The Blue Ocean Strategy: Why 'Be Unique' Is Terrible Advice for Personal Statements - and What to Do Instead

When you search online for tips on writing a personal statement or motivation letter, there's one piece of advice that seems to be common:

'Think about what’s unique and differentiating about you, and write about that.'

How incredibly NOT helpful, isn’t it?

the problem with the 'be unique' advice

Telling someone to find 'what makes you unique' immediately pushes them into a comparative mindset, which is rooted in lack and scarcity. Rather than encouraging creativity, this advice often leads to frustration and paralysis.

Here's why:

1. It Creates Analysis Paralysis

You start obsessing over what’s “unique” about your experiences or accomplishments. When nothing feels truly exceptional, you end up stuck — feeling like you've done nothing worth writing about.

2. It's Impossible to Execute

How do you even determine what's unique? To adequately compare yourself to other people, you’d need:

• a random sampling of other applicants.
• a control group.
• data on common traits to compare against.

Of course, this is absurd. To do this adequately and accurately, you'd need to know who you are competing against, and you have no way of knowing that, let alone their strengths or experiences.

3. It Kills Creativity.

Writing a compelling essay requires being in a creative mindset, not a comparative one. Creativity comes from self-reflection, curiosity, and authenticity - not from constantly measuring yourself against others.

You just can’t produce a convincing interpretation of your life experiences if all you think about is how you fare relative to other people.

So what's the solution?

The Blue Ocean Strategy - but for your personal statement.

This concept, borrowed from business strategy, means shifting your focus from competition to creation. Instead of competing in a crowded field (a “red ocean”), you create your own category (a “blue ocean”).

Here’s how to apply it to your personal statement:

1. Stop Competing. Be a Category of One.

‍Forget about being “better” or “more unique” than others. Approach your story as though there’s no competition—because there isn’t. No one has lived your life.‍

2. Get Specific.

Specificity is your superpower. Use vivid details to make your story stand out.

For example:

Specificity doesn’t just make your essay memorable—it ensures that no one else can tell this story but you.

3. Redraw the Boundaries.

‍Avoid generic categories that lump you in with others. For instance, rather than saying, 'I have a passion for helping people,' tell a story that shows how you discovered that passion—whether it was through mentoring a struggling student, organizing a community event, or leading a project that positively others. Discard the attitude of competition.

When you’re specific, you redefine the 'box' you fit into. Suddenly, you’re not one of a thousand applicants with a similar story—you’re the only one with your story.

By creating your own category—your “blue ocean”—you make comparisons irrelevant.

Final Thoughts

Writing a personal statement is not about proving you’re the best or most unique candidate. It’s about showing the admissions committee a true, compelling picture of who you are and why your story matters.

Great personal statements aren’t written from a place of comparison. They’re born from a place of authenticity and creativity. By discarding the mindset of competition and embracing the blue ocean strategy, you can craft an essay that stands out—not because it’s 'better' or 'unique,' but because it’s unmistakably you.

Remember: You’re a category of one.