What is your USP (Unique Selling Proposition)? Heard that before? So what if you’re an employee – heard that before? I’ve always had this nagging thought at the back of my mind that if 6.5 billion people are unique, then who is? Besides, why do you want to be unique when you already are? Remember that an entire symphony can be raised on just four notes. DNA has just four basic components, Adenine, Thymine, Cytosine and Guanine, otherwise known as A, T, C and G. These four are enough to code the information needed for complex beings like you and I. It is even more mind-boggling when you consider that A always pairs with T and C always pairs with G! In effect, what that produces is a binary language similar to 1-0-0-0-1-1-1-0, for example. Rest assured, you are unique!

Yet, we are bombarded daily with messages telling us that we have got to find something unique, that we have got to be creative, that we have somehow got to conjure up some idea that will capture the attentions of whimsical “Millenials” so that we can “capture the market”. Notice how it’s phrased? I must be unique. Then I will be special. Then people will pay me for my special idea or my special creation, which is so special no one can live without it! What’s the focus? Self! Any thoughts about how to make people’s lives better all round? No! Sure, there is lip service to it, but fundamentally, the answer is no! Let me tell you another reason why this is so.

You have all heard the phrase “same old, same old”? What’s wrong with “same old, same old”, may I ask? Same old diligence. Same old dependability. Same old creativity. Yes, you heard that right – same old creativity. Creativity is not a gift, it is a character quality! Give me the same old great quality stuff that is within my reach and actually makes life better for me. And stop pushing this fatuous USP stuff in my face each time you see me! USP is being used to “replace” the same old same old because it’s much harder to make money with the same old same old. Easier to trick people into valuing what they don’t really need instead of helping them to grow as the valuable people they really are!

See what I mean? Now, you tell me – what’s your USP? And I do mean “Unique Strength Principles.”