Originality is at a premium.
One way to fortify and enhance any content you are writing for your book, speech, or blog is to draw distinctions and share them with your audience.
A distinction is a clear and meaningful separation between two or more things, ideas, or categories, usually made to understand, explain, or evaluate them more accurately.
“Drawing a distinction” takes thought. When you invest your time developing distinctions within your topic or field, you are helping people to more fully understand, relate to, and grasp concepts—quickly. You can become known and appreciated for this deeper, helpful information. Your words will have more impact. This builds your opportunity to be considered a thought leader.
Sharing distinctions improves efficiency and effectiveness in communication. Coach Steve Straus (who included many original distinctions in his book and has over 400 distinctions shared on his website) writes: “Distinctions are subtleties of language that, when gotten, cause a shift in a belief, behavior, value, or attitude.” Example of a distinction from Steve:
“Validating vs. Approval: Like being included in ‘the club,’ approval can feel good…like meeting the standards of others. Approval is an endorsement from outside. Approval can be need-based, which is the tricky, sticky bit. That is, we need approval in order to feel fully ourselves. Something seems missing until we get that chunk of approval from outside. Validation is different. Validation is affirming something that is already so about us. An acknowledgment of facts. A clarifying label. Simply confirmation. Approval can have some feeling of being judged in it. And it is external. Validation is mostly emotion-free and affirms facts from within.”
Nonfiction Author Key Distinction
When I’m coaching an aspiring author who wants to use their own life story as the basis of a book, I make sure they understand their options and have clarity around their direction. A big help is giving them this distinction: Autobiography vs. Memoir. An autobiography is an account of your life, from the beginning to today. A memoir is not about you. A memoir is about something, and your memoir book will use stories, lessons, and experiences from your life to fully illustrate that something.
Eric Wilson’s Four Distraction Distinctions
We all can relate to being overwhelmed by distractions from time to time. Eric Wilson has studied this problem and developed effective solutions. I knew right away that he had something important to say in his book because he has figured out four key distinctions. With that awareness, one can begin to notice, manage, and eliminate the negative results of losing control of one’s attention. Eric writes, “…recognize when your attention has been pulled away from the present…it may head in any of four directions: identity concerns, comparative thinking, past regrets, or future anxieties.”
Classic Distinctions
Unlike a mere difference, which can be superficial or incidental (“apples are red, oranges are orange”), a distinction implies a deeper conceptual, functional, or strategic contrast.
Here are some classic “This vs. That” distinctions useful in thinking, writing, and decision-making:
Urgent vs. Important: Tasks that demand immediate attention; Tasks that have long-term value.
Leadership vs. Management: Inspiring vision and direction; Organizing and optimizing operations.
Knowledge vs. Wisdom: Accumulated facts and information; Discernment in applying knowledge.
Reacting vs. Responding: Immediate, emotional act; Thoughtful, intentional action.
Fixed Mindset vs. Growth Mindset: Belief that abilities are static; Belief that abilities can develop.
Being Busy vs. Being Productive: Doing a lot of things; Getting the right things done.
Story vs. Message: Narrative events: Underlying meaning or takeaway.
Why Distinctions Are Useful to Your Audience
Clarity of Thought – Distinctions help sharpen thinking by naming subtle but important conceptual boundaries.
Deeper Communication – They make your writing or speaking more nuanced, precise, and persuasive.
Personal Growth – Understanding distinctions helps in shifting mindset (e.g., from reacting to responding).
Teaching and Coaching – Distinctions are powerful tools to help others see what they couldn’t see before.
Distinctions are the Gateway to Appreciation
Let’s look at key distinctions in wine—these are foundational to developing a deeper appreciation for it. Knowing these distinctions helps you recognize why you like (or dislike) a wine and allows for more intentional enjoyment and better communication about preferences.
Examples of Distinctions in Wine
Old World vs. New World: Old World, traditional wines from regions mainly in France, Italy, and Spain; New World are wines from newer regions like Napa (U.S.), Australia, or Chile.
Dry vs. Sweet: The distinction relates to the sugar content and taste. This defines how wine pairs with different foods or stands alone.
Light Body vs. Full Body: A “full body” wine looks more viscous and feels heavier on the palate; a key to pairing (e.g. a light wine goes with fish).
High Tannin vs. Low Tannin: The more tannin, the more astringent or bitter (like in some red wines). Pairs better with beef, for example.
Shall I go on? Well, if you want to understand and develop an appreciation for wine, start researching to discover more and more distinctions (of course, tasting is essential research!). Distinctions are what allow you to detect subtleties beyond simply liking or not liking a wine. You’ll gain vocabulary to describe what you’re experiencing, making it easier to share preferences, ask for recommendations, or explore new wines. As my Southern friend jokes if she has guests over, she’ll ask, “What color do you like?” It’s humorous because having essentially no distinctions about wine is about as unsophisticated as it gets.
I hope this example of how to learn to appreciate wine shows you that when it comes to developing an appreciation for anything, identifying distinctions is key. Examples could be: your employee’s strengths and weaknesses; your teen’s favorite music; your reader’s pain points; your dog’s breed tendencies; your partner’s passion for modern art.
Developing Distinctions Requires Thinking
What distinctions have you identified inside the topic you want to write about, speak about, or be known as an expert in? Look at your area of focus where you feel confident that you have “learned wisdom.” Think about and identify 2-5 key distinctions. Use these in your writing, sales and marketing, discovery calls with prospective clients, and in training or coaching clients as well as employees.
This ensures your content will be unique, original, and have a deeper value. Your communication will be intentional and clear. Developing distinctions makes you a thought leader and really helps to set you apart from anyone and everyone.
