Effectively Unique

If you haven't read "The Almanack of Naval Ravikant," I highly recommend it. Naval has a talent for distilling complex ideas into simple, actionable insights, and one of the most valuable concepts he shares is specific knowledge. [BTW, the book is free, click here to get a copy].

Tip of the Week: We’re entering a new era of democratized knowledge. Now, more than ever, it’s essential to develop specific knowledge, a skill set so unique that it makes you irreplaceable.

THE THEORY

Naval’s Definition of Specific Knowledge. Naval describes specific knowledge as something that cannot be taught but can be learned. It’s highly individualized, often built through curiosity rather than formal education, and tends to be creative or technical. Because it’s difficult to automate or outsource, it becomes incredibly valuable. In other words, specific knowledge is what makes you irreplaceable.

The Economic Foundation behind this: Comparative Advantage. The concept of specific knowledge aligns closely with comparative advantage, an idea introduced by David Ricardo and Adam Smith. Their insight was that countries should focus on what they can do relatively better than others, rather than trying to compete on everything. Similarly, specific knowledge is about doubling down on your unique strengths instead of following the crowd. [Side note: I’m actually an economist, so I always appreciate when good ideas tie back to Smith and Ricardo.]

Your Specific Knowledge should come from experience, not textbooks. Another foundational idea behind specific knowledge is "tacit knowledge." This was actually introduced by Michael Polanyi. He argued that most important and differentiated skills can’t be fully taught in a classroom. They must be learned through doing. This explains why traditional education often fails to prepare people for the real world. The most valuable skills come from direct experience, experimentation, and trial-and-error.

MY PERSONAL THOUGHTS

Go Beyond the Superficial Passion. A common takeaway from this idea is the popular: "follow your passion." And to an extent, that’s true - Naval himself says specific knowledge is often built through play, not forced effort. But I believe it is not as simple as “I like playing basketball, so I should be an athlete or coach.” Instead, ask yourself why you enjoy certain things. If you love a sport, is it the teamwork? The strategy? The competition? The physical component? Your passion isn’t necessarily the thing itself but the underlying skill set or problem-solving approach that excites you. If you understand that, you can apply it in a way that actually leads to a career.

How I’ve Applied This in My Own Career. I’ve been on this journey myself so let me put myself out here as an example. Looking back, my specific knowledge comes from a combination of three things: (1) Communication: I love breaking down complex ideas and share them in a way that makes them actionable, hone and (hopefully) entertaining; (2) Productivity & Systems Thinking: I’ve been obsessed with optimizing workflows for 15+ years; and (3) Continuous Learning: I am always reading, listening, and absorbing new ideas from various sources. This newsletter and all future things you see coming from me are probably going to be a combination of these three things.

HOW TO PUT THIS INTO PRACTICE

1. List your unique strengths. What do people ask for your advice on? What feels effortless but valuable?

2. Identify what you’ve learned through experience. What skills have you gained outside formal education? What problems have you solved?

3. Analyze your passions. Look for patterns. Do they all involve teamwork? Strategy? Creativity? Problem-solving? Find the deeper skill behind what excites you.

4. Find a way to scale it. Can you create content, build a product, or create a process around your skill?

5. Play the long game. Keep refining, applying, and adapting your knowledge over time.

Uniquely yours,

Jorge Luis Pando