The time when the world was in lockdown, each one of us got a lot of time on hand. Some of us used up a lot of internet for watching various web series and movies; tried our hands in the kitchen; renewed old connections, friends and relatives; did various online webinars; cleaned up the mess in phones and laptops; and so on!

For me the big question is – Did you take that time to plan for your future?

This lockdown could have been a huge revelation on your role as a businessman or as a professional working with an enterprise. Some questions to yourself could have been –

• • Do I like what I am doing? Or am I doing this because there is nothing else that I think I can do?
  • What I doing currently, does this have a future five years from now?
  • Am I just fighting the price game? Are all deals depending on price?
  • Is it profitable enough? Not with regards to your expenses, but with regards to your potential and time you are investing
  • During this lockdown, did you face a financial crunch – did you have to think twice before crediting the salary of your staff?
  • When there was no income inflow for 4 months, did you have enough reserves or you had to make alternative arrangements?

The above questions are hard hitting. I know most of you will cover up with some random answers, and forget about the questions. If you have covered up already in your minds, you are not the one this article is for. It is meant for those who are willing to shake off the past, agree to the reality, face the facts and are ready to take a leap of faith as required.

I have come to a stern conclusion that – gone are those days! There can be a clear line drawn which says Business – Pre Lockdown and Post Lockdown. Our careers should have such a clear distinction now. The world is not the same place anymore and will not be in the future too. The quicker you accept that, the faster will be your progress.

One of the biggest change in my thought process has been – WHATEVER YOU DO, YOU GOT TO BE UNIQUE! If you are not unique in at least one way, I am sorry to say – you will not get recognized. It does not mean that you will go bankrupt. It means that you will never be able to reach the pinnacle in your industry. You will just be another runner in the 50,000 strong marathon race.

Nothing is still lost. Work is not yet full fledged. Take some time off internet/ daily routine and get answers to the questions above. These are the real issues and not reality shows.

WHAT IS THAT ONE THING THAT MAKES YOU AS A PROFESSIONAL OR A BUSINESS STAND OUT FROM THE REST? If you don’t have a convincing answer to this, sooner or later you are going to be in a problem! Take action now and BECOME UNIQUE in atleast one-way!