Tactical guide to collect sub-skills.

Since I've become a collector of sub-skills, my career has 10x'd. Here's my 3-step process.

Cold-pitching leads? That's a sub-skill.

Finding those leads? That's a sub-skill.

Deciding what to write in my free-work pitch? That as well.

What leaves are to trees, many sub-skills are to great talent.

After reading at least 9 books on this topic, ranging from Peak to Grit to Ultralearning, I've created my own version.

It's a 3-step process.

1. Ask, what's missing?

Usually it's:

• Unawareness of a step in the overall process

• Knowing but ignoring that step

• Mindset to mix in while doing that step

Once you identify, the game gets easier.

2. How to add it?

• Create a drill to perform that skill individually

• Watch other experts do that step

• Mix the step in the full process

3. How to do it continuously?

• Find good models (experts) who are 2 steps ahead of you, not 10.

• Try to self-critique your work against their or hire a mentor

• Devoting at least 30 minutes every day

Turn this into a fun game that you want to level up all the time, before you realize it just becomes your second nature.