another trip, and I hope I can complete three or more books. Yay!
In particular, I enjoy reading about what makes people successful in their chosen field. As you have read from past posts, and you will see again in future posts, success in one’s chosen field often entails taking certain actions at the correct time and in the proper order. There is a term for this, and it’s called “The Success Sequence” (Note 1), which is a straightforward formula for success. I recently learned about The Success Sequence, and before that, I authored a blog on April 22, 2025, entitled “Big Rocks First,” in which I described the order of a successful life. That is, doing the things you should be doing, when you should be doing them, and in the right amount. It’s a bit more detailed than The Success Sequence, but they generally parallel each other in order and execution requirements. Follow either one of them and you increase your likelihood of success. Go back and read the post to refresh your memory. Then be sure to follow the rules outlined there. If you perhaps find yourself off track, then course correct and get back on track.
Recently, I read a book that delves into even more detail about describing not just successful people, but highly successful people, and how they achieved their success. Besides being a fascinating read that I couldn't put down, the book contains numerous valuable lessons. Lessons that can help you…What? Yes, achieve your dreams and live your best life! I’m not going to go into each of the lessons. Buy and read the book (Note 2) and learn these valuable lessons for yourself. What initially piqued my interest in the book is that it is the source of the term “The 10,000 hour rule” and provides the explanation and details on how 10,000 hours of practice can make a person an expert. It’s riveting! I will be discussing the 10,000 rule in a future post.
What I will do today is highlight one of the early concepts that I want to explore in more depth. Let’s go!
The Matthew Effect
The Matthew Effect (Note 3. Stop reading, click on this link and read this. No, really do this now before you forget. It’s that important) is a term first coined by sociologist Robert Merton. It explains how early success leads to even more success, and conversely, how those who start with less often fall farther behind. Over time, the gap tends to grow more pronounced between those who achieve success and those who don’t. Mr. Merton first used the term to explain why well-known scientists get more recognition than equally brilliant but lesser-known researchers. This same pattern is evident in a person’s career, business, education, personal relationships, and even sports. The Matthew Effect is sometimes referred to as the Matthew Principle or the Cumulative Advantage.
The Matthew Effect is so named as it comes from the Biblical parable of the talents, described in Matthew 25:29. Verse 29 states “For to everyone who has, shall more be given, and he shall have an abundance; but from the one who does not have, even what he does have shall be taken away.” Similar verses include Luke 8:18, 19:26, and Mark 4:25.
We have seen evidence to support this claim in numerous discussions of wealth inequality (Note 4). Since this study was published in 2021, everything we see and hear suggests that this gap has only widened.
The same holds in education (Note 5). Educational gaps are also reflected in mortality rates (Note 6), that is there is a direct relationship between one’s education and how long one lives. Who knew? How about sports teams? Think New England Patriots and Kansas City Chiefs. Ever see a basketball team on a run? That’s why the opposing coach calls a timeout, to slow down that momentum. How about a baseball game when a team starts getting hit after hit and is in a rally? What does the coach do? Yank the pitcher to change the momentum of the game.
If you think about it, it’s very similar to Newton’s first law of motion (Note 10): “An object at rest remains at rest, and an object in motion remains in motion at constant speed and in a straight line unless acted on by an unbalanced force.” Like a train on the tracks or an airplane in the sky, once they are moving, they are hard to stop.
You see, what this means in practical terms for you and me is that once things start going our way, they tend to continue doing so. In Outliers, author Malcolm Gladwell explains how a few advantages, often achieved early in life, can, if recognized and capitalized on, translate into a lifetime of success.
A word of caution
I’m always, and I mean always, very cautious to NOT interpret the Bible to mean that we should expect to do well financially. Not that wealth is bad, but the love of wealth is the problem. Indeed, the Bible clearly states in Matthew 19:23-24, “Truly I say to you, it is hard for a rich man to enter into the kingdom of heaven. And again, I say to you, it is easier for a camel to go through the eye of a needle, than for a rich man to enter into the kingdom of God.” Likewise, Luke 12:48 “And from everyone who has been given much shall much be required; and to whom they entrusted much, of him they will ask all the more.” You will never hear me preach the prosperity gospel. Indeed, the key to eternal life has nothing to do with money but rather a simple four-letter word: Love. See Matthew 22:37-40. Then, follow the requirements of Matthew 28:19-20. Conversely, Jesus never associated with the wealthy, but with the poor (Luke 6:20-49). For more on this topic, click on the link in Note 7.
OK, Dave, what does this mean for me? What’s the point?
Because I always end my posts with a “What’s in it for me” section, you will always know what’s in it for you. I’m going to reveal that a little early this week and add a little commentary.
I mention this book and The Matthew Effect so you can understand it and position yourself to benefit from it. Again, read the book; you will gain so much more insight than I can provide in this post. However, what I was hoping you could do is understand where you stand on the Matthew Effect scale, learn the lessons Mr. Gladwell teaches us, and recognize when you have been presented with an opportunity. Then capitalize on it!
…on the other hand
On the other hand, as also described in the book Outliers, are those who find themselves facing initial disadvantages that widen the gap between themselves and those who benefit from the Matthew Effect. You have heard me describe this in the past as finding yourself in the loser’s bracket. Like I was. Maybe you are there now. Perhaps you are even suffering from generational poverty (Note 8), something I have written about in the past. What to do?
Overcoming disadvantage and building success
It doesn't take long to be around me or read my writing to understand that I love the underdog, and I never believe that anyone cannot overcome any disadvantage. Is it hard? Of course! However, following the principles described in the Afterburner Success Partners course is the key to success. If you need to, take the course!
I’ve mentioned in the past that I volunteer with an organization called Overcoming Job Transition (Note 9). We work with individuals who have lost their jobs, for whatever reason. Just today, I celebrated with an attendee who, less than a year ago, found herself out of work. Working hard and following known success principles, she not only received a job offer but also two in the same week. Less than six months later, just today, she was promoted and received a substantial pay increase. If you find yourself in this situation, recognize that you can overcome it too. Assess where you are, commit to change, and follow the order for a successful life. Simple? Yes, very! Easy? No, but worth every bit of effort!
That’s all for this week!
What’s in it for me?
Learning the lessons described in Outliers will help you achieve your dreams and live your best life!
Call to Action
Buy and read the book. Click on the links listed below to learn more. Do it today!
Recommended Resources
Outliers by Malcolm Gladwell (Note 2).
Up Next
We are back on schedule next week.
Notes
Please note that as an Amazon Affiliate, I may earn a small commission on the sale of any of these recommended resources.
The Power of the Success Sequence, American Enterprise Institute: https://www.aei.org/research-products/report/the-power-of-the-success-sequence/
Outliers by Malcolm Gladwell: https://amzn.to/45JdI2F
The Matthew Effect, Tapan Desai: https://tapandesai.com/understanding-matthew-effect/
A Guide to Economic Inequality, American Compass: https://americancompass.org/economic-inequality-guide/?gad_source=1&gad_campaignid=11199510140&gbraid=0AAAAACR4DsnvPpoDBKetau8-HWPbg-XUP&gclid=CjwKCAjwmenCBhA4EiwAtVjzmh24CcpSNj1znZx0ndKZSPYy5izhrgw6eCMQ_99JvwGooftwOCMGBhoCkEsQAvD_BwE
The widening academic achievement gap between the rich and the poor: New evidence and possible explanations: https://cepa.stanford.edu/content/widening-academic-achievement-gap-between-rich-and-poor-new-evidence-and-possible-explanations
Accounting for the widening mortality gap between American adults with and without a BA, Brookings: https://www.brookings.edu/articles/accounting-for-the-widening-mortality-gap-between-american-adults-with-and-without-a-ba/
What does the Bible say about wealth? Got Questions: https://www.gotquestions.org/Bible-wealth.html
Generational poverty: Why breaking the cycle is so hard, Raise Up Families: https://raiseupfamilies.org/blog/financial-stability-and-resources/generational-poverty-why-breaking-the-cycle-is-so-hard/?srsltid=AfmBOoqfsghadqgnhSoK45Qe_3f_kHhsVoMlgTg3_yOZQEJ4PPZThdrE
Overcoming Job Transition: https://ojttulsa.org
What are Newton’s Laws of Motion: NASA: https://www1.grc.nasa.gov/beginners-guide-to-aeronautics/newtons-laws-of-motion/