Start Building Your Skill Stack Today - Part Two

Success isn’t about mastering just one skill—it’s about building a diverse stack of complementary abilities that work together to set you apart.

A skill stack combines diverse, complementary skills that, when developed together, create an advantage and increase our overall value. Our skill stacks are as unique as a fingerprint and help us improve professionally and personally.

You don’t need to be the best at any single skill; instead, being “good enough” in multiple relevant skills can set you apart and open new opportunities.

Let's Get Started on Part Two

Being “good enough” in multiple areas can be far more valuable than excelling at only one.

Combining skills like communication and technical expertise creates unique opportunities and makes you more adaptable in an ever-changing world.

Part two of my newsletter will inspire you to think about new skills you can develop to strengthen your unique skill stack and unlock greater potential.

Here are five more essential areas you can focus on to enhance your skill stack and build a better future.

11. How to Face Failure

What is it that you fear most in life? Is there something that keeps you up at night?

What is fear? In its most basic sense, fear is an emotional response triggered by a perceived threat, danger, or potential real or imagined harm.

In some cases, fear is something that protects us. It is good to be fearful of being fearful of wild animals when hiking alone in the wilderness. It is also okay to be afraid of the "bad guys" when walking in a dangerous neighborhood. These things keep you alive.

Some fears are irrational and emotional only. This is where the acronym F-E-A-R comes into play.

False Evidence Appearing Real

This interpretation suggests that fear is often based on imagined or exaggerated threats rather than actual dangers.

The F-E-A-R of failure is often an imagined or exaggerated threat. There might be financial or schedule setbacks when we fail. Sometimes, when we fail, we have feelings of embarrassment. The feelings are sometimes so strong that we avoid taking action to prevent failure altogether.

Reframing Failure

The key to facing failure is reframing it from something we should fear to an opportunity to build the critical experience we need to be successful in life.

Failure is not something to fear or hide from. It is a challenge. It is a problem we try to find a solution for. A locked door we are trying to open.

The glass half-empty view is that each challenge we face could lead to failure. The more optimistic view is that every challenge may open doors to new experiences and opportunities we never thought possible.

Embrace failure as part of the process. It’s a stepping stone to resilience and eventual success.

How to reframe failure as an opportunity?

It is always easier to say something than to actually do something. Reframing failure as an opportunity involves shifting one's mindset from viewing it as a dead end or a loss to viewing it as a learning experience. This learning experience builds resilience, fosters growth, and opens new doors.

• Adjust your perspective. Your old view might be that failure is the opposite of success. Instead, think about each failure as a part of the journey toward success. Not only that, but it is a necessary part of the journey. Each setback we face provides valuable lessons, insights, and experiences. In the future, when something does not work out, ask yourself, "What did I learn, and how can I apply what I learned next time?"

• Separate failure from your identity. When you fail at something, do you equate yourself to that failure? Do you find yourself saying, "I failed, so I am a failure?" Do not do that! Instead, separate the failure from your identity. Say instead, "I experienced a failure, but I am capable of growth and success." Reframe failure as a temporary event and not a permanent label or limit to your abilities. Failure is not a defining characteristic.

• Always find a lesson in the setback. Failure does not mean you are not good enough. Throw away that way of thinking. Instead, embrace failure, which means you have discovered something that does not work and are better equipped to face this challenge again. Next time you have a setback, write it down and summarize what you have learned and what you can do differently next time.

• Focus on the future. Throw out the concept that failure closes doors. Instead, failures should be reframed as something that leads to unexpected new opportunities. Consider all the alternative paths that your setback revealed. Many successful people credit their failures for redirecting them toward better opportunities.

• Embrace a path of growth, not of failure. Many people make the mistake of believing success is something that should come easy. If you believe this, each failure to mentally become an insurmountable setback. A reason to give up. Instead, success should be reframed as a result of persistence, learning, and evolving through failures. Build systems of continuous improvements. Each failure is part of your system, your operating system, towards building mastery and experience.

• Share and normalize your failures. Don't hide your failures. Instead, share your failures and the valuable lessons you have learned. Sharing failures helps others understand and builds resilience. Be open about your failures and what you learned. It builds credibility and authenticity and inspires others to keep going.

By framing failure as a necessary part of success, you turn setbacks into powerful learning experiences. You build new skills and open new doors that might have remained closed had you not tried and failed.

12. How to Invest Money

Please do not take any of the subsequent comments as sound investment advice. Please seek out a trusted financial advisor to set your financial goals and take specific action on how to invest your money.

The point of this section is to emphasize the importance of learning the basics of what it means to invest your money. I started this section with a quote from Warren Buffet emphasizing the importance of financial education and learning to invest wisely. By gaining knowledge about money management and investments, you increase your potential to build wealth and secure financial freedom.

Master the basics of investing—stocks, bonds, real estate, or mutual funds—to grow your wealth over time.

I am reminding you again that I am not a financial advisor, but this is a skill set you should consider building, and here are a few actionable steps you might take to get started.

• Build a strong financial foundation. Create a budget that allows you to track your income, expenses, and saving goals. Out of the gate, you need to build discipline around spending less than you earn. Do not create unnecessary debt. Think about establishing an emergency fund. Could you survive 3 to 6 months if you lost your job today? Consider a high-yield savings account to save money for a rainy day. Try to stay free from credit card debt and personal loans. Focus on paying these off before investing in other things.

• Learn the basics of investing. This may seem very basic, but please read some books and good articles. Consider books like The Intelligent Investor by Benjamin Graham or Rich Dad Poor Dad by Robert Kiyosaki. Once you get some basics down, start following the financial news. Stay updated with market trends through credible financial websites like Investopedia or Bloomberg. As you are learning, please note that it is impossible to predict the future. Even the best investors need better track records on successful investments. If you are more serious about learning to invest, consider taking some courses. You can take many online courses from the comfort of your home or the local coffee shop.  Platforms like Coursera or Udemy offer excellent options to learn about investing fundamentals.

• Define your investment goals. Thinks about things in terms of short-term, medium-term, and long-term goals. Short-term goals include saving for a vacation or car (1-3 years). Medium-term goals might be buying a house or starting a business (3-5 years). Long-term goals include retirement, children’s education, or wealth-building (5+ years).

• Diversify your portfolio. I am not going to advise on what to invest your money in, but one rule seems to hold: to diversify your investments. Do not put all your investment eggs in one basket. Instead, spread the risk. Invest across different asset classes (stocks, bonds, real estate, and commodities). Try to avoid "all-in" investments.

• Consider Professional Help. Using professional help when learning to make financial investments can be highly beneficial, especially if you’re new to investing or have complex financial goals. An advisor can create a customized investment portfolio based on your financial goals, risk tolerance, and timeline. They can help you set clear financial goals, such as saving for retirement, buying a home, or funding education, while ensuring you stay on track.

Consider the concepts above, and you can confidently begin your investing journey, build wealth over time, and work toward financial independence.

Remember to start small, and like everything else, learn from your failures and increase your experience and portfolio over time.

Lastly and most importantly, do not take advice from me; instead, take financial advice from professionals for specific economic and portfolio advice.

13. How to Start a Business

Learning how to start your own business is something you really should consider to add to your overall portfolio of skills.

Starting your own company is essential to your skill stack because it combines and enhances a wide range of abilities, making you more adaptable, innovative, and resourceful in any professional environment.

Starting a business is a leap of faith. It forces you to learn various business essentials: market research, business planning, financials, customer service funding, and scaling.

Why is starting a business a critical skill to have?

• It builds versatility. You will not believe the number of hats you have to wear if you start your own business. It would be best to start with the basics to run any business: marketing, sales, finance, operations, and leadership. On top of that, there are the skills related to creating, developing, and servicing our products. You must develop networking skills to get funding, create sales and services channels, and develop sales channels. You might have to develop numerous technical skills such as web development, online sales, social media marketing, graphics development, and video editing.

• Enhances Problem-Solving Abilities. As an entrepreneur, you will face daily challenges and obstacles. It could be anything from financial hurdles, customer complaints, and underperforming employees to company health insurance plans. You typically would not be exposed to many things in a typical 9 to 5 role. Overcoming these obstacles strengthens your critical thinking and decision-making skills. These experiences develop diverse skills that can be applied in any career or personal endeavor.

• Fosters Leadership and Vision. Owning a company to teach yourself about leadership and vision is different. Building a company sharpens your ability to lead teams, inspire others, and stay focused on long-term goals, even during setbacks. Private companies do not just develop by themselves. Much effort is required to create and execute the visions needed to meet your goals, satisfy your customers, and remain profitable year after year.

• Strengthens Financial Literacy. Most people start their own company to make money or fulfill their life goals. Starting your own company becomes a crash course in all things financial. You will learn to manage budgets, forecast profits, track the value of your inventory, and understand cash flow. You will learn more than you ever want to about business taxes and managing profit and loss to keep your company prosperous. All these financial skills are essential for running a business. These skills are transferable to personal finance and other professional roles.

• Develops Resilience and Adaptability. There are so many opportunities to fail when starting your own business. Earlier in this newsletter, I highlighted the importance of facing your fears and embracing your failures as opportunities to learn and build the experience you need to succeed. Building a business will give you more opportunities to fail than you ever thought possible. The ups and downs of entrepreneurship teach you how to persevere through failures, adapt to changing circumstances, and remain focused on your goals.

• Creates Unique Opportunities. Starting a business puts you on a different path in life, creating opportunities you never thought possible. Starting a company allows you to explore your passions, bring innovative ideas to life, and build wealth and freedom that traditional roles may not offer. Years ago, when I started my audio import business in Japan, I met an incredible gentleman named Ina-san (伊奈さん）, who acted as a mentor and helped me get my audio business off the ground. It opened up a whole new world I never knew existed. He had a small audio shop, Kryna, in Machida, Japan. It was great discussing our shared love of audio. I would have never had an incredible opportunity if I did not try to create my own business.

• Expand Your Network. Expanding on creating new opportunities, becoming an entrepreneur expands your network and introduces you to people you may have yet to meet during a regular 9 to 5 job. Entrepreneurs interact with diverse professionals, from investors and clients to suppliers and mentors. This expands your network and opens doors to future opportunities. Building a network as a small business owner is not just about exchanging business cards—it’s about forming meaningful, mutually beneficial relationships. You must establish a trusted relationship with the investor who will fund your product or business. How about the mentors you need to make you successful? My mentor was Ina-san. Networking with him helped me take my idea of importing audio products and turn it into a small audio import business. He also became a sales and service partner, allowing me to stage my products in his showroom. Your network of contacts supports your business growth and builds lasting relationships that might lead to future ventures, advisory roles, or even new business ideas.

• Enhances Communication and Sales Skills. Running a business requires selling your ideas, products, or services. These skills are crucial in any field and increase your ability to persuade and connect with others. Your products will not just promote, sell, and service themselves. Good communication across the entire spectrum is critical for a small business's success. Great ideas and products will not sell themselves.

• Develops Self-Discipline and Accountability. My examples and stories reflect self-discipline and the systems required to drive accountability and execution. Discipline and accountability are the most important skills you develop when starting your own business. When you are the boss, success depends on staying motivated and accountable. This discipline is invaluable for personal and professional growth.

A Quick Story About My Own Business.

I have many hobbies. I love music and outstanding audio equipment. Many would call me an audiophile.

Years ago, while pursuing dream number one, living and working in Japan, I decided, “Why not complicate things further by pursuing another dream simultaneously?” That added dream was to start an audio import business in Japan.

This was a steep task. I had no product to sell, no contacts in the market to support and service what I wanted to sell, and I needed to learn how to form the Japanese version of an LLC. 

There were many barriers to entry. 

Opportunities to make mistakes were high. 

The only way forward was to prioritize what I needed to accomplish and get started. 

The list of things I had to accomplish, in some form of priority, looked like the following:

• Figure out how to form a company in Japan. I researched the heck out of this. I found a method where I could establish a Limited Liability Company (LLC) in the United States and then a Godo Kaisha (合同会社) in Japan. This worked out better because I could then do business in both countries. 

• Find products to sell. This was much easier than expected. Companies love to find people who can sell their products to them in other countries. I contacted several companies in the United States and Europe and established exclusive resale/distributor agreements with Electrocompaniet and Rogue Audio. 

• Get the product approved for the Japanese market. It is not easy to bring Electronic products into Japan. I do not want to bore my readers, but Japan requires a PSE mark. The PSE mark is a mandatory safety and EMC (Electromagnetic Compatibility) indication for electrical and electronic products sold on the Japanese market. The applicable law is Japan’s Act on the Safety of Electrical Equipment and Materials (DENAN). The Japanese Ministry of Economy, Trade and Industry (METI) is responsible for PSE certification. I worked through the Japanese bureaucracy and got all the products I imported into Japan approved! 

• Create a website. This part was relatively easy, as I come from an information technology background. It was my first time creating an English and Japanese website. I had to work through producing content that kept the companies whose products I was representing happy, along with my Japanese resellers.

• Market my product. This was also surprisingly easy and an exciting experience. Japan has several popular print-form audio magazines, such as Audio Accessory and Stereo Sound. I secured several magazine reviews for the Rogue Audio products I was importing. This was another example where just taking action produced results. I just had to overcome my fear of failure. I reached out to the magazine companies and secured several product reviews. Below is an example of some of my early attempts at creating marketing material for my company in Japan.

Below are a few photos from the AV Festa in Yokohama, Japan, around the year 2006.

My Japanese company produced about $70,000 in sales in the first year. 

My efforts were successful because I identified the most critical tasks and tackled them first.

As a foreigner trying to find my way in Japan, starting a business was overwhelming. 

By breaking down the complicated task of starting a business in Japan into smaller, manageable steps, I could complete them one at a time while maintaining focus and preventing myself from being overwhelmed.

This experience taught me that even the most complex goals become achievable with focus, persistence, and a clear action plan.

14. How to Be Disciplined

This is one of my all-time favorite quotes.

Practicing self-discipline leads to greater personal freedom and control over your life. At first, discipline may seem restrictive because it requires structure, routines, and sacrifices. However, in the long run, it unlocks opportunities and independence. 

• Freedom Through Control: Discipline in exercising well can lead to the freedom of having a healthy and energetic body. Discipline in our finances but budgeting and saving consistently can lead you financial freedom and few money worries. More professional and career advancement options become available if you consistently work hard and are disciplined about building new skills.

• Freedom From Regret: Being disciplined prevents us from making impulsive decisions that cause regret or long-term consequences. If we are disciplined about our choices, our accomplishments will exceed our failures. Failures often lead to regret.

• Freedom from Dependence: Personal sovereignty is a great word, and discipline leads us down a path of personal sovereignty where we have reduced reliance on others for motivation or support. When disciplined, we are better prepared for the challenges we face. This creates personal freedom to adapt and thrive.

• Freedom to Choose: Discipline leads to the execution of positive habits. Positive habits create personal growth, which provides more opportunities in life. One example might be time management. Managing time through disciplined routines frees up time for what truly matters.

By committing to discipline, you gain control over your actions, decisions, and future, ultimately creating the freedom to live on your terms. Discipline isn’t about limiting life but empowering yourself to achieve more.

Discipline is a foundational element for personal and professional growth. It helps you achieve your goals, build good habits, manage time, and enhance overall well-being.

The most basic example of discipline might be getting up early daily, working long hours to accomplish one's goals, and facing problems head-on.

Most people fail at self-discipline due to a lack of clear goals, inconsistent habits, and the temptation from short-term dopamine hits. It is easier to binge-watch Netflix for the day than to get the exercise you should be getting instead.

I am a work in progress and developing method to improve my self-disciple, but I would like you to walk away with the following concepts after reading this newsletter:

• Create Effective Systems: Effective systems create a structured approach focusing on consistent, repeatable actions rather than specific goals. These systems help drive discipline, not a focus on goals. This process involves creating systems from habits and routines that are directionally aligned to your long-term goals. You break things down into smaller, manageable steps and try to integrate them into your daily life. The goal is to form repeatable habits that become second nature and drive you towards an incremental path of improvement. Creating systems and positive habits is a high-impact method to see improvement. You can dive deeper by reading Systems vs. Goals.

• Prioritize and Execute: We must prioritize what we need to accomplish. There are a few practical steps to achieve this. Identify your goals, break down goals into tasks, prioritize the tasks, create a plan, execute with focus, review and adjust, stay accountable, and develop consistent habits. By following these steps, you can effectively prioritize the work you need to complete and execute the critical tasks that will make you successful.

• Build Positive Habits: Building positive habits plays a crucial role in achieving personal sovereignty through self-discipline. Positive habits create a level of independence and consistent progress towards our goals. Having goals is a good thing. Having dreams is also a good thing. Creating the habits you need and the discipline to execute every day is incredible. Positive habits create routines and consistency. Routines help promote discipline, and consistency helps us manage time effectively and focus on our long-term objectives. Positive habits lead to personal growth. These positive habits include regular exercise, healthy eating, reading books daily, and continuous learning. They can all enhance physical health, mental clarity, and personal growth. All these things lead to greater self-reliance and less dependence on external factors like support, motivation, and validation. Positive habits break down larger goals into smaller, manageable tasks, making them easier to achieve over time. Having a growth mindset is critical for self-discipline and personal sovereignty. Cultivating habits like reading, continuous learning, meditation, prayer, and personal reflection on our path all foster a growth mindset, which encourages continuous improvement, self-improvement, and individual excellence. 

• Embrace Ownership: Embracing ownership is critical to maintaining discipline. It fosters a sense of ownership, responsibility, and accountability. Embracing ownership is essential for maintaining discipline. By embracing ownership, we take responsibility and become accountable for our actions. Ownership drives proactive behavior and enhanced problem-solving because we are not waiting for others to solve our problems. Ownership and discipline involve making deliberate decisions and exercising self-control. One of the biggest challenges to maintaining discipline is prioritizing our long-term goals and the systems we have established for success over immediate gratification. What excites me about ownership is the opportunity to become the best version of myself. One thing that many people fail at is taking on new challenges and not being afraid of making mistakes. Owning your goals forces you to take on the challenges in front of you head-on, and when you embrace ownership, you are more likely to learn from your mistakes and make those critical adjustments that take you down a path of success instead of failure. This continuous learning process has only one outcome: it enhances your discipline. Another benefit is that overcoming your challenges and learning from them builds self-confidence. Embracing ownership is vital for maintaining discipline because it instills a sense of responsibility, fosters intrinsic motivation, encourages proactive behavior, supports continuous improvement, and empowers individuals. Embracing ownership is vital for maintaining discipline because it instills a sense of responsibility, fosters intrinsic motivation, encourages proactive behavior, supports continuous improvement, and empowers individuals. 

• Monitor and Adjust: It is critical to monitor and adjust your goals and systems to maintain a high level of discipline. You want to ensure that your efforts remain aligned with your objectives, adapt to changes, and address emerging challenges or inefficiencies. If you walk away from this article with just one crucial nugget of information, it is this: Discipline is not a one-time achievement. It is not something you accomplish and then be done with. It is a lifestyle. It is a continuous process that requires regular evaluation and adjustment. As you progress, your goals may change or evolve. External circumstances may impact the approach you have planned. Regularly monitoring your progress and plan allows you to ensure that your actions and systems remain in alignment with your objectives. Everything is dynamic. Life changes daily. Unexpected things can happen that throw your perfect plan into disarray. You have to be able to adapt to change. This flexibility helps you rethink your approach, adjust, and prevent setbacks that could derail your progress. By monitoring and adjusting, you consciously identify obstacles, problems, or inefficiencies early so they can be corrected instead of suffering material losses. Addressing challenges early prevents problems from becoming more extensive and more discouraging. 

Discipline fuels success. Develop routines, set achievable goals, and stay consistent to see long-term progress.

Discipline is the bridge between sovereignty and personal success. It transforms dreams into reality, providing the foundation for self-governance and achieving your highest potential.

This topic is extremely important, and you can learn more in a few articles I have written related to this:

• Master the Art of Self-Discipline

• Overcoming Regret with Discipline

15. Don't Miss Twice

Consistency is what drives progress, not perfection.

Missing once won’t ruin your journey, but letting it become a habit can.

There is power in being consistent to achieving long-term success. By committing to showing up, using accountability tools, and building systems for success, you create lasting momentum that drives meaningful change.

• Adopt a  No-Excuses Mindset: Remember that missing once is a setback, but missing twice becomes a pattern. Commit to showing up, even when it’s inconvenient.

• Create a simple Action Plan to Correct: If you miss a workout or have an unhealthy meal, plan your next session or meal immediately. Write it down. Schedule it. Put it in your calendar and treat it like your number one appointment.

• Use Accountability Tools: If you have trouble holding yourself accountable, share your goals with a friend. I use a fitness app. Something about beating records on fitness apps is a great motivator for me.

• Lower the Barrier to Success: I am on the fence, but I firmly believe that something is better than nothing. If motivation is low, start small. Go for a 10-minute walk, do a quick home workout, or eat a healthy snack instead of a full meal. Inaction accomplishes nothing. Taking even a small action builds momentum.

• Build Systems for Success: It is easier not to miss twice when you have solid systems in place. If you have solid routines that make healthy choices automatic, it is much easier to pick up the next day. Meal prep, schedule workouts at the same time daily, and set reminders to stay on track.

In the end, consistency is key to long-term success. It is not what you do occasionally that shapes your outcomes. What you commit to doing regularly drives meaningful change in your life. Missing a step once in your journey will not derail all the hard work you have put in, but allowing it to become a pattern will.

You build systems that support steady progress by adopting a no-excuses mindset, creating corrective action plans, using accountability tools, and lowering barriers to success. Even when inconvenient, showing up fosters momentum, creating results or success.

Conclusion of Part Two

Combining complementary skills creates powerful advantages by enhancing one's value and increasing one's opportunities for success. Very few people understand this secret to success, and it needs to be 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 the skill stack never ends; improving and implementing 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 strengths.

Remember, being above average in several skills is often more achievable and practical than mastering just one. I will never 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 other people 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 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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