Aaron Salko’s New Book “The 9th Stratum” Dives Into the Heart of Human Performance

Inspiration has a massive impact on people. It can motivate them to grow and improve, often leading to success. However, it is difficult to pinpoint precisely what is necessary for inspiration to appear. That is exactly what Aaron Salko was interested in at the beginning of his career — human performance.

In order to achieve his life goals — in career, health, and relationships — Salko realized he needed to understand all levels of performance and began studying the actions and practices of people at the top of their careers in various venues, from business to sports.

In his new book, The 9th Stratum, Salko provides a road map to success through nine strata of human performance. He explains what he has come to understand and put into practice in his own life, organizing it into nine “strata” of operation with practices including emotional regulation, communications skills, networking, health and wellness practices, and more.

As a regional sales manager with innovative electronics packaging company Stephen Gould, Salko has, for more than two decades, focused on human performance in both career and life in a highly competitive, entrepreneurial-based, global sales environment. Learn more about The 9th Stratum and Salko’s experiences in the interview below.

Grit Daily: What is the 9th Stratum, and do you have to master the first eight Strata before you reach it?

Aaron Salko: The 9th Stratum is the daily operating stratum of high performers. It is the highest level of performance in the pursuit of self-mastery and the ability to teach others. It includes the continuous development of the skills that perpetuate goal achievement and the compounding success that follows it. Each stratum is part of a learning scale, so one could argue that at some point, a high performer in a specific skill went through the prior eight strata.

Grit Daily: What are the nine traits of high-performing individuals?

Aaron Salko: In studying high performers from all walks of life, I have found nine identifiable traits that these individuals share. These traits, which are important in helping individuals identify their performance potential and the traits they most relate to, are as follows:

• Goal-focused
• Knowledge-driven
• Network-driven
• Experience-focused
• Personal growth-driven
• Disciplined in self-evaluation
• Motivated by failure
• Motivated by altruism
• Health-focused

You can find out more about these traits in the first chapter of The 9th Stratum.

Grit Daily: You talk about the importance of developing habits. What habits are integral to success, and what are some strategies for developing them?

Aaron Salko: Habits such as having a strong morning routine, consistent goal-setting, regular self-reflection, continuous learning, effective time management, and strong communication are integral to success. Strategies for developing these habits include setting clear and achievable goals (using the DO IT strategy), maintaining discipline within any routine, seeking feedback, and being adaptable to change.

Grit Daily: What is interception, and why does it matter?

Aaron Salko: Interoception is the awareness of internal bodily sensations, like hunger, thirst, and emotional reactions. It’s crucial because it helps individuals understand and respond appropriately to their own needs and emotional states, contributing to better decision-making and emotional regulation.

Grit Daily: We’ve always heard that you can’t judge a book by its cover, but you argue that our presentation does affect perception. Can you talk about that?

Aaron Salko: While it’s true that one shouldn’t judge a book by its cover, the way we present ourselves — including our appearance, body language, and demeanor — inevitably impacts how others perceive us. A professional, genuine, and confident presentation can positively influence others’ perceptions, opening doors to opportunities and better interactions.

Grit Daily: In the book, you address various aspects of communication, including body language and the way we speak. What are some mistakes people make when trying to get important information across?

Aaron Salko: Common mistakes include not listening actively, failing to adjust communication style to the audience, overloading with too much information, neglecting nonverbal cues, and not being clear or concise. Effective communication involves active listening, clarity, conciseness, and appropriate nonverbal communication.

Grit Daily: We often think of networking as kind of formal and, for many, onerous, but you espouse a different, more casual form of networking. How can people integrate networking into their daily lives?

Aaron Salko: Networking can be integrated into everyday interactions because it’s about building genuine relationships and connections, not just formal exchanges. This can be done through casual conversations, showing genuine interest in others, and offering help or insights where possible, thus making networking a more natural and less onerous activity.

Grit Daily: In a chapter titled Business Head vs. Emotional Head you discuss the Emotional Management System. What is that, why is it important, and how can it be developed? Are there situations where the Emotional Head is useful in business matters? 

Aaron Salko: The Emotional Management System (EMS) is a framework for understanding and managing emotions effectively, and it is crucial for maintaining mental and emotional well-being, particularly in high-stress environments. While business often emphasizes rationality, emotional intelligence is also important in business for understanding team dynamics, empathy, and effective leadership. Developing EMS involves self-awareness, emotional regulation, and understanding the impact of emotions on behavior.

Grit Daily: You call hype a Weapon of Mental Destruction. This seems counterintuitive in a very hype-filled world. What do you mean by that?

Aaron Salko: The idea here is that buying into excessive hype can lead to unrealistic expectations and decisions based on emotion rather than rational analysis. In a world filled with hype, it’s important to stay grounded and make decisions based on real facts and data, as well as setting realistic expectations.

Grit Daily: What is the DO IT goal strategy?

Aaron Salko: The DO IT strategy for goal setting is a methodology that lays out the steps to achieving any goal. Unlike traditional goal-setting frameworks, DO IT focuses on actionable steps, organized planning, purposeful actions, and resilient pursuit of goals, encouraging a more dynamic and adaptable approach to achieving objectives. The components that your readers can use are:

Define: Define the goal and the reason behind it. Ask yourself, “What is my goal?” and “Why do I want to achieve it?” and write the answers down. This will help you identify what you truly want to accomplish and may even help you uncover some blind spots that may not align with your values.

Organize: Organize the pathway to your goals. What micro goals do you need? What are the resources you require? What is the sequence of the milestones you will need to hit before the goal is achieved? Write these down in order, start to finish. Generally, this will help you uncover the gaps that you will need to fill in order to start the process.

Initiate: How will you initiate the first step? What are you going to do to begin daily action toward the goal? What will get you started and keep you on track? Visual cues, to-do lists, and your digital calendar will not only help you track your progress, they will also act as reminders to help you initiate your daily progression toward your goal.

Time: What is the timeline to achieve your goal? What is the daily, weekly, or monthly time commitment needed from you or your team members to focus on actions toward goal achievement? Establish your desired end date. Check to ensure the timeline is realistic by matching it up against your micro goals and milestones. Check to ensure the time commitment lines up with individual schedules.