Thread by @Camp4

☝️Want to get paid? Be a 1-of-1.

The most valuable people (& things) are 1-of-1, rare & special.

Like Liam Neeson’s character in the movie Taken, they have “a very particular set of skills”.

Whether you’re a trained killer like Neeson or possess a more mundane skillset… 👇🧵

…it’s important to cultivate the things that make you rare & special. Our uniquenesses are our superpowers, yet so many of us ignore or even hide them.

Here’s the thing: Most of us aren’t Michael Jordan, with obvious once-in-a-generation marketable talent.

We have to look harder and put ourselves in the right spots to shine.

Your 1-of-1 talents may seem completely unrelated to your career, but that can make you even more special.

I’ll make it personal:

When I began my career as a consultant I struggled with my day-to-day work. I’m the opposite of a grinder & my attention to detail isn’t great. I simply couldn’t sit at a desk 10 hours a day poring over spreadsheets. I wanted to fit in, but I just didn’t.

But what I did have…

Was good ideas and an ability to connect the dots that my peers didn’t have. Unfortunately my particular set of skills wasn’t valuable in that role.

I got lucky when a boss several levels up saw that and put me in a different role that suited my skills.

Still, I struggled with my strange work style for years even though the results were always there.

It was only when I fully embraced who I was that things took off. 🚀

I put myself in the right spots—creating leverage—and went all-in on my 1-of-1… and got paid.

My point is this:

Don’t run from or hide your differences—embrace them and run TO them. Don’t try to fit in.

Find ways to leverage your particular set of skills, in small ways at first and eventually in BIG ways.

This advice isn’t just for executives & founders—it applies to all types of roles at all levels in the business world. I’ve worked with office admins with particular 1-of-1 skills and they get paid in their field. You can do the same.

Be a 1-of-1.

🤙