So You Think You Are Unique

For some reason which I do not pretend to understand, after writing well over 100 speeches, literally for people around the world, lately persons contacting me for my speech writing services have been asking for a sample speech. As I explain, my speeches are confidential. Even though the odds are infinitesimal, I would never want two people to show up at the same conference with the same speech in their pockets! Also, the speeches are written to sound like the person hiring me so, if I am doing my job, they probably would not be suited for someone else. Most importantly, the speeches don't belong to me, they belong to my clients, so it is not right that I share them. That said, here is a speech I wish someone had hired me to write. It is an example of my work which you are free to use.

Mothers mean well but, I believe, hurt their children, especially their daughters. When they are growing up, to give them confidence, they tell them that they are unique, that there is no one else like them. As a career counselor and recruiter, I have met many who actually believed their mothers into adulthood, to their detriment. Hearing that they are are not unique, that countless others have done exactly what they have, that their situation is far from special, is devastating to them. Those who get over it, get the promotions they desire. Those who don't, stagnate in their careers.

Of course, it is human nature to think that we are special. One of the most monumental occurrences in human history happened almost 60 years ago, in October of 1960. It has never been given the prominence it deserves.

As a species, we humans think we are special. Of course, we are, in a bad way. We are the only species that has knowingly invented a way to destroy itself. We are the only species that lies. But there was one thing, a good thing, that we always thought made us unique. We were, or so we thought, the only species that made and used tools. And then Dr. Jane Goodall had a shock. One of her chimps fashioned a twig to capture termites. It invented a tool. We were no longer unique.

When I was in graduate school, one of our professors gave us an assignment to write a paper on I don't remember what. One of my fellow classmates raised her hand and asked, "Does it have to be original?" She did not mean was it alright to copy someone else's work. She was referring to the specific topic on which we would choose to write. I have never forgotten the professor's response. He chuckled and said, "There is nothing new. Someone has always done something before."

Understand, I studied International Relations, not science. We were not inventing anything. We were choosing subjects to analyze. But, nevertheless, the professor was correct; his point was well taken. Even though we would like to believe it, we are not unique. Everything we do is thanks to a foundation laid by someone else. Einstein would not have been Einstein without Newton; Hawking would not have been Hawking without Einstein. And you would not be you without... Well, you tell me.

Oh, and as for Newton? I don't know. Archimedes? Copernicus? Galileo? The choice is yours!

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Bruce Hurwitz, the Amazon international best selling author of The 21st Century Job Search and Immigrating to Israel, is an executive recruiter and career counselor. He has helped scores (thousands if you include attendees at his presentations) of people, including veterans, not only change jobs but, on occasion, change careers. Having successfully transitioned from academia to non-profits to the recruiting industry, he has been there and done that! A five-star rated speech writer on Fiverr, he is the host and producer of the live-interview podcast, Bruce Hurwitz Presents.