Start Building Your Skill Stack Today - Part One

There is a power in combining complementary skills to create unique advantages. Instead of striving to be the best at one thing, consider the importance of becoming “good enough” in multiple areas to amplify your overall value and opportunities for success.

A skill stack allows you to combine abilities in a way that magnifies your value. For example, being a good communicator and having technical expertise can make you an invaluable asset in many industries.

A diverse skill stack prepares you to adapt to various situations and challenges, making you more resilient in an ever-changing world.

Few people have the exact combination of skills you do, which can set you apart and make you more competitive in your field. You don’t need to be the best at any one skill.

Being above average in multiple skills is often more practical and achievable, yet it can make you highly effective and successful.

By intentionally cultivating and combining skills, you create a unique profile that opens doors to opportunities and positions you for success in ways that a single skill alone might not.

This newsletter aims to get your mind flowing about various skills you could pick up to increase the inventory of your unique skill stack.

Let's Get Started

Life is a journey of continuous growth and learning. Whether striving to build a successful career, improve your relationships, or become the best version of yourself, the skills and habits you develop today lay the foundation for tomorrow’s success.

Here are the first ten of twenty essential areas you can focus on to enhance your skill stack and build a better future.

1. How to Sell

Selling isn’t just for products—it’s about ideas, perspectives, and even yourself. Learn the art of persuasion and value-driven conversations to succeed in any area of life.

Selling is a fundamental skill that goes far beyond just selling products. It is also about effectively communicating ideas, influencing people's perspectives on important topics, and showcasing your value.

When was the last time you pitched a business concept? This is a form of selling.

When was the last time you went on a job interview? This is also a form of selling.

It is not all about selling widgets. All the other skills above are essential to develop even before you start selling widgets.

It is easier to sell a product if your customers already trust you and your ideas.

The ability to sell can open doors you never thought were open to you.

Here are a few practical steps to get started:

• Develop Your Value Proposition: Reflect on your unique skills, experiences, and ideas. What sets you apart? Write down how you can bring value to a team, organization, or client. Practice articulating this value clearly and confidently. I wrote an entire newsletter called the Keep A Daily Journal, highlighting the importance of writing things down. Writing down your thoughts and feelings helps you better understand your needs and emotions, leading to greater self-awareness and personal growth.

• Master the Art of Trust-Building: Further down in this list, I discuss the importance of learning to communicate well. This is foundational to our ability to build strong and trust-filled relationships, which are critical to us becoming the best version of ourselves. You can focus on building genuine connections and earning trust before pitching an idea or offering a product. This includes listening actively, understanding your audience’s needs, and aligning your solutions to their challenges. Trust amplifies your ability to persuade effectively.

• Leverage Opportunities to Sell Yourself: I sometimes struggle with this. I am an IT professional and an introvert, so I push myself to improve. Start viewing everyday scenarios as opportunities to practice selling. Whether it’s sharing an idea at work, networking, or even job interviews, focus on presenting your value in a way that resonates with others. Use these moments to refine your storytelling and communication skills.

When I sold my value as an employee to several companies in Japan, it changed my career and opportunities. I went from an IT guy working at a small company in Michigan to an international business guy living and working in Japan and, ultimately, conducting business across Asia Pacific.

2. How to Read a Financial Statement

Understanding financial statements is crucial for anyone looking to manage money, invest wisely, or start a business. Becoming familiar with balance sheets, income statements, and cash flow reports is critical to developing your skill stack.

It is a critical skill because it provides a clear picture of the financial health of a business or individual. Whether you’re managing personal finances, evaluating an investment, or running a company, these documents reveal where money comes from, how it’s being spent, and whether financial goals are being met. 

At the most basic level, balance sheets show what you own versus what you owe; income statements outline profitability, and cash flow reports track the movement of money. 

Some bad things can happen if you do not understand the most basic concepts.

• Poor Budgeting Skills: Without understanding income versus expenses—concepts covered in income statements—individuals may overspend, leading to reliance on credit cards to fill the gap.

• Cash Flow Mismanagement: Not grasping the importance of cash flow, as illustrated in cash flow statements, can result in running out of accessible funds, prompting using credit cards for necessities or emergencies.

• Misjudging Financial Health: Just as businesses may fail if they don’t monitor their balance sheets, individuals who don’t assess their financial position (e.g., debts versus assets) might accumulate excessive debt without realizing its long-term impact.

• Failure to Plan for Emergencies: Not understanding the importance of saving or managing liabilities can lead to using credit cards as a financial safety net, which often comes with high interest rates.

I was lucky in two cases and developed some of these skills by learning from people and companies I trust.

My mom recently retired, at the age of 70, as the vice president of a local bank. She started this job as a bank teller and was their first employee without a college degree to obtain the title of vice president. I learned about sound financial management from her. I am less disciplined than her, but I definitely learned the basics from my mom.

As a professional IT guy working nine-to-five jobs, I only sometimes get visibility into the financial statements of the companies I have worked for. I worked for a financially responsible company with an IT profit and loss statement I had to manage monthly. By learning to manage my department/team P&L, I realized how our expenses and capital investments directly impacted the company's top and bottom lines. 

Here are a couple of quick sources to learn more about reading financial statements today:

• Corporate Finance Institute (CFI) Course

• Introduction to Financial Accounting (University of Pennsylvania-Coursera)

• Financial Statements (Duke University-Coursera)

• Financial Statement Analysis (Intuit-Coursera)

3. How to Get Toxic People Out of Your Life

Your environment influences your growth. Identify negativity, set boundaries, and surround yourself with people who uplift and inspire you.

I am very interested in eliminating toxic people from my life, so I wrote an entire newsletter on the subject. 

Learning from others is extremely important. Many people do not know what "good" looks like; they only know it when they see it. 

In our life journey, we often encounter people who impact us differently. The goal is to surround yourself with people who challenge you to become a better version of yourself. They should uplift and inspire you to focus on your personal growth. Their positive support can help fuel your ambition, boost your confidence, and help you reach new heights in your journey to success.

Choose your circle of friends and mentors wisely.

While some people uplift and inspire us, others drain us and hinder our attempts at self-improvement and growth. Some people want to damage us, so we must recognize and eliminate toxic people quickly.

People often have extremely strong personalities, and we spend too much time trying to deal with them or changing our goals or aspirations to become stronger than them so we can deal with them. 

These people are toxic, and we must distance ourselves from them.

Here are some quick hints on how to eliminate toxic people from your life:

• Identify toxic behaviors. It is essential to identify toxic behaviors and individuals in your life. Identification is the first critical step in identifying people who consistently bring negativity, drama, and emotional distress. 

• Establish clear boundaries. It is critical to establish boundaries in your life. You must learn to find your voice and be assertive about what you will not tolerate. It is not always possible to physically eliminate toxic people from your life. 

• Limit interaction. It is not always possible, especially if there are toxic people in your workspace, but do what you can to limit exposure to the toxic people in your life. Hit the easy button and eliminate them. You will minimize their impact on your life by gradually or permanently distancing yourself from toxic people. This, in turn, will allow you to focus on your goals and aspirations. 

• Communicate Directly. Okay, this is hard; most people will not want to communicate with people they are struggling with. Sometimes, you can turn a person’s toxic behavior around by just having a conversation. You may find cases when the person creating emotional stress in your life understands the impact of what they are doing; they adjust to help eliminate that stress from your life. 

• Seek Support. One easy way to limit time and distance yourself from toxic people is to crowd them out and surround yourself with supportive people. Surround yourself with supportive individuals who uplift and inspire you. Surround yourself with people with a vested interest in your success. If you do this, you will find that you would rather spend time celebrating success and navigating new challenges versus dealing with the drama toxic people can bring into your life.

• Focus on Self-Improvement. All of these items are related, but the general idea is that if you are focused on your self-improvement and success, you will naturally start to make less time for the people in your life doing things that will hold you back. By focusing all your energy on personal growth and self-development, you prioritize yourself over the drama toxic individuals are trying to create in your life. As you create a more prosperous and fulfilling life, you will not want to make time for the things that are distracting you.

• Stay consistent. This means staying consistent with everything mentioned above, which drives you towards self-improvement and success. Be consistent when dealing with toxic individuals. Remain focused on those leading you towards a fulfilling and successful life. Do not let the bad behavior of others set you back into toxic relationships or situations. 

4. How to Learn From Your Mistakes

Failure is an influential teacher. When faced with failure, make sure to reflect on your missteps to identify lessons and turn them into stepping stones.

While you must find the discipline required to thoroughly vet decisions before making them, I also strongly recommend that you do not postpone or not make decisions altogether to prevent mistakes from happening in the first place.

None of us are perfect, and the mistakes we make in life are where we learn and build the experience we need to be successful later in life.

Look at each failure or mistake as an opportunity to open new doors and learn things you have never considered.

Life often gets in the way, but each day presents an opportunity to learn, grow, and enhance our lives, turning progress into an increasingly rewarding daily pursuit.

Life’s challenges can often feel like obstacles, but they also hold the potential for growth and self-improvement. Each day is a new chance to learn something meaningful, take small steps forward, and enrich your journey. When you view progress as a daily pursuit, life becomes an evolving reward rather than a rigid destination.

Embrace each day's opportunities, and let them guide you toward a brighter, more fulfilled version of yourself.

It is essential to reframe mistakes as opportunities to learn and improve. Mistakes that do not kill you are pathways to creating new experiences that are critical to the journey we call life.

There are a few actionable steps to reframe mistakes as opportunities to learn:

• Acknowledge the Mistake Without Judgment. Be open to the concept that mistakes are okay. Accept that mistakes are a natural part of growth and avoid attaching negative emotions to them. View them as stepping stones rather than failures.

• Adopt a ‘No Fear of Mistakes’ Mindset. A critical part of reframing mistakes is removing the fear of making them. Understand that mistakes are not failures but opportunities to improve. Approach challenges with curiosity and confidence, knowing that even if things don’t go perfectly, there is value in the experience. Let go of the fear of making mistakes, which often limits growth and creativity.

• Analyze What Went Wrong. The key to framing mistakes is not fearing them but learning from them. Reflect on what happened, and make sure you are allowing yourself to analyze the situation objectively. Ask yourself what led to the mistake and identify areas where things went off track.

• Focus on Growth and Action. Focus on what you can learn from the experience. What knowledge, skills, or strategies can you take away to improve future outcomes? Remember, you are reframing mistakes and opportunities to build expertise and understanding. The goal here is to build your talent stack, and the next time you are faced with the situation, you want to make sure you can apply what you learned. Use the newfound knowledge to tackle similar situations in the future, and don’t dwell on the mistake.

By taking these steps and reframing mistakes as learning experiences, you can build resilience, encourage continuous learning, and turn setbacks into powerful personal and professional growth opportunities.

5. How to Communicate Well

This quote underscores the idea that effective communication is a skill that requires effort, practice, and intentionality to build stronger connections and understanding with others.

Excellent communication fosters connection and clarity. Practice listening actively, expressing yourself clearly, and adapting to your audience.

Your audience could be your kids.

Your audience could be your wife, colleagues at work, church, or school.

Your audience could be potential new customers.

Communication is a critical skill to develop and add to your skill stack because it amplifies the effectiveness of all your other abilities. I should have put it at number one on the list.

• Enhances Collaboration: Good communication allows you to express ideas clearly, work effectively with others, and build strong relationships—essential for any career or endeavor. While we can accomplish a lot on our own, we can achieve more with a trusted group of friends, partners, or team members, and good communication is key to communicating the plan to move forward.

• Influence and Persuasion: Communication is a key tool for persuading others, whether selling an idea, negotiating, or inspiring action. It’s particularly valuable when paired with other skills like leadership or technical expertise. We have all done this at least once when interviewing for a job. Effective communication in a short period is critical to convince a company you just met to hire you. I often equate job interviewing with speed dating. Just as in speed dating, the initial moments of a job interview set the tone. How you present yourself, demeanor, and your confidence are all assessed immediately. Your communication must quickly show your best version of yourself and determine if there’s a mutual fit for a successful future partnership with the company you are interviewing.

• Simplifies Complex Concepts: Taking complex ideas and explaining them in simple, relatable ways is a rare and powerful ability that adds value to any field. We live in a very complex world because of all the information on social media. We all try to break down complex subjects into ones that are easier to understand. We must explain complex things to our kids, friends, and co-workers. The more effectively you communicate complex things in a way that people easily understand, the more power you create.

• Multiplies the Value of Other Skills: Being “good enough” at communication can exponentially make any other skill in your stack more effective. For instance, a great technical expert who can communicate well becomes a highly sought-after resource. I see this in the information technology world all the time. There is a difference between an "all-day-behind-the-desk" programmer and one who can effectively communicate solutions to a customer. Both may be extremely important to their company, but only one is sought out by name by the customer.

• Opens Opportunities: Clear communication helps you connect with people, pitch ideas, and seize opportunities that might otherwise go unnoticed. I will go back to my career in Japan again. My ability to effectively communicate how I could help the companies I was interviewing with opened doors I never knew existed. One of the interviews created a memory I will never forget. The interview was conducted at the American Club in Tokyo. That night, the famous Sumo wrestler Konishiki sat at the table across from us, and we joined him for a few minutes. This was my first time in Tokyo, and my communication ability was good enough that the person I was interviewing me had the confidence to introduce me to Konishiski. A door opened.

6. How to Find Your Passion

At first, I was on the fence about adding passion to this list. Passion is an emotion, but finding your passion is a skill. Finding your passion can be considered a skill because it requires self-awareness, exploration, and intentional effort—qualities that can be developed over time. 

• Self-Reflection: Finding your passion involves reflecting on your interests, values, and strengths. Practicing introspection and asking meaningful questions about what excites and fulfills you is a skill that can be honed. Some people are born knowing what they want to do; their passion appears to be part of them. For others, a journey of self-discovery is required, and the ability to be self-aware is a skill that can be developed over time.

• Exploration: Discovering your passion often requires trying new things, stepping out of your comfort zone, and learning from diverse experiences. The willingness to explore and experiment is a skill that builds adaptability and curiosity. I had a passion for Japan. I had to leave a world of study and Japanese movies to discover my love for Japan. Moving to Japan as an exchange student converted my interest in Japan into a passion for Japan.

• Pattern Recognition: Identifying recurring themes in what you enjoy and are naturally drawn to—such as hobbies, topics, or types of work—is a skill that helps narrow down your true passions. For years, I had a passion for music and high-end audio equipment. This led me to interview and get a job offer from EMI Music Japan, which I turned down because I understood financial statements and realized the company had financial challenges. The CEO left a week after I turned the offer down. My passion for audio also led me to establish a small import company in Japan. I imported some name-brand audio makers from the United States and Europe into Japan.

• Resilience: The process of finding your passion can include setbacks and uncertainties. Developing resilience and perseverance helps you stay committed to the journey. Embracing these setbacks and understanding they are part of the journey is critical. Following your passion is not free and usually comes with hard work and sacrifice. Building the discipline required to embrace the setbacks and learn to enjoy the journey is vital.

• Decision-Making: The ability to evaluate options and make deliberate choices about where to focus your energy and time is essential to finding and pursuing your passion. Life offers countless possibilities, and without the ability to assess your options, it’s easy to feel overwhelmed or directionless. Deliberate decision-making helps you prioritize what aligns with your values and long-term goals. We all know people who have too many priorities and cannot focus. I often fall victim to this because I have many interests and hobbies. Pursuing everything indiscriminately can lead to exhaustion and frustration. Evaluating your options helps you focus on what excites and motivates you, keeping you energized and committed. Finding focus is a skill, and each deliberate choice reinforces our commitment to our passion.

While some people may seem naturally attuned to their passions, it’s a journey of self-discovery and skill development for many. With effort and openness to growth, anyone can cultivate the ability to uncover and follow their passions.

Explore new activities, reflect on what excites you, and align your passion with your purpose for a fulfilling life.

7. How to Be Emotionally Aware

I love this quote.

It highlights the importance of recognizing and understanding that emotions can lead to greater personal power and decision-making. It is the foundation of emotional intelligence, helping us respond thoughtfully instead of impulsively.

Being emotionally aware is critical to developing a skill stack focused on self-improvement and success.

Emotional awareness is the ability to recognize, understand, and manage your own emotions while also being able to identify and empathize with the emotions of others. It involves being conscious of how feelings influence thoughts, behaviors, and relationships and using this awareness to respond appropriately in different situations.

Emotional awareness helps you navigate relationships and handle challenges effectively.

You can start by recognizing and managing your own emotions.

There are several reasons why emotional awareness is critical to our success.

• Better Decision-Making: Understanding your emotions can lead to more thoughtful and rational decisions. How many of us have made the wrong or bad decisions when angry? The most basic example is saying something we did not mean, especially to friends and family. Sometimes, you want to pause because of your emotions before making decisions.

• Improved Relationships: Empathy and clear communication strengthen personal and professional relationships. Back to the statement above, we have all said things we regret when angry or upset. How many parents have strained relationships with their kids because of a lack of understanding of their own emotions? We have all experienced that lousy boss who appears to be on the emotional roller coaster to hell and is trying to take us on the ride there with him. By striving to understand your emotions, you positively impact everyone within your circle of trust, fostering stronger relationships and mutual support.

• Enhanced Leadership: People want to follow emotionally attuned individuals. Emotionally aware leaders inspire trust, motivate teams, and handle conflicts constructively. Emotionally aware people provide stability in challenging situations that people can depend on. An emotionally aware leader can also recognize the challenges that people on his team face and act appropriately. This kind of leader might recognize a team member who has recently become withdrawn, missed deadlines, and delivered subpar work. Instead of immediately reprimanding the team member, this kind of leader uses emotional awareness to address the situation thoughtfully, such as staying calm and talking to the employee later to see if they can address the problem professionally.

• Mental Well-Being: Anyone on a journey to become the best version of themselves recognizes the importance of focusing on their mental well-being. Recognizing and managing emotions reduces stress and promotes mental health.

Emotional awareness is a foundational skill for emotional intelligence, enabling personal growth, stronger relationships, and better life outcomes.

8. How to Make an Impact

While not directly mentioning impact or intentions, this quote highlights the importance of deliberate, disciplined actions in achieving meaningful results.

We must align our actions with a clear purpose; ownership and discipline are foundational to creating lasting and impactful outcomes.

Impact starts with intention. Focus on meaningful actions, whether it’s through mentorship, community service, or professional excellence.

Meaningful impact is rooted in deliberate, value-driven actions aligned with clear intentions.

There are a few things we can implement to make a meaningful impact.

• Intentionality in Systems. We should be creating systems that consistently guide us toward success. Intentionality drives these systems, ensuring actions align with meaningful outcomes, whether personal or professional. To learn more about systems, check out my newsletter, Systems vs. Goals. Implementing strong personal systems allows you to make an enormous impact in your professional and personal life by providing structure, efficiency, and consistency. 

• Mentorship and Influence. Intentionally investing in mentorship and professional excellence is always a good idea. You amplify your ability to create a ripple effect, positively influencing others and building your legacy. By mentoring others, you pass on knowledge and guidance, enabling them to grow and succeed. This creates a ripple effect, where your influence extends beyond your direct actions. Mentorship is a two-way street. It challenges you to refine your skills, think critically, and continuously grow, while the act of helping others creates deep personal fulfillment.

• Value-Driven Impact. We should focus on actions that add unique value—whether it’s through skill-building, leadership, or contribution to the community. These intentional efforts magnify your overall impact.

By implementing these strategies, you create a ripple effect of positive change that extends far beyond your individual efforts.

Start making an impact today!

9. How to Say No

Protect your time and energy by learning to say no gracefully. It’s not selfish—it’s self-care.

Learning to say no is a crucial skill many must actively work to develop.

Saying no is a superpower because it allows you to set boundaries, prioritize your time and energy, and focus on what truly matters. 

It often can feel challenging to say no because it involves disappointing others. 

We don’t want to be confronted with social expectations, and you don’t want to be the only one who says you would rather stay home tonight instead of attending the next party. 

Many find it challenging to deal with the guilt of saying no. Still, it is important to remember that mastering the ability to say no is essential for setting boundaries and maintaining one’s mental and emotional well-being. 

It empowers you to focus on your goals and priorities, ultimately leading to a more fulfilling and balanced life. 

Learning to say no is something many people have to learn. It takes work to do.

So, how the hell does one go about saying no?

This is one of the more challenging skills to add to your skill stack.

It comes down to your priorities. If your goals and priorities are essential to you, it will become easier to focus on those priorities and say no.

If you do not have a clear vision and a clear set of priorities you are driving towards, developing the ability to say no may be more challenging. 

The act of saying no is really about making yourself the priority, which can be challenging.

Here are a few pieces of advice to help you develop the ability to say no.

• Understand Your Priorities. Knowing your priorities is the most important thing, as it helps you decide what aligns with your values and goals and what does not. If you are unclear about your priorities, write them down, then write them down again. Become crystal clear on your priorities. I recently detailed this in an article called Write To Figure Out Where You Are Going. When you are clear about your priorities, declining requests that don’t support them is more manageable. The more passionate you are about your priorities, the easier it becomes to say no. 

• Practice Assertiveness. A basic definition of assertiveness is being self-assured and confident without being aggressive. It involves expressing your thoughts, feelings, and needs directly, honestly, and respectfully while respecting the rights of others. Assertiveness is a key communication skill that helps individuals navigate personal and professional relationships more effectively. Practice saying no with a firm or polite nature. This does not mean being an asshole about it. Being respectful will take you much further than being a jerk about it. Remember, the most crucial point is that this is about your priorities. It is critical that you set boundaries.

• Use a Delayed Response. Understanding the request is one of the biggest challenges when people ask you to support their projects with your time. Often, we respond reactively to a request because we do not have time to think about it, and it is easier just to put it on the list and deal with it later. Using a delayed response allows you to evaluate your priorities and decide if taking on the new task is feasible without overcommitting yourself.  If done correctly, it also shows respect for the requestor’s need by considering their request. This approach helps reduce or eliminate immediate pressure and allows you to assess your decision. It will improve the quality of your decision because it gives you the time to understand if the request aligns with your values and priorities. It also helps you maintain a level of professionalism. It shows that you are considerate and organized and looks like a logical response rather than an emotional response. You can handle requests more effectively and control your schedule using a delayed response.

• Offer Alternatives. This is an excellent option if you are not comfortable saying no outright. This feels like more of a time management option, and it does not address the issue if you need to say no because the request distracts you from your priorities. If the request conflicts with your values and distracts from the goals you are trying to accomplish, a more aggressive approach might be required. However, if it is more of a time management issue, try to offer alternatives. Using alternatives when saying no can help soften the refusal and still provide assistance. 

• Stay Firm and Consistent. Ultimately, you have to remain consistent once your decision has been made. Being firm and consistent after saying no helps establish and reinforce your boundaries. It communicates to others what you are willing and not willing to do, helping to define clear limits. This consistency is essential for maintaining respect and ensuring that your boundaries are not crossed repeatedly. Sticking to your guns when saying no also helps keep your integrity and self-respect. It builds confidence. It is fulfilling to know that you are strong enough to say no and make the things necessary to you a priority.

Remaining consistent once you say no is essential for maintaining boundaries, building trust, preserving integrity, preventing overcommitment, and enhancing focus and productivity. It reinforces the importance of your time and priorities, helping you live a more balanced and fulfilling life.

10. How to Think Critically

Critical thinking is valued as the foundation of true education and intellectual growth. It emphasizes the importance of developing the ability to analyze, question, and understand rather than memorize information.

Another important item to add to our skill stack is the ability to question assumptions, analyze information, and approach problems logically to make informed decisions in all aspects of life.

• Filter for Reality. Use a systems thinking approach to analyze situations logically and avoid being misled by emotions or biases. It is better to analyze and solve problems by viewing them as part of an interconnected system rather than in isolation. We tend to seek information confirming our beliefs and ignore evidence contradicting them. A systems thinking approach helps us overcome personal biases by encouraging a deeper understanding of the interconnected factors that shape our thoughts, decisions, and behaviors. 

• Avoid Cognitive Biases. Recognizing cognitive biases and avoiding common mental traps that hinder clear thinking is vital. Cognitive biases are mental shortcuts that can lead to flawed judgments, missed opportunities, and suboptimal outcomes. Cognitive biases skew reality. Focusing on critical thinking can improve decision-making, maximize success, create better systems, and enhance our ability to persuade and influence.

• Question Assumptions. We should always encourage the challenge of assumptions and view problems from multiple perspectives.  Challenge your assumptions all the time. We often focus on what we think is true instead of thinking outside the box, especially when confronted with perspectives we disagree with. Make an effort to find innovative solutions and avoid conventional thinking traps.

• Focus on Systems Over Goals: This is one of my favorites, and I referenced my newsletter, Systems vs. Goals, above. Critical thinking involves creating systems for success rather than relying solely on goal-setting. Systems allow for ongoing improvement and adaptability, which are crucial for long-term success.

An example of this might be having a goal to be promoted into a manager role within one year. To achieve this goal, you must focus entirely on getting the promotion. You apply for it. You work extra hours. You give it your all, waiting for the right opportunity. If the promotion does not occur because of things you cannot control, you become frustrated and feel like a failure.

A systems approach would focus instead on a learning and career-building process that enhances your skills, builds relationships, and increases your visibility. You would take professional development courses, consistently seek feedback from peers and supervisors, mentor and collaborate with co-workers, stay updated on industrial trends, and network with professionals inside and outside the organization. By focusing on the ongoing improvement process, you increase your chances of promotion. Even if the promotion does not happen, other opportunities you have yet to consider might become available because you have implemented continuous improvement systems.

Critical thinking is a foundational tool for problem-solving, creativity, and achieving success in any field.

Conclusion of Part 1

Combining complementary skills creates powerful advantages by enhancing your value and increasing your opportunities for success. This is the secret to success that only some people understand. It is not taught in school.

Instead of aiming to be the absolute best at a single skill, consider becoming proficient in multiple areas. This approach, known as building a “skill stack,” allows you to merge abilities in ways that make you uniquely valuable. No person has the same skill stack, and building this skill stack is a foundational part of our journey. Adding to your skill stack never ends; improving and implementing it is a continuous effort.

For example, combining technical expertise with strong communication skills can set you apart in many industries. How many incredible computer programmers do you know who have great product ideas but, because of poor communication skills or an inability to sell, the value of what they have created goes unrecognized through an entire nine-to-five career?

A diverse skill stack helps you adapt to changing circumstances and makes you more competitive, as only some people will have the same combination of skills.

Remember, being above average in several skills is often more achievable and practical than mastering just one. I will never be able to write as well as Ernest Hemingway, but if I combine my basic writing skills with the experience I have gained during my life journey, I can help others learn and achieve more success.

By intentionally cultivating various complementary skills, you position yourself for greater success and open doors to new opportunities that a single skill alone might not unlock.

This mindset encourages continuous growth, making lifelong learning and personal development key strategies for long-term success.

Let this be your starting point—consider which skills you can add to your personal inventory and begin building your unique skill stack today.

Let’s continue this journey together. What are some ways you encourage your children to embrace authenticity? Share your thoughts—I’d love to hear them!

The Day Warrior

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