Find Your Unique 20 Percent Spike

“Your 20 percent spike is your superpower. Find it, embrace it, and use it to make a profound impact on the world.” — Unknown

Being different is a good thing.  We all have unique skills we bring to the table.

The key is finding your unique 20 percent spike.

Your 20 percent spike is your superpower.  It’s that skill that people can count on you for.

Maybe for you it’s writing.  Maybe it’s figuring out the business of things.  Maybe it’s designing things.

When you know what your unique 20 percent spike is, you know your most powerful tool for creating impact or earning a living.

In The 80/20 Individual: How to Build on the 20% of What You do Best, Richard Koch writes about finding your unique 20 percent spike.

Key Takeaways

Here are my key takeaways:

• Differentiate yourself.  Use your unique experience or strength to differentiate.  For example, maybe you’re a writer that knows how to make laugh.  Maybe you’re a consultant that excels at big, hairy challenges.  Maybe you’re a teacher that knows how to light people’s fire.
• Move the ball forward.  Use your unique strengths to change the game.  Creative people change the world.  Change the world using your spike.  Better yet, change YOUR world, using your unique 20 percent spike.
• Use your spike as a launch pad.  Whether it’s a business, a hobby or a way to get leverage on the job, use your unique 20 percent spike as a springboard.  It’s your unique advantage.

The power of a unique 20 percent spike is that it’s both a way to differentiate in an overcrowded space, and it’s a way to get leverage in a skills-for-hire economy.

You’re Unique

You’re one of a kind.  Use your unique experience to figure out your unique spike.

Kock writes:

“This is vital, but often neglected, truth.  Of all the billions of people on earth, only identical twins have the same generic material. 

And even identical twins have different experiences, inclinations, partners, and emotions.

Yet we spend most of our lives denying our individuality, trying to pretend that we are just like everyone else.  Isn’t that weird?”

Creative Individuals Make Fewer Concessions to Reality

Creative individuals live life on their terms.

Kock writes:

“Creative individuals are different.  They embrace their individuality more than others do.  They are aware of it.  They give it more head-room. 

They cultivate it.  They know where it can be used most effectively.  Creative individuals have less need to fit in.  They make fewer concessions to ‘reality,’ a reality defined by other people.”

Progress Depends on Creative Individuals

Creative people change the world.

Kock writes:

“George Bernard Shaw knew this: “The reasonable man adapts himself to the world.  The unreasonable one persists in trying to adapt the world to himself.  Therefore all progress depends on the unreasonable man.”  Now, replace ‘unreasonable’ with ‘creative’.”

Start By Thinking About Yourself

In work and life, unleash your best by leveraging your 20 percent spike.

Kock writes:

“If you want to create, you first have to find and nurture your 20 percent spike.  If you want to create a new business, don’t start by thinking about the business.  Start by thinking about yourself.”

Refuse to Settle for Less than What you’re Truly Capable of

Discovering and embracing your unique 20 percent spike is the key to unlocking your true potential and making a lasting impact in the world. It is about recognizing your innate strengths, passions, and talents and channeling them into something extraordinary.

By finding your 20 percent spike, you embark on a journey of self-discovery, authenticity, and fulfillment. It is a pathway to living a life that aligns with your core values and purpose, where you can make a meaningful contribution and create a ripple effect of positive change.

In a world that often encourages conformity and mediocrity, finding your 20 percent spike is an act of rebellion—an act that says you refuse to settle for less than what you’re truly capable of. It is an affirmation of your unique brilliance and an invitation to share it boldly with the world.

Remember, your 20 percent spike is not about comparing yourself to others or trying to fit into predefined molds of success. It is about recognizing your own worth and embracing your individuality. It is a reminder that you have something exceptional to offer, and the world needs your unique perspective, talents, and contributions.

So, embrace the journey of finding your 20 percent spike. Invest in yourself, explore your passions, and cultivate your strengths. Embrace the challenges, the setbacks, and the growth that comes with pursuing your true calling. Let your 20 percent spike ignite your drive, fuel your ambition, and propel you to new heights of achievement.

The world is waiting for you to unleash your full potential. Find your 20 percent spike, and let it be the spark that lights up your path to a life of fulfillment, impact, and lasting legacy.

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