Win Without Being the Best 🏆
Issue #120: Skill Stacking. My Growth Toolset. List Price vs Real Price.
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💡 Here are 3-ideas to help you learn, grow, and be inspired this week!
🎓 Learn
The Truth About Greatness
Scott Adams never set out to be the best artist.
Or the best businessman.
Or the funniest person alive.
Yet, he became wildly successful by blending these three skills into something unique—Dilbert. A simple comic strip that turned into a global phenomenon, making him a multi-millionaire.
He didn’t need to be in the top 1% of any one skill.
He just needed to be in the top 10-15% of a few.
This is the power of skill stacking.
And it’s the secret to standing out and creating your circle of genius.
What Is Skill Stacking?
Skill stacking is about combining multiple good-but-not-great skills into something unique and valuable.
Instead of trying (and probably failing) to be world-class in one thing, you create a combination of skills that make you stand out.
Think of it like building a unique cocktail. A little bit of this, a little bit of that—and suddenly, you’ve got something special, something unique.
Personally, I know how to code, how to run a business, and how to write. I may not be in the top 1% of coders, the top 1% of entrepreneurs, or the top 1% of writers.
But combining these three skills? That makes me a pretty unique and valuable CEO.
Why Skill Stacking Works
The world glorifies the top 1%. But the truth? 99% of people will never be in the top 1%.
Take soccer. The highest-paid players are in the top 1%—Messi, Ronaldo, Mbappé. But the other 99% of professional soccer players? Still incredibly skilled, still making millions, but they aren’t the best.
Now, if you’re not even in a professional league, where does that leave you?
Skill stacking gives you another way to win.
How to Stack Your Skills
Step#1: Pick a Core Skill. What are you already decent at? Writing? Marketing? Coding? Public speaking?
Step#2: Find Complementary Skills. What other skills amplify your core skill Example: A writer who knows SEO and email marketing can make way more money than just a “good writer.”
Step#3: Get to the Top 10-15%You don’t need to be world-class—just better than most. A few books, a course, and some practice will put you ahead of 90% of people.
Step#4: Create a Unique Combination: The magic happens when you mix skills in a way no one else does. Example: A decent musician + basic video editing + social media marketing = Viral YouTube sensation
Skill Stacking Examples
Identify your core skill. Then, start stacking.
But What If…?
“I’m not great at anything.” → Perfect. That means you’re not tied to one thing and can mix skills freely.
“Won’t specialists always win?” → In some fields, yes. (Surgeons, elite athletes, etc.) But for most careers, being uniquely skilled beats being the best at one thing.
“Isn’t this just being a jack-of-all-trades?” → No. A jack-of-all-trades is random. Skill stacking is intentional. You pick skills that work together.
Build Your Stack This Week
Look at your skills. Now, ask yourself:
What’s one secondary skill that would make me 10x more valuable?
What’s something most people in my field don’t know?
What’s a skill I can learn in 3-6 months that would set me apart?
Pick one.
Start learning.
Stack your way to success.
The world doesn’t need another Mozart.
It needs more people who can play four instruments really well.
🚀 Growth Tip
A lot of you have asked about the tools I use to stay productive and grow every day.
So, I put them all in one place—organized by category:
Writing tools ✍️
Productivity Apps ⏳
Game-changing courses 🎓
And more.
You can check them out here (for free!).
Hope it helps! 🚀
🤩 Inspiration
Everything has two prices:
1️⃣ List Price – what it seems to cost.
2️⃣ Real Price – what you actually give up.
The List Price is obvious. The Real Price? Hidden.
John D. Rockefeller’s success looked like years of hard work.
But the real cost? Broken relationships, declining health, and a damaged reputation.
Before chasing anything, ask yourself: Is it worth the real price?
[Talking about Skill stacking, here’s something I’m excited to share to help you build your skill stack by learning copywriting]
How Samir, an Engineer, Unlocked His Career with One Skill
Samir was a great engineer but struggled to explain ideas, pitch projects, and share updates.
After missing a promotion, he realized—it wasn’t his technical skills holding him back. It was his writing.
So, he took a copywriting course.
In months, his emails became clearer, his proposals got approved faster, and he became the go-to person for presentations.
Then? He got the promotion.
Why? Because writing is a meta-skill. It makes you more productive, persuasive, and valuable—no matter your field.
Also, writing is a “complimentary skill” to any “core skill” to build a powerful skill stack.
Good news? Writing is learnable.
If you improve one skill in 2025, make it writing.
I’ve taken tons of courses, and CopyThat is the best—30 minutes a day, 10 days, all via email.
✍🏻 Check it out here: CopyThat
👋 Until next time, Anil / CEO and Co-Founder of Multidots, Multicollab, and Dotstore.
May the Peaceful Growth be with you! 🪴
More Ways to Learn + Grow
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#2: Work with WordPress or build on it? Check out WP for Enterprises —your backstage pass to how BILLION-DOLLAR websites run.
#3: I’ve sat down with founders who’ve grown their businesses from $500K to $10M. Want their playbook? Listen to the Peaceful Growth Podcast for insider tips on scaling up.