{"product_id":"the-armada-print","title":"The Armada Print","description":"\u003ch2\u003ethe story\u003cmeta charset=\"utf-8\"\u003e\n\u003c\/h2\u003e\n\u003cdiv data-en-clipboard=\"true\" data-pm-slice=\"1 1 []\"\u003e\u003cspan\u003eSometimes people look at successes I've had and say, \"Must be nice,\" as if they happened by magic.\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/div\u003e\n\u003cdiv\u003e\n\u003cspan\u003e\u003c\/span\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\n\u003c\/div\u003e\n\u003cdiv\u003e\u003cspan\u003eWhat they don't often see is the framework that helped enable that success. Fortunately, it's a framework anyone can develop.\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/div\u003e\n\u003cdiv\u003e\n\u003cspan\u003e\u003c\/span\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\n\u003c\/div\u003e\n\u003cdiv\u003e\u003cspan\u003eWe often assume that in order to be successful, we need to be great at one thing. That can work—see LeBron James, for example—but that path is extremely difficult and unlikely. The truth is you only need to be pretty good at a handful of ordinary skills.\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/div\u003e\n\u003cdiv\u003e\n\u003cspan\u003e\u003c\/span\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\n\u003c\/div\u003e\n\u003cdiv\u003e\u003cspan\u003eYou just need to build a talent stack.\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/div\u003e\n\u003cdiv\u003e\n\u003cspan\u003e\u003c\/span\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\n\u003c\/div\u003e\n\u003cdiv\u003e\n\u003cspan\u003eScott Adams, the creator of the comic strip \u003c\/span\u003e\u003ci\u003e\u003cspan\u003eDilbert\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/i\u003e\u003cspan\u003e, popularized this concept which states that you can ensure success by assembling a “stack” of two or more complementary skills and be in the top 25 percent or so in each. Do that and you’ll be unstoppable. \u003c\/span\u003e\n\u003c\/div\u003e\n\u003cdiv\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003c\/div\u003e\n\u003cdiv\u003e\u003cspan\u003eIn his case, he readily admits he’s not the best artist, the most skilled writer, or the savviest business expert. But his unique combination of those skill sets has contributed to his success as a cartoonist.\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/div\u003e\n\u003cdiv\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003c\/div\u003e\n\u003cdiv\u003e\u003cspan\u003eMy own talent stack began with a few crayons. “Artist” was my first and is my longest-lasting identity. I’ve always enjoyed it, and I got praised for it, so I’m sure that made me want to keep doing it.\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/div\u003e\n\u003cdiv\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003c\/div\u003e\n\u003cdiv\u003e\u003cspan\u003eIn high school, I had a chance to take a creative writing class, which I enjoyed exponentially more than my math classes. I kept honing that skill, which eventually became an indispensable part of my talent stack.\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/div\u003e\n\u003cdiv\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003c\/div\u003e\n\u003cdiv\u003e\u003cspan\u003eIn college, I gave a talk as a leader on a retreat and received great reviews. Even though I am naturally shy, I enjoyed the process of crafting stories in spoken form. It was like creative writing but delivered out loud. \u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/div\u003e\n\u003cdiv\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003c\/div\u003e\n\u003cdiv\u003e\u003cspan\u003eTo the surprise of me, my parents, and the high school speech teacher who gave me a \"C,\" public speaking emerged as the primary driver of our business. I went from giving cartooning workshops in schools to speaking at churches to keynoting conferences for associations and corporations all over the place. \u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/div\u003e\n\u003cdiv\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003c\/div\u003e\n\u003cdiv\u003e\u003cspan\u003eNow it took me a few years to realize that these three talents—art, writing, and speaking—were not separate skills that operated independently, but part of a talent stack, that when used in harmony became even more powerful. I am not the best artist in the world, or the best writer or speaker. But I’m pretty good at all three, and that combination has been the secret sauce of my success. \u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/div\u003e\n\u003cdiv\u003e\n\u003cspan\u003e\u003c\/span\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\n\u003c\/div\u003e\n\u003cdiv\u003e\u003cspan\u003eOnce I was introduced to talent stacking, I eagerly looked for complementary skills to add. By devouring hundreds of marketing books and through the school of trial and error, I've achieved the equivalent of an MBA in marketing. Am I the best marketer in the world? No, but I easily fall into the top 25 percent.\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/div\u003e\n\u003cdiv\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003c\/div\u003e\n\u003cdiv\u003e\u003cspan\u003eKim and I went on several organized retreats in college. That background gave us a foundation to build on when we started hosting our own events. After putting on numerous meetups, workshops, book tours, fundraising galas, and Escape Adulthood Summits over the past two decades, we’ve gotten pretty good at managing logistics and creating experiences that move people.\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/div\u003e\n\u003cdiv\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003c\/div\u003e\n\u003cdiv\u003eMost recently, we used the pandemic as an opportunity to get good at livestreaming, which added a whole new dimension to our business.\u003c\/div\u003e\n\u003cdiv\u003e\n\u003cspan\u003e\u003c\/span\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\n\u003c\/div\u003e\n\u003cdiv\u003e\u003cspan\u003eDrip by drip, these new skills made the other skills even more valuable and ushered in greater success.\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/div\u003e\n\u003cdiv\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003c\/div\u003e\n\u003cdiv\u003e\u003cspan\u003eOf course, your talent stack will look different from mine, but the premise is the same. Start with natural strengths and abilities and work to make them better. Think about how they can work together in unexpected ways, even if they seem unrelated. \u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/div\u003e\n\u003cdiv\u003e\n\u003cspan\u003e\u003c\/span\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\n\u003c\/div\u003e\n\u003cdiv\u003e\u003cspan\u003eEveryone in your industry probably competes on many of the same skills. What do you have that’s different? Oftentimes the magic lies in a skill or interest that seems to come out of left field. For instance, many professional speakers are also writers. But my artistic gifts and whimsical, childlike perspective allow me to offer something extraordinary.\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/div\u003e\n\u003cdiv\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003c\/div\u003e\n\u003cdiv\u003e\u003cspan\u003eThis isn’t just about what you were born with. Look for other skills you can attain that complement and enrich the others. That might involve a traditional degree or certification, but it can also be done by reading books, listening to podcasts, taking courses online or at your local community college, or practicing, in public, every day, as we did with our pandemic project of livestreaming.\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/div\u003e\n\u003cdiv\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003c\/div\u003e\n\u003cdiv\u003e\u003cspan\u003eIf you’re stuck, here are some evergreen choices that will help:\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/div\u003e\n\u003cdiv\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003c\/div\u003e\n\u003cdiv\u003e\u003cspan\u003ePresentation skills\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/div\u003e\n\u003cdiv\u003e\u003cspan\u003eTechnology skills\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/div\u003e\n\u003cdiv\u003e\u003cspan\u003eForeign language skills\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/div\u003e\n\u003cdiv\u003e\u003cspan\u003eSales or marketing skills\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/div\u003e\n\u003cdiv\u003e\u003cspan\u003eWriting skills\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/div\u003e\n\u003cdiv\u003e\u003cspan\u003eBusiness management skills\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/div\u003e\n\u003cdiv\u003e\u003cspan\u003eNunchuck skills\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/div\u003e\n\u003cdiv\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003c\/div\u003e\n\u003cdiv\u003e\u003cspan\u003eRemember, you don’t have to turn yourself into the foremost expert on any of these skills. Just be in the top 25 percent. Said another way, in a world of around eight billion people, you only need to be among the top two billion. If one hundred thousand people live in your city, you just have to be in the top twenty-five thousand. \u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/div\u003e\n\u003cdiv\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003c\/div\u003e\n\u003cdiv\u003e\u003cspan\u003eIn other words, pretty good is good enough.\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/div\u003e\n\u003cdiv\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003c\/div\u003e\n\u003cdiv\u003e\u003cspan\u003eKeep in mind that this is a lifelong project. If you’re doing it right—meaning you stay curious and keep growing—your talent stack will continue to evolve and strengthen throughout your career and life. \u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/div\u003e\n\u003cdiv\u003e\n\u003cspan\u003e\u003c\/span\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\n\u003c\/div\u003e\n\u003cdiv\u003e\u003cspan\u003eOne last word of warning, however.\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/div\u003e\n\u003cdiv\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003c\/div\u003e\n\u003cdiv\u003e\u003cspan\u003eWhen you have a decent stack of three to five skills going, you can bank on someone, somewhere observing what you’ve been able to accomplish and saying, “Must be nice.”\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/div\u003e\n\u003cdiv\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003c\/div\u003e\n\u003ch2\u003eproduct details\u003c\/h2\u003e\n\u003cdiv class=\"product__description rte\"\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cspan\u003eThis colorful artwork by Jason Kotecki comes in a variety of sizes.\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cstrong\u003e16\"x16\" Gallery Canvas.\u003c\/strong\u003e\u003cspan\u003e \u003c\/span\u003e\u003cspan\u003eThe fade-resistant canvas print is sure to make a statement in any space. It's a durable, satin-finished canvas hand-stretched on locally sourced wood frames. It features archival inks, black edges, and comes ready to hang.\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cspan\u003e\u003cstrong\u003e12\"x12\" Print.\u003c\/strong\u003e Make a statement in any room with this beautiful reproduction printed on high-quality paper, with a partly glossy, partly matte finish. Also available framed in white, black, or red oak.\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e• 10 mil (0.25 mm) thick paper\u003cbr\u003e• Paper weight: 260 g\/m²\u003cbr\u003e• Slightly glossy, fingerprint-resistant\u003cbr\u003e• Optional .75” (1.9 cm) thick wood frame\u003cbr\u003e• Acrylite front protector\u003cbr\u003e• Hanging hardware included\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eThis product is made especially for you as soon as you place an order, which is why it takes us a bit longer to deliver it to you. Making products on demand instead of in bulk helps reduce overproduction, so thank you for making thoughtful purchasing decisions!\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cstrong\u003e16\"x16\" Original Painting.\u003c\/strong\u003e\u003cspan\u003e SOLD\u003c\/span\u003e\u003cspan\u003e.\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003c\/div\u003e","brand":"Escape Adulthood","offers":[{"title":"Unframed Print","offer_id":56908807340192,"sku":"ART-ARMA-12x12","price":49.0,"currency_code":"USD","in_stock":true},{"title":"Black Framed Print","offer_id":56908807372960,"sku":"ART-ARMA-12x12-BLK","price":79.0,"currency_code":"USD","in_stock":true},{"title":"Red Oak Framed Print","offer_id":56908807405728,"sku":"ART-ARMA-12x12-OAK","price":79.0,"currency_code":"USD","in_stock":true},{"title":"White Frame Print","offer_id":56908807438496,"sku":"ART-ARMA-12x12-WHI","price":79.0,"currency_code":"USD","in_stock":true},{"title":"Gallery Canvas","offer_id":56908807471264,"sku":"ART-ARMA-16x16C","price":180.0,"currency_code":"USD","in_stock":true}],"thumbnail_url":"\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/0705\/3231\/files\/The-Armada-650.jpg?v=1775697378","url":"https:\/\/shop.escapeadulthood.com\/products\/the-armada-print","provider":"Escape Adulthood Lemonade Stand","version":"1.0","type":"link"}