Dateline: 26 February 2017
Scott Adams, the creator of the Dilbert comic, came to my attention in 2016 when he correctly predicted Donald Trump’s presidential victory. Adams’ prediction, made when few believed in Trump’s chances, stemmed from his recognition of Trump’s strong persuasive abilities, which he identified as a “master persuader.”
Adams, who has experience as a hypnotist, understands how persuasion affects the human mind. He wasn’t suggesting Trump used hypnosis; rather, he observed Trump’s naturally powerful persuasive skills, a perspective few others shared at the time.
Intrigued, I started following Scott Adams’s blog and eventually bought his book, How to Fail at Almost Everything and Still Win Big: Kind of the Story of My Life. While my interest in self-help books had diminished over time, Adams’ book appealed to me as it mirrored aspects of my own life, and I’ve always been drawn to biographies and autobiographies.
Adams’ book is an engaging read, although our differing worldviews prevented me from considering it a truly great book. For instance, Adams believes in luck and chance, concepts I don’t subscribe to, as I believe in God’s sovereign plan for each life.
Despite this difference, I enjoyed How to Fail at Almost Everything and Still Win Big for its compelling account of Adams’ unique path to success as a renowned cartoonist, starting from humble beginnings.
Reading his story, I noticed parallels with my own life. Our age difference is minimal, our upbringings share similarities, and his early entrepreneurial drive mirrors my own, including a string of unsuccessful ventures we both experienced.
Adams eventually found success with Dilbert, while my own definition of success is more modest, beginning with a book about building a chicken plucker. Though not wealthy, my home-based business provides financial stability and freedom from traditional employment.
Success, being subjective, holds different meanings for everyone. While my business requires ongoing effort, I’ve never equated success with a life devoid of work. From my youth, my vision of success involved self-employment through a rural, home-based enterprise, particularly a mail-order business.
This brings me to a concept in Adams’ book that deeply resonated with me, his “Success Formula.” It reflects my own experiences and offers insightful observations. Adams explains:
When discussing success with young individuals, I emphasize a formula that allows for manipulating the odds of achieving it. Essentially, every acquired skill doubles the likelihood of success.
Note that I haven’t mentioned required proficiency levels, excellence, or world-class expertise. The concept centers on increasing market value by possessing competency in multiple skills, without needing to be extraordinary.
From a success standpoint, being proficient in two complementary skills is more advantageous than excelling in just one. This excludes the possibility of possessing exceptional talent in a specific field, which undoubtedly holds value. Realistically, those with the ability to throw a hundred-mile-per-hour baseball or compose hit songs wouldn’t be seeking guidance from this book.
Adams simplifies this “success formula” as: Good + Good > Excellent. He further states, “Every skill you acquire doubles your odds of success.”
He elaborates on this formula’s application in his life. Adams’ pursuit of various skills and careers before Dilbert contributed to his eventual success. His comics, while demonstrating artistic talent, aren’t necessarily exceptional, showcasing the principle in action.
This principle resonates deeply with my journey. While a skilled carpenter and woodworker for decades, I wouldn’t claim to be exceptional. Similarly, my writing and drawing abilities are good but not extraordinary. My self-published books leverage these “good enough” skills to effectively convey how-to information, despite their appearance. My websites and YouTube videos follow the same principle, prioritizing functionality over exceptional quality.
In essence, for me, Good + Good + Good + Good + Good + Good = A fulfilling level of entrepreneurial success.
One final thought…
Farmers and homesteaders often identify as a “Jack of all trades, master of none.”
This saying reflects a timeless approach to success in their way of life. Acquiring diverse knowledge and skills has consistently proven its worth throughout generations, demonstrating its value as a lifelong pursuit.
Ultimately, Scott Adams’ “success formula” echoes an age-old agrarian principle adapted for the modern economy.