THE FIVE BUCKETS

1. What you know (your knowledge)

2. What you can do (your skills)

3. Who you know (your network)

4. What you have (your resources)

5. What the world thinks of you (your reputation)

These five buckets are interconnected – filling one helps to fill another – and they are generally filled in order from left to right. We usually start our professional life acquiring knowledge (school, university, etc.), and when this knowledge is applied, we call it a skill. When you have knowledge and skills you become professionally valuable to others and your network grows. Consequently, when you have knowledge, skills and a network, your access to resources expands, and once you have knowledge, skills, a valuable network and resources, you will undoubtedly earn a reputation.

THE LAW: FILL YOUR FIVE BUCKETS IN THE RIGHT ORDER

Applied knowledge is skill, and the more you can expand and apply your knowledge, the more value you’ll create in the world. This value will be repaid in a growing network, abundant resources and a robust reputation. Make sure you fill your buckets in the right order.

–Steven Bartlett
The Diary of a CEO: The 33 Laws of Business and Life