To be successful at something

If you lack a skill, you'll lack ability. If you have a zero anywhere in your equation, no amount of strengths will make up for it.

For instance, in Business, you will need Sales/Marketing, Innovation, Operations, Finance and Management. If you have zero knowledge of any of these, that skill will hold you back.

Look at what the essential skills are in your field. Commit to getting at least competent in them.

• The 80/20 method: You can get 80 % proficiency in a subject in about 6 - 12 months.
• The 10,000-hour rule: You can become an expert at something if you spend 10,000 hours of deliberate practice on it. 

To go from zero to 80% (good enough) requires a different approach than that needed to get from 80% - 99% (world-class). The last 20% also requires a different level of commitment. For instance, Stephen King spent 6 - 8 hours daily for ten years before he succeeded as a commercial writer.

The gains disproportionately accrue to people at the top. Stephen King probably sells more books than the rest of his category combined.

Being good at many things probably means that you are at 80% of your potential in all of them. It is not enough to stand out. 

Pick a very few things to tackle through the 10,000-hour rule and try and reach 99% of your potential in them.

• In the top 1 % of a field. This is only possible for a selected few.
• In the top 25 % of two or three extrinsic skills. This is easier to accomplish. Combining two or more things you are pretty good at will make you unique.