I found myself asking this question today (what is your differentiator), when I looked
at the mirror. Well, a full length mirror always induces the question of-
"dude...what happened?" but this wasn't one of those days.
Anyway, that's a different thought chain altogether. Many of us might have come
across this question- in interviews, competitions, business (from a company's
USP perspective) and other spheres of life. As I dwelled on it, the mental
discussion became interesting. The initial 'differentiators' that came up, were
all tangible ones - data points one puts on a CV. However, my mind then started
questioning on every line item one by one- "how many people do you know
that can do that or have done that?" Well, not surprisingly enough, I knew
hundreds of people (at least thru social media if not personally) on every
point.
So, there I was, back to construal mode.
I realized that well, my differentiator wasn't A, B, or R, but how I've
used A, B and R to become 9. It's not that no one else can do the same and get A + B + R to
become 9, people can. What matters then and what makes me different is- as a 9,
how I've impacted events/people/organizations (positively of course), or how
(and if) I've enabled others to get to the A, B, or R (the greater good).
The quick takeaway- our differentiators are not the historical data points from
events in the past (achievements), but how and what we have done with them to
get to where/who we are. Potentially, also how we intend to use that to get
where we want to go.
Leaving everyone with a thought- I have my answer and
will keep building on it further, do you have yours?
P.S: BTW, my 9 is not out of 10 :), it's just a number
amongst the many others.
Ciao ppl !
Ciao life !
