To become the Master in your field, first you must master the triple threat.
Sounds deep, doesn’t it? A bit Yoda like maybe.
But no, I haven’t turned into a little green character who’s even cuter now he’s in baby form…
I’m still the same Lisa, the Creative Designer, running a business or 3. And let me tell you, being a creative sure has challenges. If you’re a fellow creative or a business owner, you’ll get that.
We all want to be the best in our field. And when we start, most of us specialise in one thing. But let me ask you this – with so many creatives trying to be ‘the best’, is one skill enough?
Don’t get me wrong; I’m not trying to say you’ve got to be a Jack of all trades, Master of none. That will get you nowhere. But having more than one skill is an advantage.
I’ve learnt many skills in my business journey, from design to SEO and writing code. I have worked on many jobs and experimented with my business. Some skills worked, some didn’t. But they taught me lessons. Between us, coding did NOT become part of my skill set!
As you probably know, I run a flourishing design business. I’m always searching for ideas to branch out into different fields. And this passion for expanding comes from the time I spent at my daughter’s performing art lessons believe it or not!
A phrase that was mentioned continuously was the ‘triple threat’. After years of watching my daughter perform, I finally understood what this meant and its significance.
So, what is a triple threat, and why should you care?
The term ‘triple threat’ is believed to be first recorded back in the 1920s. That’s pretty old, yeah?
To me, a triple threat is someone skilled in the three skills that, when combined, become a master of a field.
Here are some examples:
- A Footballer: Is adept at running, kicking & passing
- An Entertainer: Excels at acting, singing & dancing
- A Basketballer: Has the option of shooting, dribbling & passing
- An Editor: Can edit, write & design pages
See how it works?
There are many examples in real life of people who show off their triple threat skills and can create large profits and success.
We often see this clearly in sports stars; athletes who have multiple skills that make them #1 in their field. Think of superstars like Michael Jordan, Rafael Nadal and Tiger Woods who are spruiked as ‘legends of the game’.
There are no fixed rules for what your triple threat skills should be.
Being unique and creative will always give you a competitive edge in any business. You don’t have to hold the exact same 3 skills that you feel others in your industry would have.
For example, I mentioned above that an entertainer might excel at acting, singing & dancing. But maybe you have two left feet and suck at dancing, and there’s no way you’d want to add it as a skill. Maybe your third skill could be writing music instead.
Be creative. Think outside the square. You do you.
For me, I’m a designer, a multiple business owner, and I can sell. This is my advantage and what makes me a triple threat in the design field.
How can you develop your triple threat?
First, look at your skillset. Do 3 things you enjoy jump out at you? If so, that’s a great start. You can keep learning and work on improving those skills. Once mastered, you’ll become a triple threat in your industry.
If you don’t have specific skills or you don’t love what you do, you can always attend training, workshops or classes to build your skills in areas. Use a trial and error method! Be open to opportunities. And look beyond your business.
Doing charity work has taught me so many skills that I have used in my business. Learning in any area of life makes you a better creative (and human). I 100% believe you need to focus on more than 1 skill set to be successful.
I’d love to hear your opinion – are you are a triple threat in business and why? Or could you become one with some training? Drop your comments below.