What Makes You Different?

.
"Every man and woman is born into the world to do something unique and something distinctive and if he or she does not do it, it will never be done." Benjamin E. Mays

For centuries mankind has searched for the essence, the unique quality, that distinguishes each of us from every other person. In business today the catchword is "differentiator". What is the unique and rare quality that seperates you from the crowd? In historical times it has been called many different names. The Romans named it 'genius'; the Greeks, your 'daimon'. In Egypt it might have been your 'ka' or 'ba' with whom you would intimately converse. Eskimos refer to it as 'your spirit, animal soul or breath-soul'. To some it is their 'calling'. The famous novel Don Quixote tells the story of a man pursuing ideals that he felt were at the heart of his essence. This difficult to define essence represents what you really are at your core. Identifying what that unique differentiator is in ourselves and those we come into contact with goes a long way to moving interactions from a mere transaction of information, goods and services to creating long term, trusting, relationships. So what is our differentiator and how do we identify it? (And do we really need to take the time to identify it anyway?) Well you may find the whole idea a little Quixotic and see it as a senseless fight with the Wind-mills inside your own head. You may choose to remain with the sane majority and not seek to define the extreme character trait, talent or habit that makes you unique. After all aren't we all unique anyway? Why should we take the time to clarify what it is? Why? Because only then have we identified what our distinct 'value proposition' is to others. The unique gift that we each have to share. Then we have done something that is truly rare. Until we identify this quality, this essence, this differentiator we have and take actions to share it - We may be special but we are not rare.