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In The Clarity Principle, Chatham Sullivan talks about a psychological term called cognitive fluency. Simply put, cognitive fluency implies that people respond better to things that are easier to think about and avoid things that are hard to make sense of.

Therefore, we respond to, buy, are attracted to, and trust things that we understand or things that fit neatly into a familiar category. Conversely, we tend to have an aversion to or avoid things that we don’t know or will take too much time to figure out.

What does that mean for differentiation? Part of being a great brand – whether it’s a personal brand or corporate brand – is being highly differentiated. How do you provide cognitive fluency to your customers and also be a highly differentiated brand?

Chatham’s research shows the way to break the rule of cognitive fluency is by being meaningfully different. Your differentiation has to be big, bold, clear, and measurably different from your competitors. This difference then becomes an attractive feature in and of itself because of its authenticity, clarity, and purpose. Your brand becomes more valuable and accessible because it stands out from the crowd.

What are some actions you can take to elevate your personal brand by being meaningfully different from your competitors?

In my interview with Chatham Sullivan, the author of The Clarity Principle, he raised an interesting idea: every business is an interpretation of a wrong that needs to be righted or a problem that needs to be solved. That wrong or that problem is the call to action of your business.

Many times as business owners (large and small), we get caught up in thinking about our products, services, or how to stay relevant. All of these things are absolutely necessary in the fast-paced world we live in, but a good, solid brand – whether it’s your personal brand or your business brand – has to have some deeper, underlying purpose. You are solving a problem someone in this world is having.

In order to grow and elevate your personal brand, you have to know what problem you solve in your own distinct and special way. What wrong do you right? Your purpose will influence and align your products and services to that special need. When you are clear on the problem you solve and approach it in a distinct way, you create massive brand value that is rewarded in the marketplace.

So, what problem are you solving?

What do all great brands have in common? They are highly differentiated. They have an “it” factor. They have something that stands out and differentiates them from every other similar brand, product or service.

Differentiation makes things very clear. Leaders need to think about how to differentiate themselves and make it clear who they are and what they offer. In my interview with William Arruda, he mentions three things that can differentiate you: being either first, best or unique.

If you can be the first person in your field, either by starting company or being a thought leader, you have the ability to stand out. As the first, you have the time to build up your resources, to gain a following, and to define the field itself.

If you can’t be the first, another way to differentiate yourself is to be the best. Ask yourself if there is a way that your products or services can be superior to your competition. Find a way to be better than anyone else that’s out there.

You’re not the first, and you may not even be the best. But if you offer your service or product in a unique way, a way that truly distinguishes you from your competitors, you will be compelling to your customers.

You don’t have to do all three – it may be impossible. But, if you want to differentiate yourself effectively, pick one: Be First, Be the Best, or Be the most unique.

One of the things I really loved about interviewing William Arruda was his story about collecting TV commercials as a child. When he was a child, he remembers being fascinated by television ads. He would watch TV, not for the usual programs, cartoons or shows everyone else was watching, but for the commercials that aired in between. It heralded his interest in marketing and personal branding.

When any of us look back into our childhood, we can see the seeds of our future selves planted right there in our childhood. Those seeds look like the things were were interested in, the games we played, the things we were passionate about, the things that held our attention, and the things we loved to do over and over again. Those seemingly inconsequential things are the starting points of our authentic selves – the seeds of what will eventually grow into our personal brand.

As parents, we have the ability to cultivate those passions and interests. I urge all parents to notice what your little ones are passionate about and support and cultivate that – even if it seems like a crazy career down the line.

As an example, I was always, always, always interested in the arts. I was in ballet class, acting class, you name it – I was there. My mother really supported and cultivated my interests in the arts by signing me up for classes, encouraging me, and watching my performances. While my father tolerated my interest, he probably preferred that my interest was just a fad as opposed to a career choice. But, it is my interest and experience as an artist that has shaped me into the leadership coach and personal branding strategist I am now. The skills, passions and experiences that I received from studying the arts and being a professional actor transformed the work I do now and is a huge part of my brand.

I encourage those of you who are parents or those of you that are mentoring young people to take an interest in the passions of the young people in your care and really help them cultivate those interests without any thoughts toward what may be practical or how to use it moving forward.

When you cultivate and water those passions and seeds of interest that they have, they will naturally grow into the person they were meant to be.