Let’s talk about how layering skills together can unlock massive opportunity.
This is inspired by one of the internet’s best free thinkers @scottadamssays
Why Developing a Talent Stack Is Your Best Option for Lifelong Success
[THREAD 🧵]
This is inspired by one of the internet’s best free thinkers @scottadamssays
Why Developing a Talent Stack Is Your Best Option for Lifelong Success
[THREAD 🧵]
1- The Conventional Wisdom
The conventional wisdom says that you should be a generalist at the beginning of your career. Get exposure. And then become more specialized to grow your income.
So people get expensive degrees that supposedly let them do anything.
The conventional wisdom says that you should be a generalist at the beginning of your career. Get exposure. And then become more specialized to grow your income.
So people get expensive degrees that supposedly let them do anything.
They dabble in different areas to see what they like.
Then you're supposed to make a choice and stick with it.
You enter a field. Over time, you get increasingly more specialized.
You become a tax lawyer. Or a strategy consultant for a single industry.
Then you're supposed to make a choice and stick with it.
You enter a field. Over time, you get increasingly more specialized.
You become a tax lawyer. Or a strategy consultant for a single industry.
This is backwards.
It’s true being a generalist is good. But you don’t start there. You end there.
Before you branch out, you actually need to get good at something.
You must acquire a unique, differentiated skill at the START.
It’s true being a generalist is good. But you don’t start there. You end there.
Before you branch out, you actually need to get good at something.
You must acquire a unique, differentiated skill at the START.
Why do you specialize first? Because that’s the fastest way to provide immediate value.
No one is going to pay you for being mediocre at several things.
And when you’re starting out you need credibility. To get that, you need to add value.
You do that through a unique skill
No one is going to pay you for being mediocre at several things.
And when you’re starting out you need credibility. To get that, you need to add value.
You do that through a unique skill
2- Develop Uniquely Valuable Skills
What skill should you choose?
Choose something that:
• Is useful in many places. E.g. Copywriting, sales, and design are universally valuable.
• Feels easy for you but looks hard to others (@naval)
Once you’re good at a thing, you…
What skill should you choose?
Choose something that:
• Is useful in many places. E.g. Copywriting, sales, and design are universally valuable.
• Feels easy for you but looks hard to others (@naval)
Once you’re good at a thing, you…
3- Build Your Talent Stack
Now that you have at least one real skill, begin building your talent stack.
You might ask:
Shouldn’t I just specialize even more at that one skill?
Well, it’s all about scarcity and how society rewards people. Let’s look at that for a minute…
Now that you have at least one real skill, begin building your talent stack.
You might ask:
Shouldn’t I just specialize even more at that one skill?
Well, it’s all about scarcity and how society rewards people. Let’s look at that for a minute…
Broadly speaking, there are two ways to generate value.
The FIRST is to become the best at one specific thing - the way Stephen King or JK Rowling are the best storytellers.
But not many of us can be Stephen King or JK Rawling. So that path isn’t really open to 99% of us.
The FIRST is to become the best at one specific thing - the way Stephen King or JK Rowling are the best storytellers.
But not many of us can be Stephen King or JK Rawling. So that path isn’t really open to 99% of us.
The SECOND way, which is the one Scott Adams recommends, is to develop a variety of skills that work well together.
This sets you apart and makes you more valuable than the sum of your individual skills.
This sets you apart and makes you more valuable than the sum of your individual skills.
A lot of people are good at one thing — say in the top 20%.
Very few people are in the top 20% at MULTIPLE things.
If you’re in the top 20% at multiple things, you’re probably in the top 1% overall.
Very few people are in the top 20% at MULTIPLE things.
If you’re in the top 20% at multiple things, you’re probably in the top 1% overall.
If you become a strong designer and a strong copywriter. That’s a unique and valuable combination of skills.
You can go “zero to one” on projects.
You can generate unexpected and valuable ideas.
And it works in a lot of settings - companies, startups, side hustle, etc.
You can go “zero to one” on projects.
You can generate unexpected and valuable ideas.
And it works in a lot of settings - companies, startups, side hustle, etc.
Whatever you choose, make sure that the skills go well together and that you can get reasonably good at them.
Again, if you can be better than 80% of people at three skills, you’re going to be more successful than 99% of people.
Again, if you can be better than 80% of people at three skills, you’re going to be more successful than 99% of people.
4- How Talent Stacks Are Rewarded in Sports
Sports are a great example of talent stack magic.
What makes LeBron James the best ever? He’s a top talent in like five areas at least.
He's not the best passer, scorer, or defender. But he’s damn good in every one of those areas.
Sports are a great example of talent stack magic.
What makes LeBron James the best ever? He’s a top talent in like five areas at least.
He's not the best passer, scorer, or defender. But he’s damn good in every one of those areas.
Another example I like is Mike Trout in baseball.
He’s still a young player. But already he’s considered one of the best ever.
Why? Because he’s a Swiss army knife.
He’s very good at multiple things. And in 2019 he was rewarded with a $400M+ contract. Highest ever.
He’s still a young player. But already he’s considered one of the best ever.
Why? Because he’s a Swiss army knife.
He’s very good at multiple things. And in 2019 he was rewarded with a $400M+ contract. Highest ever.
Look at how happy this guy is.
He knows he's got a killer talent stack.
He knows he's got a killer talent stack.
Mike Trout doesn’t have one talent that is best-in-the-world.
But he does have one of the best COMBINATIONS of skills — one of the best talent stacks — in the game.
But he does have one of the best COMBINATIONS of skills — one of the best talent stacks — in the game.
Consider all the things that he’s good at:
• He hits for average - not the best, but he's better than 80% of the league
• He hits for power - top 10 or 20%
• He's strong defensively - turns would-be-hits into outs
• He's a good base runner - extra runs and avoids mistakes
• He hits for average - not the best, but he's better than 80% of the league
• He hits for power - top 10 or 20%
• He's strong defensively - turns would-be-hits into outs
• He's a good base runner - extra runs and avoids mistakes
Most of the time, players come with steep tradeoffs:
They might be good hitters but they’re a defensive liability.
But when you can bring all of those skills into a single package, that’s incredibly valuable.
Mike Trout is adding value no matter what the situation is.
They might be good hitters but they’re a defensive liability.
But when you can bring all of those skills into a single package, that’s incredibly valuable.
Mike Trout is adding value no matter what the situation is.
Before we move on, it’s worth saying it again:
Trout isn’t the *best* at any single one of these things.
But he has one of the best *combinations* of skills in the league.
That combination makes him one of the all time great players.
Trout isn’t the *best* at any single one of these things.
But he has one of the best *combinations* of skills in the league.
That combination makes him one of the all time great players.
5- Summary
So let’s recap:
✅Early in your career, start as a specialist
✅Develop a unique skill so you can add value now
✅Over time, layer on more skills
✅Make sure the skills go well together. Copywriting + Sales is better than Pole Vaulting + Copywriting.
Thank you!
So let’s recap:
✅Early in your career, start as a specialist
✅Develop a unique skill so you can add value now
✅Over time, layer on more skills
✅Make sure the skills go well together. Copywriting + Sales is better than Pole Vaulting + Copywriting.
Thank you!
Addendum: If you thought this thread was valuable
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gumroad.com/l/BEBxj/079q32q
And if you're looking for a career shift, here is the rocket fuel for change:
gumroad.com/l/ZVmXB
If money is tight now, as always DM us. We'll hook you up for free.
