[CHART Talk] Your Unique Identifiers Are Your Superpower

Watch Felicia’s CHART Talk on YouTube here.

Diamonds are one of the most valuable gems on the planet. Except for the extremely rare flawless ones, every diamond has imperfections. Those imperfections—tiny internal and external markings—are what make each one unique. In fact, they serve as a fingerprint that helps identify the nature of and enhance the value of the stone.

I believe people are the same way. Just like diamonds, we each have our own “imperfections” or limitations. They may not always be visible, but they’re part of who we are. And far from detracting from our worth, they make us valuable and distinct.

Think about Cindy Crawford, teased as a child for the mole that later became her signature. Or actress Uzo Aduba, who was told to change her teeth, her hair, even her name. Instead of conforming, she embraced her differences, turning them into strengths and inspiring others to do the same. She even partnered with Colgate’s My Smile is My Superpower campaign to show children that there’s no such thing as an imperfect smile.

That’s the lesson: what we think of as flaws can actually be our unique identifiers—our superpowers.

For me, that truth came into sharp focus through a very personal experience. My older sister, whom I idolized, lived much of her life with manic depressive bipolar disorder before passing away in 2020. Her struggles shaped my understanding of resilience, empathy, and the importance of connection.

I remember early in my career pulling aside a training manager who seemed “off.” She confided that her daughter had been in the hospital the night before during a manic episode. In that moment, I chose to share about my sister. She broke down, saying she had never met anyone at work who understood what she was going through. That shared vulnerability became a bond, and we are still connected today.

Our unique identifiers aren’t always easy to share. Sometimes it feels safer to hide them or stick to the conventional, easy parts of our story. But when we choose to open up, we create space for others to do the same. Those connections can transform relationships, strengthen teams, and remind us that we’re not alone.

It also helps to remember: you can’t compare your planting season to someone else’s harvest season. We all grow at different times and in different ways. When we focus on where we are and flourish in that space instead of others, we create space for others to learn lessons from our unique identifiers.

The essential element in diamonds is carbon—and the essential element in human life is carbon too. That makes us, in a very real sense, diamonds: precious, unique, and valuable.

So I leave you with this question: What are your unique identifiers?