Career Advice

Last night I met a script supervisor. She works with directors to make sure a movie has the right continuity, and one scene fits the next. It’s a fascinating job, hobnobbing with top directors, writers, and celebrities. No two assignments are the same. How do you get that kind of career? She earned a degree in anthropology and just “fell into it” through a series of events.

I know the feeling. I majored in economics, got an MBA, worked at a bank, then a phone company, and became a cartoonist.

For every person who studies something specific, such as the law or medicine, and actually ended up in that sort of career, I think there are five who let chance pick their careers. That works out more often than you’d think, but you can’t recommend it as a career strategy. Instead, I recommend a general formula for success. Allow me to explain.

If you want an average successful life, it doesn’t take much planning. Just stay out of trouble, go to school, and apply for jobs you might like. But if you want something extraordinary, you have two paths:

1. Become the best at one specific thing.
2. Become very good (top 25%) at two or more things.

The first strategy is difficult to the point of near impossibility. Few people will ever play in the NBA or make a platinum album. I don’t recommend anyone even try.

The second strategy is fairly easy. Everyone has at least a few areas in which they could be in the top 25% with some effort. In my case, I can draw better than most people, but I’m hardly an artist. And I’m not any funnier than the average standup comedian who never makes it big, but I’m funnier than most people. The magic is that few people can draw well and write jokes. It’s the combination of the two that makes what I do so rare. And when you add in my business background, suddenly I had a topic that few cartoonists could hope to understand without living it.

I always advise young people to become good public speakers (top 25%). Anyone can do it with practice. If you add that talent to any other, suddenly you’re the boss of the people who have only one skill. Or get a degree in business on top of your engineering degree, law degree, medical degree, science degree, or whatever. Suddenly you’re in charge, or maybe you’re starting your own company using your combined knowledge.

Capitalism rewards things that are both rare and valuable. You make yourself rare by combining two or more “pretty goods” until no one else has your mix. I didn’t spend much time with the script supervisor, but it was obvious that her verbal/writing skills were in the top tier as well as her people skills. I’m guessing she also has a high attention to detail, and perhaps a few other skills in the mix. Probably none of those skills are best in the world, but together they make a strong package. Apparently she’s been in high demand for decades.

At least one of the skills in your mixture should involve communication, either written or verbal. And it could be as simple as learning how to sell more effectively than 75% of the world. That’s one. Now add to that whatever your passion is, and you have two, because that’s the thing you’ll easily put enough energy into to reach the top 25%.  If you have an aptitude for a third skill, perhaps business or public speaking, develop that too.

It sounds like generic advice, but you’d be hard pressed to find any successful person who didn’t have about three skills in the top 25%.

What are your three?

Comments

[Audra]

I think that this is very helpful advice to keep in mind. As a college student, I continually feel the pressure to narrow my focus, so I can graduate and find a career. It is much easier to narrow my focus to developing a couple of skill sets or areas of interest instead of focusing on one career track.

[Audra]

I think that this is very helpful advice to keep in mind. As a college student, I continually feel the pressure to narrow my focus, so I can graduate and find a career. It is much easier to narrow my focus to developing a couple of skill sets or areas of interest instead of focusing on one career track.

[Francois]

Hey these are such the nice advices and also some more opportunities are waiting. Some of the good opportunities are waiting for you at http://www.career-descriptions.co.uk

[Make children Successful]

Fabulous information. I would never allow other people to waste my time sitting at my desk talking to me when they have nothing better to do or by making me attend meaningless meetings. I will always try to keep learning and will constantly look for opportunities to improve my skills. I got so many ideas from your blog, similarly from Make children Successful tool.

[ibrahim]

hello.
i have university degree in management of information system and also Microsoft and Cisco certified. so my real career is in computer networks. i realize that i have the imagination to become a graphic design.i sometimes regret my study and wish i could change the past.i don't know if i should try to attend courses in graphic designs or stick in my major. though in designs i won't have the time to achive a university degree in it.
i dunno what to do.

[Advisor for top online universities]

One issue is the fact that alot of students need to work and go to school (I provide info on the top online universities and how to get in on my blog) - http://onlineuniversitiesreport.wordpress.com. Flexible schooling is an option and people need to be informed about how to find flexible and affordable training and education

[küresel ısınmaya hayır]

these are really valuable advices for young people, I hope they have a chance to read these.. I would definitely have taken them in account if I was younger.

[BitterQ]

I agree with HominidX's August 1 post... I've got a number of skills backed with experience, degrees and certification, but I've found that the programming skill often trumps the others when it comes to breaking the mold. It's all to often a reality that as soon as people learn that programming is among your capabilities that they box you into the stereotype.

Even so, this article is a great perspective on how to approach that problem - I'll give it a shot.

[Helen]

To continually grow and boost your work performance, I cannot emphasis enough the benefits of updating your skills and qualifications.This can be achieved through distance education courses such as those provided by Thomson Education http://thomson.edu.au/ who provide a wide range of courses from Accounting & Finance, Business & Marketing to even Professional Development.

[Ernie Zelinski]

I believe that quotations can offer us a lot in the way of career advice.

Here are some career quotes that come from my E-book "1001 Best Things Ever Said about Work (and the Workplace".

The difference between a job and a career is the difference between forty and sixty hours a week.
— Robert Frost

Find a calling you love and you will never work a day in your life.
— Confucius

Adults are always asking little kids what they want to be when they grow up because they're looking for ideas.
— Paula Poundstone

A musician must make music, an artist must paint, a poet must write, if he is to be ultimately at peace with himself.
— Abraham Maslow

Never get married while you're going to college; it's hard to get a start if a prospective employer finds you've already made one mistake.
— Kin Hubbard

If you don't like your job you don't strike. You just go in every day and do it really half-assed. That's the American way.
— Homer Simpson

Note: You can find the Free E-book "1001 Best Things Ever Said about Work (and the Workplace)" at www.thejoyofnotworking.com

Ernie Zelinski

Author of "The Joy of Not Working"

[Jobs Career in Abroad]

Nice informative article. thanks for sharing and keep sharing such kind of articles, as these articles really helpful for experienced and new comers.
http://www.jobs-career-listing.com

[One]

You know, I would've really benefitted from this advice ten years ago. Then again my perception of what I'm actually good at is propably much sharper now.

things I'm good at...
1) Saying things that help. For some reason when I'm alone with someone they quite regurarly start talking about their problems, and a lot of people tell me afterwards that what I said really helped, and even that I've really changed their lives. It's really weird since I feel so screwed up myself, but I guess it takes one to know one. I've considered studying to become a therapist. It's just I really hate studying.

2) Making stuff up = creative fiction. Top 10% easy, maybe even top 1%. Unfortunately my attention span is too short for anything but roleplaying, which has no money in it.

3) I can tell good from bad, even in things I don't know much anything about.

4) I listen to a LOT of music.

[Jupiter]

I'm a bloody good writer (I'm going to be arrogant and say I could be in the top 10%)
Below average biologist (probably the bottom 40%)
I have an excellent imagination...
...and the people skills of a dead frog, so where on earth does my future lay?

[Tummy Roller]

I can roll the fat on my tummy to look like a dance.

[Questioning]

Hello,

I am in the situation that I will soon be resigning from my position. I know that upon resignation I should :

Be sure to get a fair settlement for any outstanding salary, vacation (and sick and personal) days, and commission payments or other compensation due to you.

Though, I am highly concerned about the company's viability. They have had problems paying their bills, and I just found out that they have not been paying out the employee's share of the 401K contributions. (Yes, err, that's against federal labor laws). I would say they owe me to date easily 4K in unreimbursed travel expenses and 401K contributions. I want to finish out my 2 weeks after the notice of resignation, but I am concerned about appropriate compensation. I have some deliverables due before my 2 weeks are over, could I use those as a bargaining chip to ensure I get my money? On the other hand I am concerned they might do a funky lock down on my 401k contributions

[Fresher]

I control the elements of fire and water and I can talk to animals...SNAP!

[Stevo]

David: Pitching DB admin services?

Guru: Theme park stunt person?

Sohbet: Accountancy cartoonist - why should engineers get all the laughs? :)

Rick Bruce: Filksinger, performer, original material artist.

Vishala: Translation of diagram-heavy mathematical textbooks. Or archeology.

Jim: Create surgical tools, orthopedics, designs for more efficient operating theatres, biomechanics etc. Alternatively, create a website of medical illustrations and sell them in book or CD form.

Abhijit: Bring conceptual laboratory work to the world or to the Board. Tell them what it's going to help them achieve.

Monkey: Translate manuals for extremely expensive vertical-market applications, or work on automatic language translation programs, or be an international speaker/teacher in computer concepts.

[Isabelle Dolce]

I have a young female colleague who frequently solicits my advice from sex to career success. I try but I think that sometimes my honesty might be too brutal for somebody young, naive, and fearful.

Yes, fearful. And the two things she fears most are failure and rejection. All of us fear failure and rejection but it oozes from her pores. She is like a squirrel running willy-nilly through incoming traffic, paniced, looking neither left nor right, unable to comprehend that there is an SUV with a car full of screaming children and a frantic suburban mom doing 47 miles an hour through a residential neighborhood.

She wants to know my 'secret' to success. What to say? Hard work? Perserverence? Strategy? Luck?

It is more than that. It is the gift of being able to make your future partners believe that they will personally and professionally benefit from cooperating. And no, I am not recommending bribery or 'you-kill-my-enemy-I'll-kill-your-enemy' mentality of politicians.

No. Success is far subtler and simpler. It is the ability to appeal to your potential adversaries vanity, greed or laziness. If you can appeal to all three, you are guaranteed success; only two, your odds are still high; one or zero and you're pushing boulders uphill.

Simple. Really.

[Monkey]

Top 25% among others doing the same thing for a living or the general populace?

[Mike]

I am good at programming (C, Matlab, bunch of others )and anything science. I have a Bachelor and Masters in Engineering.
Also pretty good at picking up languages, I speak 5 with various degrees of fluency.
So I hope to combine the two somehow, get really rich, and start my own space business. Kind of like Elon Musk.
Only I'm barely now learning web programming and I don't see a Paypal-like idea anywhere.

[Dave]

I wouldn't ignore your first option quite so quickly.
While it IS difficult to become the best at something that millions of people try -- like your examples, It is not that hard to become the best at a specific niche.

As an example, often location can create a niche for you in an otherwise popular field:
-The best NY style pizza place in Denver.
-The best scuba expert in a desert town.
-The best winter clothing retailer in Southern Florida.
-The best ice cream truck driver in Edmonton.

I'm really good at what I do. I'd estimate top 5% of the people who do it, which makes it easily the top .01% of the general population. Add to that the fact that I work in a very specfic niche, which means when jobs come up in my town, I normally get them. Or at the very least, I'm buddies with the guy who does get it... he lives down the street from me, and we've been competing for the same jobs for years, sometimes even working together on jobs. We're both successful enough that even if a 3rd guy came into town, there is room for us all.

Your concept is similar, but where you tell people to create a niche by mixing talents, I suggest it isn't that much harder to just find a pre-existing niche, and fill it.

[Abhijit]

Hmm...

Makes me wonder what skills Dilbert would need to become successful, hit the big-time.

Furthermore, what would you say are the 25% skills of Dilbert's pointy-haired boss?

:)

[Jim]

Teaching: I can teach anything that I understand, to anyone who wants to learn. I'm in the top 10% here.

Conceptual thinking: I can see the "big picture" more clearly than most. Top 25% for sure.

Public speaking: I'm quite good, entertaining and informative, engaging. Top 25%

But I'm an introvert *grin*, and must have passion and belief in the knowledge that I'm disseminating. Oddly enough, this hasn't served me well as a university professor at all. "Publish or Perish" has little to nothing to do with the creation or dissemination of intellectual creations (at least not in the IS field).

So what should I be?

[Sarvesh]

-Planning and Organizing
-Drawing
-Medical (currently in 2nd university year)
-Web Designing

I wonder...If I will really be a doctor with designing skills. How is that supposed to help me?

[D.D]

To became a cartoonist is always my dream,but I just don't know how to move on to it,for I studied language as my major in university. Thanks for your article,it helps. :)

[Denise]

Good writer Erica,

As a good writer, you should know that you are one right out of the CHUTE, not the SHOOT. Or perhaps you're a typical child of the 90's and have overestimated your abilities.

[Michel]

Oh, I thought the affirmations were enough...

[dssdf]

testing

[dssdf]

testing

[That kid]

Succinct
vision thing
observant

When a man tells me who they are I believe him.

[Vishala S.]

You made it on to Lifehacker today!

http://lifehacker.com/software/career/career-advice-from-dilberts-scott-adams-284565.php

[Emil Hunefalk]

Great post!

My skills - as a mensa member I guess one has something to do with IQ, so I'll say logic/math for the first, spiced with some programming and reasoning. For the second I'd say languages, with fluent swedish, english, danish and pretty good german, norwegian and spanish I'd say it's a skill... The third is a bit more difficult, but maybe should say creativity with paintings, graphical design both 2D and 3D, and constantly coming up with new ideas for new business, websites and interesting things to study (or new skills to develop..)

So where do I go from here? :-)

/E

[HominidX]

I live my life as I want to live it, 100%!!! Here are five (5) things that I think contribute to my happiness at the moment:

1) I do what I want.
2) I've got an attractive body and haircut.
3) I understand psychology on different levels.
4) I am tender.
5) I am only emotionally attached to myself.

Bold, handsome, confident, and good-looking are the words that immediately come to my mind when I try to describe my personality. On second thought, other words that come up are gorgeous, sexy, and brave. You might think I am being unrealistic, but there are no real negatives that occur in my mind immediately. If you want me to say something negative about my personality, I'll have to think very, very much (which is positive).

[rick bruce]

"Programming", while being cited here repeatedly as an asset; actually is far from one.

[Cole Matson]

1) Empathy/people skills/good listener
2) Written & verbal communication
3) Love of reading and watching TV & movies
4) Understanding of Christian theology and love of mythopoeia
5) Very good at organization and customer service/diplomacy
6) Good singer

I have a B.F.A. in Theater and Psychology from New York University's Tisch School of the Arts, and went directly into a doctoral program in clinical psychology (Psy.D.) at a small Jesuit college. I left after one semester because, while I loved working with clients, the curriculum and practica spent way too much time on psychological testing (e.g. cognitive tests for ADHD) rather than doing therapy for my taste. I'm now acting and working as the administrator for my city's theater alliance. I know I want to go back to school, but I don't know what I want to study.

Maybe I'll be a performer for a while, then get a Masters in Theology and a Doctorate in Pastoral Counseling. Or maybe go to NYU's Gallatin School for Individualized Study and get a Master's in Christian Mythopoeia (http://www.mythsoc.org) - not that NYU, that bastion of post-post-modernism and rampant atheism/agnosticism would be the place to do it, but I don't know of anyplace else that has such an individualized program.

Maybe I should just write a book. That's easy, right?

[sohbet]

It's not that the ad is more important or anything but constantly moving colourful graphics with 3D effects tug at your attention more effectively than black text on white background. We're just wired that way.

[grimm]

drawing
highly analytical
good sense of humour

where am i ???

[adora]

Great advice! It's obvious, but I never thought of planning it. A friend of mine was unhappily working at video rental store after graduated from film school. He got a law degree and became a lawyer for a major film studio.

My top 25% skills are:
1) Tetris
2) Drawing
3) Math & Logic - got 780 & 740 on my GRE.
4) Fluent in 4 Chinese dialects.
I'm an average architect. I'm looking into studying psychology. Wonder how that mix will turn out.

[Guru]

My advice is that you keep it simple and profitable. A career has to offer you lifestyle and cashflow.
If you wish to pursue a very lucrative part time career in any of the following roles:

a) the order processing & despatch clerk

b) purchases/receivables clerk -
c) project manager -
d) sales assistant/sales person -
e) accountant/ financial controller -

Then a set of Microsoft Dynamics Nav skills is must have..
For more information visit www.myspace4erp.com

[Guru]

My advice is that you keep it simple and profitable. A career has to offer you lifestyle and cashflow.
If you wish to pursue a very lucrative part time career in any of the following roles:

a) the order processing & despatch clerk

b) purchases/receivables clerk -
c) project manager -
d) sales assistant/sales person -
e) accountant/ financial controller -

Then a set of Microsoft Dynamics Nav skills is must have..
For more information visit www.myspace4erp.com

[Guru]

My advice is that you keep it simple and profitable. A career has to offer you lifestyle and cashflow.
If you wish to pursue a very lucrative part time career in any of the following roles:

a) the order processing & despatch clerk

b) purchases/receivables clerk -
c) project manager -
d) sales assistant/sales person -
e) accountant/ financial controller -

Then a set of Microsoft Dynamics Nav skills is must have..
For more information visit www.myspace4erp.com

[tareh]

im not to sure how to combine these 3 traits
- im a divemaster, been diving for the last 10 years
- i play the bass, im in a band and rather good at it
- also i race bikes, won a few races. here & there..

*sigh*

[Erica Friedman]

I'm a better than average writer, right out of the shoot. With editing, I'm a very good writer.

I'm a better than average public speaker, and funny in much the same way that you are - I just say what I think and people translate it into humor, because otherwise they may have to think about it.

And I became the subject expert on an extremely teeny niche subject that overlaps with two other not-quite-as-teeny niche areas.

Between the three, I've gotten both speaking engagements (not as many as I'd like, though) and writing assisgnments (ditto.) It's a process. I'm ultimately angling for an honorary Ph.D. from a prestigious university that would never have accepted me as an actual student, like Oxford. :-)

Cheers,

Erica

[vinay]

These are mine!!!!!!

1) I am a computer graduate.
2) I work on computer's for hrs together.
3) Its necessity for me to learn more of Computer's to survive.

Has computers replaced my 3 basic needs air,food and shelter !!!!!

[femmebot]

(1) good listener, ability to make other people feel good about themselves
(2) good writer
(3) knack for languages and music (and I have perfect pitch)
(4) interested in politics, science and religion

Somebody tell me why I went and got an MA in Computer Science... Now I have my pick of well-paid jobs I don't want.

[Josh Ziemann]

1. The ability to perform in front of others (music, poetry, juggling)
2. The ability to express myself via language
3. The ability to understand, accept, and adapt to the ideas of others.
4. The uncanny ability to find money on the ground.

[Steve]

My three

1. Finance/Accounting
2. Technology/Programming
3. Systems/Policy

...which is combining into a specialty of "turnaround work" -- every job I've ever had since college has been me going in to a new department, or a horrifically mismanaged one, and streamlining everything.

Well, that, and I've been lucky enough to have reported to good people who provided good management backing (yes, it can exist!) for my initiatives.

I really should look into finding out if there's somewhere I can do this where I'm not "bouncing" around quite so much...

[Dalebert]

I've just started dabbling. This still needs quite a bit of refinement- a little more attention to detail, some inking, more practice on certain objects and body parts, etc.

http://wiki.freetalklive.com/Image:Popup_ads.JPG

http://wiki.freetalklive.com/Image:Preheating.JPG

http://wiki.freetalklive.com/Image:Ignoring_Ron_Paul_smaller.JPG

[Bruce Harrison]

Scott -- Great post. I e-mailed it to my daughter, who in her younger days thought that success was determined by taking every course in college you could because if you missed the ONE BIG ONE you would doom yourself forever.

Since graduating from Swarthmore with a degree in economics, she has been an expatriate in Spain (fluent in Spanish) working in a kiosk on the beach and as a bartender; coming back to the states and doing admin work while pursuing a career as a jewelry designer and just completed a course in becoming a yoga instructor.

I would add to your advice in this way: your path to your perfect career is not linear. It jumps all over the place like a grasshopper on a hot stove. Life is so wonderful because of how unpredictable it is. You also won't know what the career you really can excel at until you stumble into it.

Most people change careers three times in their lives. That number is going up, not down. And the facile advice that "just do what you love" is absolutely fallacious. What I'd love to do is to tour all the famous wineries of the world and write about them while garnering enough money to own 2/3 of the world. And drinking all the wine I can get my hands on without having any ill effects from it. That ain't gonna happen. But there are other ways I can support myself; the challenge is being open to not just what you love, but what you're good enough at to get others to pay you to do it.

It's funny -- I always said you followed me around in my career and wrote Dilbert based on my experiences -- we've talked about that before, at least here. This time, you beat me by a couple of days. I was reading an article in USA Today by Matt Groening, the Simpsons creator, who said essentially what you did. He said that he had two talents, neither of which was world-class but both of which were OK. He was a good comedian, but not good enough to do stand-up; he was also a decent artist, but not good enough to hang in the Louvre. So he combined those two talents, and lo and behold, the Simpsons appeared (if you ever read his earlier strip "Life in Hell" you'd probably say that he's underestimating his talent, but there you go).

So I will now press on to find out two things that I'm OK at, but not great, and see if I can combine them. Let's see -- wine drinking and sex. Nope, hard to find a career there (no pun intended). Cooking and flying. . . hmmm. The Flying Gourmet? No, I don't think so. Writing incredibly cogent posts on the Dilbert Blog and driving fast cars? Nah.

I'll let you know when I figure it out.

[Andrew]

Engineering.

Public Speaking.

Selling Points.

[bradmaas]

I have a feeling you're compiling most of these blogs into a book because of the overwhelmingly positive responses.

Personally, I only have two top 25% things: Classical pianist/composer and Computer progammer. Now I know the third thing that I need to work on, thanks!!!

Brad Maas

[Simon Allen (UK)]

Dear Claire.

Thank you for your correction to my supposed correction. I think we have a trans-Atlantic crossing point! You put a ruled line and then the name in the same space as words from another person.

In the UK, we don't just drive on the other side of the road, we put names first, then the words, then a ruled line to indicate the close of that item.

I'll try turning the screen upside down ...

[Miklos]

Well Scott I think it's just an overcomplication. I think Joel Spolsky nailed it - "smart and getting things done" are the most important skills for any job worth doing, as the vast majority of people are somehow more interested in protecting their backsides than getting things done. If you have these two, you won't ever be without an interesting job with a comfortable pay. And that's what I call success. Of course if you if you really want more stress and and you think you just can't live without a BMW - which is silly I think - then you might need to do more.

[~C4Chaos]

all i can say is, thanks for the advice. it came at the right time. keep it flowing...

~C

[Ibid]

1) I have a natural rapport with computers. We grew up together. I know how they think. If you want something done on a computer, doesn't matter what, I can do it. Tech support, internal repairs, programming, graphic design, security, networking, etc.

2) I'm a story teller. I've had a few short stories published and am polishing up my novel. I'm comfortable speaking before a group. I also listen to other peoples stories. I almost became a teacher because I can explain complex ideas to little kids and supervisors. I've dodged the management bullet several times.

3) I have a great memory. I remember stories I heard years before. I can tell you why so and such project failed a decade ago. I can tell you what to watch out for based on similar projects done over the years. I can quote comics, movies, and sketches nearly as old as I am. I can tell you the positions and scandals of various politicians and religious figures in my lifetime.
Anything I don't know I know how to find out.

I consider myself a computer nerd first and project caulk second. I see the holes in any project that need to be filled and fill them. I'm considering a run for president in 2012 since I see a job that needs to be filled and shortage of people qualified to do it.

[WATYF]

Wayne... I was a little vague about it. I actually do already "kinda" combine them. I run a small recording studio and the tracking is all done on computers. But in reality, I find it's not a bad thing to have two avenues of separate revenue. When my studio work is sparse, I can just make it up by picking up more programming work, and vice verse.

WATYF

[Robert]

Scott,

I agree. I am living testament to your statement regarding strong combinations of skills to make you a rare commodity to businesses.

I have a degree in Theoretical Mathematics, I'm finishing a masters in engineering, I can eat large quantities of food in a sitting (placed 3rd at an IFOCE competition. I beat Big Brian Subich among others and lost to Dan Moses Lerman and Tim Janus X), I can build most anything, I am great at making lists

Job - Construction Estimating- entails rudimentary mathematics, being able to read directions and apply them in the real world (Blueprints/specs), also taking clients to lunch.

It's a good and happy fit! However it is not what I set out to do when I left for college. I always thought I would be a computer programmer or an architect. I kind of fell into the math/construction thing but it wasn't far off base. And that is how I roll!

[Bijeesh]

Great 'subject'. Thanks Very much.

[Claire]

Arty (drawing, painting)
Writing
Creative (problem solving)
Musical (singing)
Acting / stage performing
Dancing
Funny

But my job entails typing stuff... boring!
And I really dont practise my talents enough!

[qwerty]

re Simon Allen (UK)

You even noticed your name beneath rather than above and still couldn't work out the poster's name comes after rather than before the post? Lucky your skills you mentioned do not require significant intelligence.

[Dmitry Z]

My own skills aside, you did make a good point of capitalism rewarding the extraordinary. I could not help but waiver from the point and wonder, what system does reward the ordinary: good people who do not try to jump to the moon but merely want to live GOOD lives? Come to think of it, your system pushes most of the people into the dustbin for under-achievers, who have to lead a fairly miserable life. Even if most of them learn two or more skills, it will only raise the bar for everyone... Sad, isn't it? Would you mind bit of socialism then, perhaps?

[stuart - velkairiwyth]

Performing (singer in a wee fun band.)

Computer construction (I had a lil side business for a while building PCs but found it easier keeping it at hobby level since it didnt make much money)

General computer knowledge (lil programming, lots about general pc operation, I can fix most problems in a few minutes, and have used PCs since a young age)

My career? Reliability engineer - working out how long power supplies and control systems will live...

Kill me now. :p

On a side note: Monday post: Wally has no coffee?!!

[ATM]

I majored in electronics, got a PG diploma is advertising, part time did a course on astrophysics. Now work for a telecom company. For sure, not for long. Insightful post.

www.arvindtm.com

[gautam]

very interesting post. my top two skills

1)verbal/languages
2)programming

dont know what the third is. perhaps i should go for public speaking.

[AusLisa]

Top 25%? I have a broad range of skills but I'd reckon them out to be roughly in the top 40% of each (sign language; motorcycle mechanics; parenting).

The stand-outs are: Spelling & grammar; Beauty (no modesty); Interpersonal communication; and Fellatio.

I've got it! I should be a hooker writing a book!!!

[Kat]

I aspire to be a curmudgeon. So far, I believe I'm in the top 25% for bad attitude. Now I just need to work on my presentation skills. Thanks for the advice!

I mean... grumble grumble you young whippersnappers...

[gr8hands]

Performing (music, acting, dance, etc.)
Languages (including programming languages)
Science/technology

[Joao]

I am persistent, I've learned to program computers relatively well, I've started my own business (even though not much reward yet, only work), and while not a native English speaker, while having only a good enough education in a poor country, I've been able to learn English mostly on my own, so I can read/write English besides Portuguese (my native language), I am an amateur chess player who learned it mostly by himself, I've had some experience at a job in I.T./development for two years even though it was never my goal, I started three Universities (one for Medical Doctors, and two for I.T.), and finished none, I learned a good deal after the Internet, mainly that folks in other parts of my country and even in other countries work and talk mostly the same (I was much shier in the beginning), I like to program computers but I dislike how other folks make it so painful (almost) on purpose, I started two blogs of my own (one in Portuguese and another in English; the latter because I wanted to practice English as well), I find folks sometimes follow me when they learn about my passion for computers...

Most of all, my family supports me a great deal and I've been a "leecher" so far.

I am happy with how far I have come, and I feel as if I am plenty victorious already.

Way to go! Thanks for the blog and your time.

[Simon Allen (UK)]

NOT TO BE PUBLISHED BUT A CORRECTION NOTE:

Hi, just to say that my post has the wrong name against it:

The post ascribed to:
Posted by: le big MAC | July 21, 2007 at 10:57 PM

is actually mine and my name is listed as the preceding item:
Posted by: Simon Allen (UK) | July 21, 2007 at 04:43 PM

Thanks,
Simon.

[rd]

something is missing for my morning coffee
or when i eat ice-cream in the evening
and for full two days!
isn't it cruel

http://flickr.com/photos/sepultura/800379272/

[DML]

This got me thinking about John Peters:
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Jon_Peters

This guy went from Barbara Streisand's hairdresser to big shot Hollywood movie producer. How do you do that?! Anyone care to speculate on his top 25% skillset?

[Lou]

I trained to be an elementary school teacher, years ago. Got out of that, and drifted through to other jobs. When I moved to my current town, I became interested in local history.
I've always been good at written and verbal communication. And I'm very dedicated to things I'm interested in---I've been called "intense." My skill at local history grew, and out of nowhere, I was offered a job as the museum curator for the local historical society. I've been bery successful at it.

[Mokkery]

1. Ability to a intimidate people with my ruthless, psychotic persona. (I once shot a man in the face with a shotgun and *he* apologized to *me* after it was over)

2. Total lack of empathy for anyone but myself and my friends. (I once convinced my boss to invade a sovereign country to increase my personal wealth)

3. World-class cowardice. (I live in a bunker and I’m able to instill my irrational fears into the people around me)

I’ve been successfully working as the vice president of a major North American country for the last seven years.

[Mark Robinson, Eindhoven]

Hi Scott - this is, I think, one of your best posts yet. Great topic, thank you.

Off topic: what do you think about chipping people (see http://news.yahoo.com/s/ap/20070722/ap_on_re_us/chipping_america;_ylt=Am3SHg651vKjZ3Y7lKBZdQcDW7oF).

[Andy]

Hmmm no blog post today? Perhaps knee deep in Harry Potter?

[Stiennon]

You nailed it Scott. I trained to be an aerospace engineer, worked as a car seat designer, got into the Internet, was a white hat hacker, joined Gartner, and now I am an evangelist for a security company.

Writing and public speaking are the two skills that have benefited my career. My juggling skills have not paid off yet.

[san]

In my opinion, business skills can only be acquired by experience. A business degree does not add much value - even in terms of how potential employers or business partners perceive your business skills. An engineering (or other "hard" degree) at least does that.

[Jez]

Answering this post and staying positive isn't presently easy for me. I guess I'm very uncomfortable with where I'm at and unsure how to hold down a job with these intangible skills and a disorganised lifestyle.

People tell me I have a number of skills, generally that I'm great with people (only on form) and very forgiving, a good listener and conversationalist (although I can't remember the last conversation I had that wasn't mostly about me or distant politics), good with kids, intellectual (less true with every passing year), funny and creative. I think I'm good at detachment, thinking laterally, advising and coming to the rescue, diplomatic, cunning and creative. Come to think of it I'm also good at research. OK, thanks.

I've missed your posts yesterday and so far today. Hope you're OK.

[Ivo Vodanovic]

This is a brand new blog where we can find information about Chile. In this blog we have nine writers that are focused in various themes. You can read about Chile's economy, rich nature, society issues, organisations and much more! We invite everyone to leave their comments. So I invite everyone to visit www.chilemade.com

[tom bernard]

excellent... as usual

send me more @ tom.b@bluewin.ch

[tom bernard]

excellent... as usual

send me more @ tom.b@bluewin.ch

[Lubna Kably]

Well I am a chartered accountant specialising in the dreaded work "tax". I love writing and drifted into journalism. But this does not really pay that well. So I have a day job at a large multinational firm and continue to write my monthly column, which features in India's largest financial daily - it is on tax, but to make it non-taxing, it contains a fictional character who pokes fun at the powers that be - those who frame tax laws! And I learn that this column is widely read.

On the downside, perhaps with this constant shift in careers, I am not top of the heap in this multinational firm.

[le big MAC]

ps Sorry to be crude and redundant at the same time, but you did push me to it...a hearty middle finger to the assholes who assume the script supervisor got her job because she gives good BJs. (The title is script girl, regardless of gender.) Shameless sexism aside, I'm sorry you weren't clever enough to pursue/create a job that consists of reading and consulting, but don't take it out on her. Maybe you should be displaying a little imagination in your career trajectory instead of wallowing in your own jealousy.

Why, come to think of it, imagination is the most important skill after all.

[le big MAC]

My 3 careers and the skills that make them:
1. Musician. My love and my life. Surprisingly, I think my excellent math skills (I majored in programming) prepared me because music is very mathematic and logical on many levels.
2. Writing. Also my life, but could be more profitable than music (insofar as two zeros plus one is....) so is more like a favorite mistress. Just a vivid and sometimes sick imagination, now combined with the patience to type it out and the maturity to understand it's not all genius. Just like #1.
3. My damn job, tech support. Superior listening skills (to listen, i.e. to sit like a lump as mean angry defectives scream at you for shit you never did) and patience (i.e. not screaming back unless the Mute button is pressed). This is far more important than scientific knowledge, although a problem solving nature (think: detective) helps. And a natural voice for radio, as people must tell me 47 times a day.
I could go on about my cooking and outdoor sport habits, i.e. the love of fine cuisine and the shame of being a fatass because of said love, caught in an endless loop. But I've pretty much made my point.

[Simon Allen (UK)]

This is going to sound self-aggrandising but, at the age of 50, enough people have told me to my face what they think of me for me to know! The things I mostly remember are the nasty things they said. Anyway, after 25 years in telecommunications (large users not Telco) I can say that my three are:

1) I am able to listen to people, and give them the confidence to talk openly to me.
2) I can write and assemble words in particular ways that are appreciated.
3) My physical and vocal presentation skills are of the highest order.

I do a job that does not really exist in the USA, I conduct non-religious ceremonies for those that live their life without religion.

That is NOT a ceremony that has a prayer or something thrown in. I am an atheist and I prepare and deliver ceremonies from that perspective, for people who do not believe. The greatest majority of those ceremonies are funerals.

In the UK, this work is in ever increasing demand and I am usually turning work down. Unfortunately ... it is not very well paid!!! Rewarding? More than anything I ever did in Comms.

[Borjan]

1. Design (graphics and product, plus 3D modelling)
2. Psychology
3. Ability to be satisfied with 80%
(4. Being full of myself.)

I'm a self-employed designer for stalls/fair-booths/stands, have a 6 months a year off and I have just bought house by the river to get away from the city when I want.

I could earn more by finding more work in my spare time, but why? This way I can spend much more time with my wife and daughter, pretend to work on movie scripts and read Scott's blog to liven up my day... ;)

[McGurker]

Public Speaking
Telling people...no, tell women what they want to hear
Tell people what they don't want to hear.

I think I'll be someone who announces to many women at once that their loved one's died in hilarious bass fishing accident. I also have mediocre comedy skills so I'll make it funny.

[ashley]

math
stats (yes they ARE different)
and the ability to listen to the inane without looking bored or annoyed (i can come off as genuinely interested in ANYTHING)

[sunflower]

I'm one of the few women who will work, drive older children around to school and activities and still commit to solely breastfeeding my newborn infant. If you are determined you can breastfeed while doing a multitude of household things, including typing in a blog while dinner is in the oven, and laundry in the dryer. Well, my husband is impressed and that is what counts...

[jai]

Two additional paths to extraordinary success:

3. A prominent family with business/political connections
4. A network of important friends developed over the years, expecially those who knew you in high school and college and who later became successful themselves. (Successful people tend to run in herds.)

[VermontGal]

1. Listening and observing people, especially, for some reason, children...maybe because they're easier.

2. Reading and writing...and for some reason, my comprehension and ability is not heavily affected by alcohol consumption.

3. Swimming--I have been able to swim practically since I could walk.

[Minister of Silly People in Green]

Probably the best career advice I've ever read. Flesh this out and you'll have a best selling book.

[Cally]

Art
Writing
Creativity/Imaginitive
Debating
Acting (If I can have more than three)

In order to balance out my ego, I am not very good at:
Math
Sports
Science
Spelling (I have spell check though)

That really narrows down my career options
Singing

[David]

Thanks for the advice.

Masters Mechanical Engineering + Master Public Policy =(hopefully) a cleaner place to live

[F. Dwarf]

Great post, Scott. I never saw it from that point of view.

My skills:
-Math
-Databases
-Public speaker

Now I just gotta find what in the hell I am going to do with them.

[Kent]

My 3 skills are that I'm a good writer, cats love me, and I'm good at math.

[leon]

Make Pay Per Click Dollar
Start With A Complete Guide Now
http://imleon.icpcn.com/

[John]

Scott: I always thought you were an engineer in your previous life?

[Phil]

Writing/proofreading
Design/illustration
Photography

[Radwaste]

Gee, Scott, if you dredged up the old DNRC Membership Roster, you'd know this stuff already.

Your faithful Smell Checker and Treadwell 7L16 Oxygen Generator Technician,

Rad

[Bertram]

Studied Physics to become an astronomer, but strayed from the path and got interested in wind energy, wrote a diploma thesis combining energy tech and fluid dynamics, with the prospect of getting stuck in aeronautics (= military stuff) which I don't like. Second leg in computer programming.

First job as an IT analyst for an electricity company, then steel plant automation (which enabled me to see the world and getting paid for it, but still I did not like aeronautics, not even as a passenger, for air sickness reasons). Had to give it up because I had a family by then.

Now I am a consultant for electronic document management (aka paperless office), combining my skills of understanding computers and human beings of many available mentalities, learning enough every day to stay above the incompetence line (your word) in a world out of control.

[CDriK]

1) Maths
2) Software Engineering

I'm a R&D; Software Engineer working on a very important internationnal defense system.

[Terri]

Great post!

Hmmmm . . . I am absurdly over-educated with a law degree on top of an engineering degree [and I've got the student loans to prove it!]. Talents are:

1. No fear of public speaking, I'll wade in anywhere and usually manage to sound knowledgeable. Comes in handy in court when I discover in the middle of a trial that my client has been lying to me.

2. Decent writer.

3. Able to pick up things fairly easily and adapt to the flow.

However, I'm way too independent and snarky to be able to work for a conventional company. So, I'm permanently self-employed.

Along with being a public defender, my husband and I also run a toy company. Overnight I became CFO, head of graphic design, advertising executive and warehouse superintendent and general counsel for our little corporation. I'm on duty 24/7. [Notice how I snuck the url for our website into this post?]

Rock on everyone - Dilbert for President 2008

[Maria]

- Writing
- Breaking down complex procedures into simple steps
- Seeing opportunities

Degree in Accounting

Career as a computer book author. 68 titles since 1992. It pays the bills.

[Alex]

My three's?

1. I just do my thing ...
2. I do it my way ...
3. I don't believe in recipes for success ...

[Kevin Fairchild]

1. Reading blogs
2. Posting a response :)

[Bsquared]

Its called "Wankers" where a serial onanist is pitted againtst a politicial or manager. The kicker is that one or more might be both !

[Edwin]

Does lying, surfing the internet and playing minesweeper make up a good three? It's all I've been doing for the past 4 months. And the good thing was, I got paid well for it!

[Marxist]

Computer Science (top 10%).
Chemistry (top 25%).
Political Science(Top 5%)

[Amit]

Scott you made me think again. Never really tried to figure this out. And I must tell you it took me a lot of effort and rigorous bum scratching to even start thinking. So just when i was on the verge of slapping myself for being an aimless and shameless asshole, i courageously bumped onto 3 skills I am good at.
1) Talk senseless
2) Think senseless
3) Do nothing

I really wondered if they do define my career in any sense. But just this thought and it was enough to make me think I can start writing something like you. After all thats what Scott Adam needs the most :D

[Marco]

-dry dishes (that's been my household chore forever)
-sneak (i. e. do things without making noise, and without waking people)
-can spell. Specifically, I am not tripped up by homonyms. Like, I know when to write "its" and when it's "it's", can distinguish between "to", "too" and "two", between "your" and "you're", etc. This is actually a rare ability nowadays.

I work as a night man in a youth hostel in Amsterdam.

[YH]

Programming & Mathematics (usually top 10% in class)
Creativity & Writing
Good Sense of Humor

(2) and (3) were pointed out by friends and colleagues.

Got my degree in computer science, never actually worked in IT. Spent 8 years in navy, then left and joined a creative agency. I'm now the boss of the agency with a strong web focus.

[Clayton R.]

In my opinion, you are only in the top quarter of your field if you have the ability to prove it. It seems everyone in these comments claims they are really good in so many areas but at the same time have dead-end jobs. If someone is really so good at what they practice, shouldn't they be able to easily apply their strengths to put them on top - letting their circumstances speak louder than their words?

[sofong]

Work? Survival. Food. Shelter. Luck. Being very careful what you wish for... Love.
Scott, Great post, funny comments. Keep Dilbert coming. Thanks.

[Jeff]

Yeah, I work at Wendy's.

[Nena]

I'm one of the accidental successful people. I obtained a music performance degree, worked as an admin assistant for years (learning a lot of other people's business processes in the meantime), found I had an aptitude for writing, and now I'm a tech writer, and a pretty darn good one at that.

Not the pinnacle of success by many people's standard, but if I suddenly came into an inheritance and had no need for money anymore, I'd keep my job because I love it. To me, that's success.

[jake]

Kádár Tamás, poster, is a lying douchebag. If someone was in the top 1% of tennis playing and running, I believe we might have heard of them before, say, in the world of tennis or running? Rather than making this discovery in a Dilbert blog post.

People who posted to brag remind me off Scott's point that most people think they are much better at something than the statistics point out. Dumb people tend to think they're much smarter that they are.

I doubt the people who've posted with their stats are remotely in the ballpark.

[Mike]

There's actually a sleepy little Institute in Washington, D.C. that's been measuring peoples' aptitudes and skills, and tracking them through their later careers, for nearly a century now. Although your premise might be right, this Institute has identified a high correlation between "multiple aptitudes" and dissatisfaction with one's career.

They administer a battery of tests (mine took three days) and assign scores for a healthy number of basic aptitudes--everything from spatial visualization to rhythm memory, manual dexterity to vocabulary. What their research has found is that when people score very high in an aptitude (95% or better in their scoring system), they usually are only happy in a career if it uses that aptitude. Thus, people who score above 95% in musical aptitudes will only be happy in their job if it involves music in some way, and so forth.

The problem arises when people score more than 95% in five or more aptitudes. These people are usually described by friends as brilliant, mercurial, and talented, but they typically struggle to find work that gratifies them. The problem is that if you have six strong aptitudes and find a job that uses three of them, those talents are being utilized but you have three more that aren't. So these people might leave jobs they seem to be succeeding in, or make career moves that seem odd or unfathomable to friends and family, constantly searching for ways to use all of their abilities.

Mike

[rd]

success..
i hardly survive in this world
due to my top 1% idealism
business, communication skills, public speaking all are not my strength, i wish i could do public speaking less painfully - ha, i am almost mute almost all days (it's not a permanent disability of course)
though some good traits i do have like easy adaptability, languages, intuition, curiosity, multitasking, pretty good taste in everything
but for every good one there are tons of weaker qualities like lack of focus, lack of stamina and ambition and just plain laziness, not a millionaire material, alas
when i was to choose my major everybody told me to choose 'scientific communism/ sociology', there was such a profession at that time, people who majored in that became now like political analysts
sure i resisted to that call, wanted to pick up geology, could become a 'gold-digger' by now, but mom said only through my corpse, that's not a woman job to go to expeditions all your life, you'll have your family etc
then i thought i don't want to be dependent on someone concerning at least my health, so i chose medicine and became a labrat
at least i know how my body functions and how to read papers
if i'll get one crappy publication that's enough for me, i'll consider myself contributed a comma to the global cognizance and will reincarnate peacefully

good seance of psychotherapy, thanks

[Gorgeous]

My, you are a master manipulator. You might as well have just posted "Fans, please drone on and on about how special you are. Go!"

[GirlAtheist]

For all those with 3 random skills wondering how to combine them and get RICH... the answer is very, very simple. So simple you'll smack your head in disbelief that you didn't think of it yourself.

Start a religion.

[Monkey]

My major in college had nothing to do with what I do now, nor any job I’ve ever had. However, I started with that major as a freshman and never changed. Nearly 30 years later, I’ve have several successful occupations, none in my major field of study. Everything I’ve done, from college to career, has been something that I’ve fallen into. I happened to find something that interested me and I followed that. Usually for a few years – getting bored quick is the downfall of today’s youth - then something else came along that used the peripheral skills (e.g.,public speaking) I’d picked up along with some of my resume skills. Two mottos: The harder I work, the luckier I get and The more I enjoy my job, the greater chance that I find a better job.

My three are: I love what I do. I do what I love. I love those around me.

[Lymonhead]

I think another fascinating topic would be the parallel with what you said - something, then business, bank, then cartoons.

Mine would be religious studies to banking and corporate world to owning and running a cleaning business.

Anyway, my three at this time would be:
-Sales
-Cleaning
-Management/ Organization/ Managing relationships

I'd like to say I'm good at business but we'll see if I can get things turned around in this economy...

Another good topic is what people say you are good at versus what you consider yourself to be good at (maybe).

[Tom NC]

>>I was first you dolts ! First ! Me ! First HAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHHAAHHAh
>>
>>Paul

If you post after finding out you have the first post, it doesn't count...
you have to boast about being the first post ON the first post.

This post just makes you LAME.

[Terry]

Creating websites
Flowing charting business processes
Leadership
Great dancer

I created a pretty cool website and am creating another blockbuster site for corporations. That incorporates the first three. Dancing career never took off, the executives didn't appreciate my foxy moves.

[D. Mented]

Sorry. Social skills trump everything else.ALWAYS.
If you're good at something and you also have good social skills (one of these is strategy...they're not all niceness) you will go far.
If you're the best that's ever been dreamed of at something really valuable and much in demand at the moment, but you have no social skills, you won't get a job as an assistant in your field.
If you suck vastly at something but you have great social skills, you'll be put in charge of major, even life-or-death decisions in the subject you suck about.
D. Mented
(speaking from expirience and observation)
Oh how I wish it weren't true.

[Okgenuine]

Songwriting and computers and.....errrr....uummmmmm...mysticism....no......heh

[Chris]

I've got degrees in mathematics and electrical engineering, and I have several friends with the same qualifications. We've been offered more jobs (in a massive variety of fields) than we could ever hope to take up. It helps that I'm also a decent speaker and have good writing skills.

I've done work in astrophysics, information security, industrial mathematics, image processing and economics. Having played the field for a bit, I've finally decided that I'm going to stick with the mathematics and become a university academic once I finish my PhD (which I'm currently about halfway through.

But the important thing to note here is that combining skills increases the amount of opportunities available to you by a disproportionate amount. Always get multiple qualifications, and you'll walk into just about any job you're interested in.

[thesuperbongo]

communicating - mostly written but also verbally.

I'm really good at eyeballing spaces and knowing what will fit and not

cooking

[Arby]

Wanted to be an astronaut but find I throw up a lot when upside down or falling.

I like to sing and play the guitar but have zero talent.

Wanted to design and build beautiful buildings but higher math and engineering freak me out.

So became successful in real estate, retired and live comfortably

Am very impressed with an astronaut that has musical talent and built his own home

[Richard N]

1. Patience
2. Creative and Strategic mind
3. Strong desire to always excel at whatever I do

Job: Poker player.
Next up: Starting my own company.

[Brett Battles]

Writing
Public Speaking
Problem Solving

I'm a novelist.

[brian]

I'm really awkward an because of it I am sometimes good at breaking software products (QA)

I'm patient.

[TrevOverT]

I am, like the overwhelming majority of fellow comment creators here, a successful self-delusionist, a briliant egotist and an equally brilliant lover... but why do I have to tell you?
Or is that obvious?

[Michael]

My drawing skills are great, I'm optimistic about myself, and I'm a great liar in public. Sure, there are a lot more than that, like how attractive I am, but that not the point.

But I wondered if I had what it takes to be a cartoonist after reading a comic strip sometime last week, so I tried it out. I drew five comic using flash, and god knows I can't draw using a computer without a stylus of some sort. The result was poor but the writing was decent, and I posted the comics on a website to be judged. I also asked some friends to judge them too, and the result was positive, as were the comments at the website. Too bad I can't be a cartoonist, It's fun, but I am too lazy to draw that many comics 365 days a week.

[locomotivebreath1901]

I studied real life, but I suck at it.
Does that count?

[Millbert]

Judging by some of these comments, I would say that many people here are in the top 5% of being full of themselves.

[m]

singing
acting
talking

[David]

If you approved this:

I was first you dolts ! First ! Me ! First HAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHHAAHHAh

Paul

on purpose, thanks.

[Jef]

Physics / math(s), CPA / MBA, cynicism. Unfortunately the social skills of a donkey so I'd support your communication opinion as I'm probably maxed out in the foothills of senior management. But boy can I model their hypocrisy.

[squigs]

Lets see - I'm in the top quartile for weight and laziness.

Anybody want to hire a fat layabout?

[Brandy]

1. Excellent Listener
2. Geology
3. Sounding smarter than I am

I cut hiking trails for the government.

[Scripty]

Hello! I am a script supervisor! (15-year veteran) I agree, finding that perfect career is a combination of skill, luck and passion. Once I started in film, I wanted it, and I worked very hard to prove that to people.

By the way, some people in the comments have referred to your script supervisor as a script writer...We (script supervisors) are not writers. We supervise the continuity of the movie as its being filmed. That's where you'll find us hobnobbing with top directors, writers, and celebrities. Although I'm not sure if I'm a good hobnobber or not..... Maybe that's my skill!

[Kádár Tamás]

1. Computers
2. Languages
3. Problem solving

...so I'm currently a technician (read: computer jack-of-all-trades) at a translation agency :)

[Oz]

When will all those "I'm FIRST" bozos realize that they will never be first because you're already reviewing 100 comments that were already sent in while they were congratulating themselves on being FIRST???????

Now that I have got that off my chest:

1. Tennis (top 1%)
2. Running fast (top 1%)
3. Pinball machines (tournament winner extraordinaire)

So far hasn't paid off.

Your 'follow-my-path-to-success' blog reminds me of a speech I once heard made by a CEO of a company I worked for. He described all the chances he had taken in his career and urged us to take similar chances using his success as an inspiration. What he didn't tell us about (because of his self-absorption), was that 100 other suckers who were his peers had taken similar chances and had been fired. Please don't preach to us that we can be as successful, wonderful, rich etc. as you are if we only just ..... It comes off as smug. Stick to funny please.

What worked for you didn't just happen because of two slightly ordinary talents or because of your oft-mentioned comedy formulae. You created characters that resonate with every working man and woman who reads about them. We have an emotional attachment to the characters and to the every day truths and insights that you illustrate through your humor. We laugh at but also identify with and recognize our friends, co-workers and bosses, and we love the way you strip them bare.

[KageBunshin]

bruce - u have the perfect job for ur night-time-persona :)...anybody will open their door for you when ur in uniform

Johnny Ouais - never guess ur profession :)

Chief of the cubicle police - I envy ur talents :)...I'm getting there myself though.

vasco - you could have put ur 3rd talent as posting comments in the dilbert blog.

Ewilliams - The skill for Bush is to connect with the common man by spouting heroic drivel most of the time and to play the god card well

Jon :) - Apparently you can combine ur talents well

Billy Bob - Paris Hilton's talent IMO is to swim the sewage of public attention and not get (outwardly) sick.

[Praveen]

1. Slacker
2. Regular Dilbert blog reader
3. Late napper

Any suggestions?

[EdOF]

I was a police officer, command rank, and was fed up with the politics and the citizens. I ran across a computer outfit looking for a police office who could speak computerese (I had developed a number of small systems) and I jumped at the job. I've been a successful computer consultant now for 24 years, working both for myself and for companies. Never looked back, never missed the police work and by and large love what I do.
I have a degree in criminal justice; just having the degree has opened a lot of doors for me. Don't know that I'd ever go back to school. Pretty near retirement now and my mainframe skillset is pretty much dead, all outsourced to India and China. Been a good run, though and I'm looking forward to retirement.

[CPB]

When I was in college, I played in a bluegrass band. I played guitar, mandolin, & fiddle (no, not at the same time, Scott). The leader of the band would announce that I had achieved mediocrity on 3 instruments.

Would that count?

[mjc jr]

1. Interpersonal skills (you wrote about Dale Carnegie recently - I'm an absolute devotee and practitioner). I'm a project manager, so basically my job is to get people to give me money, resources and people and then to get the people to do what I want them to do with the money and the resources. Mastering the delicate dance of relationships, from the friendly to the cordial to the adversarial - is my stock in trade.
2. Language: The real currency of my world, the represenation of real power and value. I love language, I'd kill to be an author, but I'm not quite talented enough to be in the percentile that would allow me a career in it. But being an effective business communicator has served me well.
3. Philosophy - I only have a B.A. in it, but the perspectives I experienced learning about classical Greek thought, modernism, existentialism etc really helped me discover where meaning can come from in life. Philosophy gave me the tools to tear down, in my mind, the age-old institutions of religion as the locus of human meaning and then helped me build up a new value system based on humanism and action in the world. When life has a purpose, it's easier to get out of bed in the morning.

[Patrick]

I write very well, speak well, and have a knack for interpretation and analysis of data. Those skills are natural; I was either born with them or developed them so early I don't remember. I taught myself to become a good teacher. Now I'm a professor.

[DL from Heidelberg]

Writing, speaking, analysis.

[Sir Mike Tallon]

1. Artist
2. Musician (former UM piano major)
3. Voice Actor
4. Writer

...equals my very own cartoon show.

[Neil]

"Or get a degree in business on top of your engineering degree, law degree, medical degree, science degree, or whatever. Suddenly you’re in charge, or maybe you’re starting your own company using your combined knowledge."

I did a batchelors in science followed by a PhD. With hindsight I wish I had followed the degree with an MBA. It gives you a lot more flexibility.

[bruce]

1) I am a misanthrope.
2) I am an excellent shot.
3) I am clever.
I am a postal worker by day, and a serial killer by night.

[andybert]

Top 3 skills:

Ranting/Raving

smoking weed

slacking

What kind of job does that qualify me for?

[-drew]

1) Air Pollution Regulations
2) Teaching
3) Ability to sound knowledgable on a topic

So, I'm an environmental consultant.

[Johnny Ouais]

You are missing something important Scott.

Most of all, it doesn't mather much what skills you might have to pick up a career.

That's a stupid father sounds like advice: "My son, study well to become a good citizen".

My career advice: "Do what you like."

If you like something more than 75% of the people, you will fit easily in the top 25% of that field.

If your are skilled enough, most of the time someone will need your service. What will make the difference its being skilled in a field where average people don't easily fit in and to have a lots of interest in that field. That field must also be well remunerated in the city you live.

Then sky's the limit.

For reference: I'm a pornstar. Guess what I like most and what's my skills are.

[career guy]

I am good at
1) understanding technology
2) writing (esp. technical jargon)
So I write patent applications.

I agree with your career advice, but what do you do when you completely lose interest in your career? The way our economy is going you generally have to specialize in one or two subjects to have a good career. But I find it difficult to be passionate about any one subject or activity. As soon as I become relatively good at something (or find out I am not suited to that activity, e.g., golf) I start losing interest. So after following your career advice, I think many will find themselves looking for something else to do. Even if they are passionate about the subject of their career, turning that passion into a business often spoils the fun. Is the answer to just continually change jobs?

That seems to be what you have done. I see you've gotten the cartoon business down pat so that you can devote significant time to other pursuits (e.g., restaurant, writing books, blogging). Then when you become good at those pursuits you find others, but the lucrative cartoon business is a practical mainstay because it doesn't eat up all your time.

[Dick]

#4 - Have fun! If you don't enjoy what you are doing and the people you are doing it with, then you can't possibly be happy with your career.

[Wayne]

WATYF: Combine Computers and Music into operating a Digital Sound Board that has a computer hooked up and running software that enables you to have and use an unlimited library of sound profile settings. Some churches are large enough to pay real salary to techs if no one in the church has the skills. Various Music Variety contests... be a recording engineer for one of the big studios, etc. If you can program, write a program to solve a need musicians have, such as a particular kind of music analysis.

Liz: You list Observation, Creativity, Writing. Journalist, college professor... there are many jobs here. You could work for a newspaper, write a blog, write a novel. Pick a written form you like, and read books and talk to successful people in that area and, oh yes, WRITE.

As for me, I'm still developing new skills while I finish my B.A. as an old guy (36 now, completing at 38.5), but it is fair to say I have skills in computers (Windows, browsers, Web programming, assembling computers, etc.), can read *and* comprehend *very* fast, and can quickly synthesize bodies of knowledge into a short summary.

Like others, I know I have multiple skills in the top 25%, and arguably some in the top 5% or better.

Present job: webmaster and go-to techie because my coworkers don't want to have to file a ticket with our support staff to get something done I can do or answer in seconds or minutes.

[Billy B]

I don't care about money, it's just an energy that flows around.

Changing the world, one day, one tick, at a time, in my own way.

Communicating in such a way as to piss others off, but it gets them to thinking.

[Niblik]

1. Analysis - likely top 5%. I can analyze practically any data and see correlations and causalities amongst it. I can't stop breaking things down and analyzing them; maybe I should see a doctor about that....

2. Linking - 25% or better. I see how things can be linked together in a "big" picture. A good example would be from one of the other posters -- good geographic knowledge, good programming knowledge. He should be working for google-earth or programming GPS devices.

3. Systems - 10% or better. From the data gathered from analysis and the understanding of linking, I see how existing systems operate -- the ones I know of, mind you (political, societal, operating systems).

My college was incomplete; because I couldn't decide on a major.... Computer engineering, Marine biology, Sociology, Psychology, Pre-Law... and I think I'm about to go back and actually get a degree in mechanical engineering.... I've been looking at mechanical efficiency, heat, and cooling lately.

I may just have a nice idea that could increase the efficiency in transferring energy from a vehicle engine to the tires to the road.

Add to that, a fun idea about energy generating, a neat idea about air conditioning....

The list goes on and on. I look at how applying one methodology in one area can be applied to another area -- and voila! New idea/invention. I sit around and wait to see if anyone else has had it. Thus, it is time for me to either get an engineering degree or hire an engineering firm -- to make prototypes.

A friend of mine once told me that one of my ideas is good enough to potentially create "global cooling". Then we'd have everyone complaining about the world cooling too much!

My career isn't as lively as the research I do in my spare time. For a career, I hack software for distribution over large scale corporate networks. I am incredibly good at my current career (top 10%). That's the sad part. I make more money than most engineers I know.

To be an inventor.... I'd have to take a pay cut. Reminds me of Bill Gates, he'd be taking a pay cut if he went into politics.

Oh....
4. I'm not a bad writer (25%)
5. I am great at one-on-one communication (25%)
6. Open and changing perspectives (25%) -- it helps to imagine what the other person thinks. What if I were that other person!? How would I feel if I were talking to me that way!?
7. I'm a smoker (25% or less). It is time for my smoke break!

[zlh]

For a lot of people, skill is difficult to assess on their own. Everyone thinks they are above average due to a blend of ego and a limited pool of people with whom to compare their skills.

[Isabelle Dolce]

The Three Ingredients to Success:

1. Luck (your scriptwriter was 'lucky' to fall into a career that maximizes her skills but let's face it, a lot of people have those skills and not all of them are successful)
2. People like you (assholes are rarely successful)
3. When you fail, you try again. Perhaps using a different tactic...

[Throatwobblermangrove]

I enjoyed your post Scott but I'm not going to list my three strongest attributes.

I was a project manager with an automotive engineering firm earning an above average salary but despised the long hours and the inevitable stress that came with trying to meet unrealistic deadlines. Eventually i began looking for new career paths and after much consideration i decided to follow in my father's footsteps and became a long-haul truck driver with my wife. It was a substantial drop in pay and we ended up selling our home to move into a much smaller condo but we've never been happier. We'll never get rich driving a truck but we certainly consider ourselves to be a lot more successful than most.

[jerry w.]

Skils:

1. My pops reel well conected, he got me in with the "incrowd", if you get my drift. They cover my ass every time I "f" up a job.

2. My wife just nods her head and goes along with what I do.

C. I'm a Ivy legger, whose able to speke small words that folks seem to be ok. with. Most of 'em can't understand me anyways.

My job is pResident of the new-nited states of Merica! How bout that shit?

[Stomper]

Flip side of this? Being good at too many things, and thus having no clear direction.

Some people fall into a career, but most of us have to pick SOMETHING to focus on. That is a tough choice to make, when your range of talents fails to point you in any specific direction.

--Stomper

[TomH]

1. I've always been able to look at mechanical devices that are running, and ideas just pop into my head how they can be made to run better.

2. I have excellent attention to detail.

3. I have excelent skills at explaining complex tasks in simple terms, and documenting those explanations, making it easy to train others in those complex tasks.

Current Job: R&D; Engineer For Improving Semiconductor Manufacturing Tools.

[EricKei]

Computing in general - building, troubleshooting, setting up, explaining in plain English : top 10%

Language Arts - words and how they work, taking basic ideas and extrapolating them vividly : top 20%

Video Games - playing, deconstructing, analyzing : top 20%

So what do I do? Tech support for users of accounting programs as my primary profession; game designer/writer as a freelancer/secondary.

[Patrick Hillman]

I almost never comment, Scott, but lurk all the time. This was a damned inspiring post. Thanks! -PH.

[Lulu]

The script writer sounds like a legal assistant which is a job I "fell into" many years ago. Where do I apply?

[Curt]

"... just “fell into it” through a series of events." Sounds like a euphemism for "gives great head". I know from first hand experience, it sure worked well for me in the bionics world ... even better if you swallow!

[Todd]

1. Mathematics (top 1%)
2. Music (top 1%)
3. Astronomy (top 10%)

So what am I? A mathematician (and an amateur musician for a community band and amateur astronomer observing with a local club). I guess I could have been an astronomer, or an expert on Holst's "Planets".

[Daniel]

>1. Become the best at one specific thing.
>2. Become very good (top 25%) at two or more things.

>The first strategy is difficult to the point of near >impossibility. Few people will ever play in the NBA or make >a platinum album. I don’t recommend anyone even try.

I think this is the first time i read your blog and instantly think wow cool point but why did he miss the basic thing ;-)

There is no 1. Even if you have a platinum album you have some good skills like - entertain people, dance and sing or look good, dance and look good ;-)
For the other example it’s something like being sporty, have a specific given body, willing to sacrifice a lot of your live to something

Cya
Dan

[techguy]

1) Exceptional programmer.
2) College Degree.
3) Interview well.

I'm sure that's not what you meant, but it's the truth for me. I have been at the top of the programmer salary range for 20+ years using only fear, surprise, and ruthless efficency. oh wait. That was something else.

[Reno]

Coding, fixing stuff, and slightly creative. Hmm. I should code something that fixes stuff in a creative manner. Billions of mucho dinero here I come! Wait, wait! But what should I fix? Must find antagonizing pain solveable via a computer and rake in the moolas. Scott, you should do a post about finding and uncovering people's *pain* points so that I can profit off your brainstorming.

[Mike]

Wait, does that mean that getting a degree in Communications puts me 1/3 of the way to being successful?

1) Communications BA
2) Biology BS
3) Impressing people with what makes me to be a seemingly hard worker.

I don't think this will get me anywhere. But that must be why I'm being shipped off to the PeaceCorps soon.

[Speaker to Animals]

1) I am very oral
2) I am very generous
3) D/D free

[Jeff Turkelson]

My 3 skills:

1. Drawing (I am majoring in Industrial Design)
2. Logic
3. Reading people (my ex said I was manipulative too, but I think that was just with her)

[Jan D]

1) I have a law degree
2) I used to be a huge computer nerd
3) I've always had a knack for languages
4) I have an unquenchable thirst for useful knowledge

I agree with Scott. My degree got my career started, but skills 1-3 landed me my other (and better) jobs.

I'm also very tall, which may have helped during job interviews.

[Ger]

I think one thing that you need to be in the top 25% its ambition, i m in the top 25% on many things, but i m in the bottom 25% on ambition...

[Erich]

Great artist
high level of technical knowledge
Low Self-Esteem

Great for writing comments on the Dilbert Blog, but not becoming President, which is what I was hoping for.

[Tyler J.]

1. Guitar Hero
2. Instant messaging
3. Googling.

[John Elliot]

I am reminded once more of the Lake Wobegon Effect.

[Almost Lucid (Brad)]

Computer stuff (specifically, visualizing a computer system and navigating it), good balance, and public speaking.

How can I work good balance into computers and public speaking?

[DML]

1. Communication (aka lack of fear of dumb crap that can't hurt you) It's not that I'm good so much as not being afraid to stand up, say something, and possibly look stupid (which happens, but isn't a big deal).

2)"Insight". Not sure what this means exactly, but...I'm able to see the true nature of things better than most of my peers.

3) Smart, but willing to sign off on worse ideas if there's a group consensus going and it doesn't sink the ship. (A lot of people will cry and/or take their toys home if "their" idea doesn't go through)

[Heather]

I am a tv junkie, anal-retentive, and snarky.

The way I figure it, my dream job involves writing for TV Guide.

[proscriptus]

--Learning new things
--Making sense of complicated ideas
--Writing

After about 15 years of working in construction and children's theater (in about equal proportions, but seldom simultaneously), I stumbled into autowriting, and am now a professional car journalist-type guy. I have no degree, although did come within one semester of a BS, Visual Arts.

I see a lot of golfers read this blog, by the way. As well as many people who seem to have trouble counting to three. I would say I'm easily in the top 25% at Tiger Woods PGA Tour 2007 for PS2, but I suspect that's not relevant.

[JoNa]

What? Only three? I'm having trouble narrowing the list.

Hey, all of you out there who count yourselves among the top 25% in "written and verbal communication:"

It's "written and oral communication." (or written and spoken for those sophomoric enough to titter at the word "oral")

Verbal = in words, regardless of the form.

[g]

A degree in Biology, getting my MBA (with a full scholarship), great people skills, and I'm smoking hot.

[Peter Johnston]

When I was at University (Food Science) my professor wrote on an essay "It is amazing how well you have answered the question while knowing so little about the subject" - so I went into marketing!!!

[paulipe]

its been a few months since you've posted something that was 'just plain nice'....now that i've mentioned that i suppose i must think of 3 things i'm good at.
dang!

[Bill]

1. Broadcast engineering
2. Computer certifications
3. B.A. in Liberal Studies with emphasis in Physics, Philosophy, and History.

Career: Broadcast engineer!

[Chad Turner]

scott...i am begging you. do not make a dilbert movie with real people! I can see where the last few blogs are going...the dilbert cartoon was perfect, perhaps at the wrong time...but perfect for the comic itself. It was one of the rare reading-to-visual transitions where the voices and behaviors were so close to the ones in my head that i couldn't distinguish the two. I assume the comics and the tv show are interconnected and each experienced the same things.
I would try relaunching that. Ellen managed after about 15 failed shows...you can do dilbert on TV again i promise.
go!

[Stephanie O]

Sometimes I think I shouldn't bother leaving a comment because so many other people already have. Then I let go of my snootiness and instead present you with words that mean nothing to any of you.

I have good public speaking, team work and time management skills.
I have an aptitude for fixing technology.
I have an aptitude and passion for photography.

Maybe I should apply to be James Bond.

[Paul]

1) Good writing
2) Public Speaking
3) Ability to shift viewpoints

The last one may not sound hard to do, but as a game designer you have to be willing to abandon something you've thought of yourself if someone else thinks of something better. A lot of people either can't do that, or can't make a cohesive argument if their idea is actually the best and they get trampled.

[Calendar]

Writing, oral communication, intense curiousity about almost all things.

Where did this lead me? I retire in 4 months from a 30-year career in public safety communications. I supervised and managed in three California 9-1-1 centers. I was a starving disc jockey and news announcer for about 10 years before I took my first job as a police and fire dispatcher in 1977. I loved it, and never looked back. And it makes me a very interesting person to talk to at parties.

[Jackrabbit]

My biggest strength has always been writing.

For most of my adult life, I've had a strong interest in audio production and music. I played in some punk bands (didn't have to be especially skilled), mixed for friends' bands, was a radio DJ and program director in college, etc.

My third nominal skill is an understanding of corporate and marketplace dynamics -- seeing management concerns that are not apparent to the casual observer. This perspective was acquired over 20 years in corporate world, working for a microphone manufacturer. Mine was a "climb the ladder" career, starting in customer service. I worked in advertising, handled artist endorsements, trade shows, the website, and PR -- eventually rising to the director level before losing all my traction in a management change.

I now run my own successful "content creation" company, acting as outsourced marketing department; writing PR, brochures, manuals and web content; handling media relations; and writing articles for trade journals -- all for various manufacturing companies in the pro audio-video field.

My commute is even shorter than yours, Scott!

[Mike Schiraldi]

Information security, comedy, and cooking. Needless to say, i haven't been able to really plug them all together.

[fuzztop]

> ...engineering and business... Playing music.
> How do I get those to merge?

It can be done! I write Weird Al-type parody songs about software engineering models (http://music.chuvala.com/songs/scampi/scampi.html)

Undergrad degrees: Biblical Languages, Ecclesiastical Languages
Current job: Software engineer for the space program (I write *fast* sotware - 17,500mph!)
Hobby: writing dumb songs like the above

Connection between the three: communication skills, pattern recognition, recognizing relationships and context of the "problem" domain.

Scott's spot-on.

[Scatman Dan]

Pretty much EVERYBODY has two or more skills in which they're in the top 25%. The successful people are those that understand which skills they have and can find a way to leverage them.

[Validool]

I asked once how MIT (branch of big one, Europe media lab, was in Dublin) finds really creative scientists and answer was, that they dont hire people who do masters degree on one subject, they try to find young people, who have learned one thing, got to some level, BA or similar and then started over on totally different subject. They way they have broader understanding of big picture. Their boss of "visual magic department" was blind woman...

[Scott from Mpls]

A fine bit of advice and I agree with all of it. However it lacks controversy and will therefore probably not illicit very many return posts.

I have an off-topic comment - Today's web page displayed links to the five most popular celebrity searches. They were all female! Interesting. Obviously the guys are searching on them because they are considered good looking and want to see photos, preferably those of a revealing nature (lots-o-skin). But for them to be the most popular of searches, women must also be searching on them as well. Why? Do they want to be more like them? Are their lives that interesting? Do women not search on good looking men very often? Human nature is always fascinating.

[KageBunshin]

Skirting your question since my thinking circuitry is bruised rt now(pathetic isn't it :))....

Thank for the insights...

Also I am in wonder that people have to be so specialized like that script supervisor or the heart surgeon or other specialized career people just to work with the run of the mill organs and characteristics that we have (but don't understand well)...

Not one everyone knows how to make great music but most know how to spot good music when they hear one...same goes for food, movies and art....

And all people care about is whom to sleep with and how to get back to X,Y or Z....

Any thoughts?

[Tim]

1. I really, really like extraordinarily complicated things and explaining them simply
2. I'm very likeable
3. I allow other people to realise I'm very likeable

[Andrew]

Public speaking. People skills. Crisis managment. I'm currently studying for the pastorate! :)

http://simplescholar.blogspot.com

[Roberto Bechtlufft]

Last year I graduated in English Literature - I find it very easy and amusing to learn languages, so I know a bit of german and japanese too, not to mention portuguese, my native language, and english.

I´ve been working at a real-state company for six years.

I'm also a beginner LINUX system administrator.

So I'm good at literature, languages, selling houses and managing LINUX systems. My friends say I'm funny too. Any ideas on how to mix these things up and become rich? :-)

[Alejandro]

It's not the top 25% part that has me troubled, I got that covered alright.

But, Houston, we have a problem with the "with some effort" bit.

[Matthew Kovich]

1. Public Speaking
2. Written English
3. Singing
4. Computer Skills
5. Acting.
6. Listening.

[Chief of the Cubicle Police]

Here are my areas of expertise:

1) the ability to masturbate furiously any time, day or nite;
2) excellence in the field of living like a hermit;
3) the ability to overeat at will.

I am, however, still wondering why my million dollar check hasn't arrived>? Perhaps you can provide a bit of coaching. You will feel safer doing this from a distance.

/Chief

[Luke]

I'm doing a double degree in engineering and business so that meets your criteria. What else am I good at? Playing music. How do I get those to merge? lol

[Chrisgiraffe]

I am, without a doubt, within the top 25% of people who communicate, inspire people, and masturbate. I guess that means I should be in porn.

If you're in the top 26% of everything you do, does that mean you'll always come close to being sucessful at everything but never quite successful at anything? Would a combination of low and high skills that equal three top 25%'s work? For example, say you're in the top 8% of skiing, top 25% of sausage making and top 33% of ballet dancers. Since the top 33% and top 8% sum to two top 25% categories, would this combo of ballet, sausage making and skiing turn into an unstoppable combination or an inedible frozen dance of death?

If there's a recipe for success I've always found myself adding too much salt.

On another note, what's up with all the twisted replies to the "Pitch a Show" blog? I don't get how murder and rape shows are supposed to be funny or entertaining and I don't get why so many people would make such suggestions. I do like how you didn't pick a 'top ten' or even a top suggestion- that way everyone can secretly imagine you liked their suggestion most when in reality my suggestions (incl. "Soapy Puppy", "Pimp my wife", "Who Farted", "Pinch me, I'm Dreaming", "Local Yokel”, "Hit me, baby, one more time”, “I can’t believe my husband’s a millionaire”, “What WOULDN’T Jesus Do?”, “Birthday Bash”, and the A&E; original “Gosh how I miss locomotives”) were clearly head and shoulders above the rest.

Scott, you keep blogging for replies and I'll just keep sending you back the gold.

[Ariel]

Skills:

Physical Ability (former ballerina, stage choreographer for dance and sword fighting, current yoga nut)

Artistically Inclined (painter, gourmet, writer... I love attending museums and art openings, travel internationally as much as budget allows)

Technical Knowledge (use to work tech support for OSHA, administrator for many complex CRM's, instructed corp drones on new software for fun and profit)

Results thus far:

I've done a bunch wildly different jobs, most of which I've loved. From writing technical manuals for respirators, to being a body double for low budget Hollywood movie posters - I have great stories about crazy antics with very different social groups – from geeks to freaks, I’ve broken major or minor laws with all of them.

[Liz]

1. Observation
2. Creativity
3. Writing

Still searching for the right path . . .

[Chris Brogan...]

Hi Scott- I didn't even know you were blogging! Very cool. And what great advice. The combo pass approach to careers is pretty clever.

My mix: community building skills / technology clever

I wanted "fly + super strength," but I had bad rolls.

--Chris...

[RavenBlack]

You'd also be hard pressed to find *unsuccessful* people who aren't in the top 25% of at least three things. There's an awful lot of space in a 25th percentile, and there are an awful lot of skills to choose from. The trick for success is being in the top 25% of skills that can actually be combined into something useful.

For example, being in the top 25% of TV trivia knowledge, playing guitar and general fitness does not make for a very compelling career (other than possibly as a contestant on a small selection of gameshows).

[Alex]

Writing, computer programming, public speech and one-to-one diplomacy. As I'm still a student, I want other top-25% skills. I might try to pick-up business management too.

[di]

1. placating people
2. fixing computers
3. writing strongly worded letters

I have a BA in french, minor in poli sci (emphasis on euro studies) and I am a Systems Admin in IT. I don't think many people become what they went to school for.

[Melissa]

I have a BS in mechanical engineering, but the kicker is that I actually interact and communicate well with people, both written and verbally. I believe that makes me fairly unique among engineers. And I have enough of a grasp of how airplane engines work that it landed me a job at a major airplane manufacturer. My last job had me interacting with military officers to determine what sort of protective equipment they needed - believe me, if you aren't an effective communicator (and can get your desired outcome stated in less than 30 seconds), they won't tell you jack squat!

[Carnivore]

My mom's lucky, she didn't "fall into" her career. She came home from her first day of kindergarten and told her mother she wanted to be a teacher. She can retire in a couple years here.

That's a lot different from my dad who taught music for 5 years and then became an accountant.

[functioning moral compass]

I think it's passion that makes a person great. There's a lot of good singers, but only a few rock stars. It's not the vocal talent that makes you famous. It's the drive to be great no matter the cost. There's a lot of guys who can shoot hoops, hit balls, or run. But only the really driven ones get into the Bigs.

Ever meet a real entrepeneur? They're smart, sure. But what you really notice about them is how motivated they are. They're working 80 hour weeks. Their lives are littered with ex-wives, old forgotten friends, etc., but their businesses are growing against all odds.

Talent in one, two, or even 10 things isn't enough. Unless you have drive (or consistently good luck), your life will be ordinary.

Ordinary is good enough for most people. That's what "not enough drive" means.

[Ron]

Let's see...

Pop culture junkie...
Degree in Accounting...
Work in building online communities...
(o/~ one of these things is not like the others...o/~)

Ron

[Erik]

This is exactly the advice I have given my kids, and the main reason I make a comfortable living from home sitting on my ass. My skills are all fairly generic, but I always aim to be close to the top in all of them (not the very best, not even top tier, but maybe top 5% in some). My skills are:

1. Technology (programming, basic computer knowledge, networking, etc); Top 5 %
2. Accounting; Top 25%
3. Verbal Communication; Top 15%
4. Written Communication; Top 5%
5. Problem Solving; Top 5%

Those are my own estimates, of course, but they all keep me employed without having to work very hard. I work as a programmer/analyst for a software company in the Time and Attendance/Payroll industry.

[Guardian1153]

I'd have to say that I do have three abilities. I'm not the best at any of them, but they are marginally marketable. I am a pretty good writer, I can help people to understand very complicated ideas and I tend to put people at ease in difficult situations.
I really should push these abilities to make a better living.

[tony]

Another excellent, insightful post.

My three talents?
1. Analytical mind (IQ of 140+ if those online tests are worth their salt)
- I got interested in software back when operating systems for personal computers came on cassette tapes, not discs, and am now eighteen years in the same job (same software development department!) and still enjoying it.

2. Communication skills (self developed as a result of becoming effectively deaf mute by relocating to Japan straight out of college. Had to learn a new language, and redesign my thought patterns and my interpersonal skills
from scratch to make it work here.)
Not only am I bilingual, which is a great asset of itself, but I have learned that the most important part of communication is watching the feedback from the other person.
(I have dealt with people very close to the Elbonians; - smiling and nodding in agreement to everything you say is no guarantee of understanding. )

3. Sense of humour/perspective - this means attention to detail but knowing when to say "This is 80% and it's good enough!" (or just plain "Fuck it! Enough!")

I thoroughly agree on the public speaking bit. Being able to speak to a crowd effectively means you are able to speak to one person effectively, and that is an asset, because so many people are not able to listen effectively that the onus is on you, as a leader, to make sure the sheep follow you.
(I did a personnel management course a whileback, and all the important points they taught us about being a leader of others were things I had recently figured out for myself as being important aspects of being a father to my
two year old son. What does that tell you about being a manager?)

Tony

[Rach]

My three:

aero engineering
music (specifically piano)
bullshit.

I'm a student. This seems to be working at the moment.

[Eric]

Interesting. I'm a software engineer who also happens to be really good at 3D CAD work and mechanical design. I did a little work in each after college, and when I needed a job, I put my resume online. A company in Arizona was looking for a software engineer who also had 3D CAD skills. They did a search, which resulted in four hits. Three guys in India, and me. Guess who got the job. :)

[Marc]

My 3 Things:
1) Economics - I'm really good at math
2) Languages - I speak several languages fluently and pick up new languages very easily.
3) Public Speaking - I love public speaking and I love to do stand up comedy.

I keep getting promoted because I'm good at math, funny, comfortable in front of people, don't take myself seriously, and can speak to practically anyone.

[David]

Hypnotist
Entertainer
Aircraft Mechanic

I keep trying to work that last one in with no success...

[Bernardo]

I agree. In my job I see lots of people with good IT skills, and lots of people with good marketing skills. Only a few are skilled in both, and they do great.

One caveat, though. I believe that to be successful you have to be better-than-average in two things that have to be very different in the mind of most people. Good IT people are proficient in two or more development platforms (say, Java and .NET), but most people would simply say they are proficient in one thing: "computers".

GREAT IT people, on the other hand, are proficient in "computers", but also have great people skills. Or understand the business better than most. Or are great salespeople. Etc.

Great article!
Bernardo.

[Nile]

1 - Written and Verbal Communication
2 - Visual Basic and Microsoft Excel
3 - Business knowledge in Banking and Finance

Am I in the top 25% for the first two? Hell, yes.

Are they like, *Achievements*..? Try not to laugh. Please.

And the third one on the list... I'd place myself wayyy below the top quartile of 'people in banking'. But it's the top 1% of progammers, and every time I'm called into assist with the 'business knowledge' part of a job interview, I am dismayed at the candidate's ignorance of the activities they are being asked to support.

I got to this pinnacle of knowledge in my first banking job with about an hour's reading, and I keep up with a daily ten-minute skim through the Financial Times or the Wall Street Journal.

So here's a corollary point to Scott's 'Top 25% in 2' advice: find a blind spot or common weakness among your peers, where they all seem to be in the *bottom* 25%, and be the person who knows just enough about it to stop you all sounding stupid in front of the rest of the company.

Harsh, but true. How many programmers do you know, in whatever business pays them, are reading the relevant trade press and could hold a conversation about how news items X, Y and Z will affect the business this year - and could tell you how the IT department is going to make a contribution to what the company is going to do about it?

Even if you're way the hell too junior to contribute to planning, knowing the business makes it so much easier to work with the users and be perceived as useful. It won't be long before the departmental heads are consulting you - personally - for an IT perspective on their decisions because, to date, they have never realised how useful and relevant IT can be.

[vasco]

1. Reading the Dilbert Blog
2. Reading the Dilbert comics
3. Dunno...
:D

-----------------------
http://href.hu/x/2sv1

[WATYF]

Computers and Music. I haven't figured out how to combine them, but separately, I make a fairly decently living by working in both areas.

WATYF

[ICUH8TV2]

I knew I should have studied to be an astronaut/secret agent. Where do you go to school for that combo?

[Raj]

Funny thing. I was thinking about my career just the other day and if I should change it. (I am a physicist)
My three : Microscopy, data analysis and writing.

[Bret]

Nah, from what I can see, it's all just luck. My career, which has been very very good to me, has certainly been good because of luck, and the Scott Adams story looks like it has quite a luck component as well.

Here's the thing. Those who are successful almost always think that it's their great skill and talent that got them where they are and that they know all the answers. Those who aren't successful (and want to be) almost always think that it's bad luck that prevents them from being successful. Skill or luck - who's right?

My top three skills? Smoking dope, slacking off, and reading blogs (or is that the same as slacking off?). Yet somehow, I've been able to start successful technology companies.

It's all luck.

Good luck!

[XX EE]

While some of my talents work well together, some are seemingly unrelated to each other, unfortunately:

Electrical engineer
Oral/written communication
Classical guitar and piano
Cartooning
Dance

... at least, I haven't been able to figure out how to combine them all yet. I like the idea of learning how to sell because that would be *really* handy in my trade--good advice, Scott!

[William]

I'm a computer scientist with near-unparalleled knowledge of geography (I can point out any country on Earth within half a second and then proceed to tell you a brief history). Never found a use for my passion for history and geography, except showing off.

[Isabel]

Or be very very good at one thing (say, top 5%) and know other people who are very very good at other things. Songwriting comes to mind, since it splits sort of naturally -- one person writes the lyrics and the other person writes the music.

[Jamie]

I have a black belt (I'm an instructor in my spare time), and I've been building and running networks for 15 years. I have no idea how these mix.

[EWilliams]

OK, "you’d be hard pressed to find any successful person who didn’t have about three skills" - counter example = George Bush.

He's got good family political connections = 1
He's been a businessman in Texas, but below 50%.
He's spoken in public a lot, poorly.
He's traveled widely, and pissed off the folks he meets.
He's hired a lot of folks, who tended to be dumber than dirt.

What's his second "skill", not to mention his third??

[Ben]

People skills, aesthetic sensibility, and problem solving.

My job: Separating the crap people won't watch from the crap people will. (I work in development.)

[Paul Mckenna]

I was first you dolts ! First ! Me ! First HAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHHAAHHAh

Paul

[T.H.Reasoner]

1. Recognizing that just because something is rare and valuable, it may not be useful
2. Recognizing when the herd is heading over the cliff chasing the rare and valuable
3. Not following them

[LJP]

There are probably a hundred things in which I'd rank top 25%, so I've limited my list below to those in which I'm in the top 5% in the world:

1) Funny (everyone thinks I should do stand-up)
2) Technical writing (my MBA and PhD classmates voted me Buzzword King six years straight!)
3) Golf (7.4 USGA handicap index)
4) Samurai swordsmanship (kenjutsu and iaijutsu)

It's been surprisingly difficult to develop a lucrative career as a funny golfing samurai technical writer, so I've ended up stuck in the one job that requires no useful skills: college professor!

When I lecture MBA students in economics, I point out that price is determined by TWO factors: the one you mentioned (supply, or scarcity) and DEMAND. Apparently -- much to my chagrin -- there is somewhat greater demand for script supervisors than for funny golfing samurai technical writers.

[Avi]

Drawing/writing funny comics/things. Haven't figured out the other two, but I guess that's what college is for. That and kissin'.

[Melanie]

Learn public speaking from the largest non-profit educational organization in the world. www.toastmasters.org

[Diana W]

My father was an engineer and mom had been an English major. I'm neither brilliant in English or Math, but better than most in both, which became obvious when I scored in the top 1 percent on my GMAT (MBA entrance exam). I was getting by as an engineer, but after getting my MBA I went into Program Management. All but 1 of the dozen engineers I started with in this company are now gone (most due to layoffs), but I'm still here.

[Incredipete]

I don't know that I'm top 25% at anything - if I am, it's statistics and forecasting.

However, I'm slightly above average at about 8-10 things, and that combined with my one top 25% skill makes me successful.

[The BGM]

1. Writing - just got my first book out
2. Public speaking
3. The shitty thing I do for a living

[chester young (aka: Caloosarat]

I know have an explaination for why I am doing what I do and why it works for me. I have a passion for most things boat related, a history of sailing, power boating, canoe and kayaking. This preceeded any formal training in the field. I learned early on to listen to disparate conversations on the same issue and observed people speaking right past one another. I then learned to translate heavy equipment contractor speak into regulatory agency speak, into investment / developer speak. The third item has taken time and patience, I have been studying the agency rules as they apply to the permitting, construction, maintenance and operation of water front facilities. I am a marine environmental consultant. I like my job. I am good at my job. I am paid well at my job. I am a % owner of the company. Caloosarat

[Enough Wealth]

Analytical thinking (BAppSc degrees in Industrial Chemistry and Industrial Math & Computing), Business Sense (some post grad Marketing courses, experience in investing and as a superannuation trustee, and some training in internal auditing), and some native intelligence (Mensan).

Then again I've no people skills, which probably explains why I'm a "technical" manager (ie. no actual staff to manage).

Regards
http://enoughwealth.com

[Ron Hardin]

As an economist, though, you should add that it won't work if everybody does it. Somebody has to actually produce the goods that everybody is enjoying the consumption of, and it's not done by people in the top 25% in three or more areas.

[jerry w.]

Did she mention if she would swallow?

After about 25 years in the film business, I've noticed that having that one skill could advance a person within a specific field faster than any other.

This of course is mostly in reference to producers and directors.

It also seems to be the norm in the higher cost attorney's world as well.

I'm just saying.......

http://boskolives.wordpress.com/

[Munro]

Scott I found it hard to read that post because of the smiley ad on the right hand side.

It's not that the ad is more important or anything but constantly moving colourful graphics with 3D effects tug at your attention more effectively than black text on white background. We're just wired that way.

Another great post, thankyou.

[tubaguy]

Kids choose my class.
Kids choose to work hard in my class.
I can put up with more organizational nonsense than most other teachers.

[Jon]

1. Bowel movements
2. Reading the Dilbert blog
3. My Gud speling

[BillF]

Meh. Success is overrated. Survival is fun.

[Billy Bob]

So...ah...Paris Hilton's three skills are rich, dumb, and pretty?

[brock]

I'm good at golf, I'm attractive, and I communicate well.

I have a marketing degree and I have been a cube monkey for 2 years for an insurance company. go figure...

[Beth]

i saw that there were no comments as of yet, and thougth it would be cool to be the first today! :)

so true what you said ---

i love "design" --- was going to go to college to be an interior designer, but then got married right after highschool to a molecular biologist (24 at the time) --- was then going to do correspondence but got a full time job at a high end design center where i have gottne the best experience i could ever wish for ---
my husband recently put in an application to join the FBI and is pretty far along with it --- so we will be moving soon so i will need to find a new job in another state ---
i have often wondered what i will do next, and like you said, i want to become good at two or more things, so i think i will try something new ---
and someday, i might make my dream of owning my own shop on the corner of a quiant little town or maybe even a big city!

great thoughts to put out there this morning --- and on my birthday too --- thanks for the smile!

[Richard Lainhart]

My three: playing the vibraphone, throwing knives, and fixing Macintoshes.

So what should I be doing?

[Heinrich the Lab Rat]

I combined graduate work in American history, library science and an MBA. The mix works well for me, but having to take a vow of poverty has taken a toll on my family life.

[Paul Mckenna]

Drinking, arm-wrestling and law, specifically the creation of large loan/property portfolios.

Paul