Connolly’s primary finding was that early in their careers, those who later made successful transitions had broader training and kept multiple “career streams” open even as they pursued a primary specialty.

Adams calls this strategy the ‘talent stack’. The idea is that you combine two or more skills you’re pretty good at, until no-one else has your exact mix. Since there are an infinite number of permutations, anyone who cultivates broad skills and interests can eventually fuse them into a unique stack.