The bolded part is what I've been telling people for years. I am a Narcissist, but there are plenty of differences between me and the other resident Narcissist who posts here regularly for example(you know who you are HA HA HA). While he and I obviously have the NPD traits in common, he and myself both still manifest those traits differently. That is where a label can become so limiting and it's why I think that while a label can be useful, it is not helpful to put yourself in a box. Like for example, I have seen particularly in the personality place part of the forums in general that people can end up seemingly wanting subconsciously to write off EVERY single thing about themselves as a part of X personality disorder that they may or may not be diagnosed with. I may be a Narcissist, but I still have a unique personality and identity that is entirely my own. "Narcissist" is only one of many terms that can be used to describe me, and it is far from the be all and end all of who I am.

I also like very much that you mentioned that it is a matter of degree. Everyone has narcissistic traits. I am diagnosed with the disorder because I am on the extreme end of the spectrum, I meet all nine of the criteria for NPD and it pervades all contexts and areas of my life, both in my inner experiences, thoughts, feelings, motivations, and in my outer experiences and how I interact with people and the world around me in general.

A personality disorder diagnosis should never be made lightly.