What does power mean to you? Is it brute strength – the ability to hoist a loaded barbell overhead? Is it the thing political leaders hold in their hands? Is it a global corporation with a bulging bank balance? How do you power up your routine?
Power often seems to be something big, overwhelming and unobtainable. But what if you started thinking about power as something more personal: the ability you have to positively influence your life and the lives of those around you?
You may not have the power of a CEO, but there was power in the choice you made to pick up the dumbbells and hit play on your routine. And the power of that choice might manifest as improved health and strength, or confidence to try new things.
It isn’t always easy to recognize your power or to know how to tap into it. We’ve come up with four questions you can ask yourself to deliver the power-up you need.
1. “Who can I lift up today?”
We don’t mean literally pick someone up off the ground (although that would be quite a power move.) One form of power we all have access to is how we treat other people. The way some so-called ‘powerful’ people behave may make you doubt it, but kindness is not weakness. Simple acts like listening, serving up a home-cooked meal, or trying to understand something from someone else’s point of view can be powerful and empowering for the people you show compassion to.
The trust that people – like your family, friends and colleagues – put in you is also a form of power. The more people trust you, the more power you have to influence their decisions and mindset. Of course, to borrow a line from Spider-man, with that power comes great responsibility.
2. “Am I bringing people with me?”
We’re not saying that manipulation, scheming and naked self-interest never work for people (sadly, sometimes they do), but assuming you don’t want to be a cartoon villain, you should know that crushing anyone in your path isn’t a nice way to feel powerful.
Your social intelligence – your ability to reconcile conflicts, negotiate, smooth over group tensions – can actually be far more powerful than ‘survival of the fittest’. On a small scale, the actions of a schoolyard or office bully can be outweighed (and overcome) by the humor and support of another. On a bigger scale, the person who inspires others to march with them for a cause can enact big political change.
So look closely at the way you act with others. Are you a positive leader who encourages your teammates to do better, or are you putting them down and holding them back? Do you share your knowledge? Do you take the time to explain things, or are you dismissive? You might find that showing a little modesty and respect will not only take you further, but carry the whole team along with you
3. “Am I being honest about my strengths and limitations?”
Overestimating your abilities can cause you to over-promise and underdeliver, which can have multiple flow-on effects: from knocking your self-confidence to dinting other people’s faith in you. But when you underestimate yourself – or don’t recognize what you are good at – you’re missing out on the chance to experience things, achieve things and embrace your power.
Maybe you joined a new fitness group thinking you wanted to add muscle mass, only to discover that your body is better suited to being a lean, mean machine. When you acknowledge your limitations and embrace your strengths, you can focus on doing what will most benefit you – tailoring your training to improve weak spots, boost performance and maximize your power.
That goes for the non-workout aspects of your life, too. Another benefit of being realistic? You’ll be happier in the long-term.
4. “How can I make meaningful change?”
It’s easy to feel powerless in the face of climate change, natural disasters, pandemics and other big events that are out of your control. It’s something we’re all likely to experience at different times, but it’s hard to tap into your power when you’re anxious or overwhelmed. To counteract this feeling, you need to focus on the things you can control.
Excuse us while we get highfalutin for a moment, but it was the Greek philosopher Epictetus who said: “The chief task in life is simply this: to identify and separate matters so that I can say clearly to myself which are externals not under my control, and which have to do with the choices I actually control. Where then do I look for good and evil? Not to uncontrollable externals, but within myself to the choices that are my own.”
Translation: Forget about the external forces you have no control over, and focus on the choices you can make. And with those choices, you can choose to do good!
For instance, you can’t stop an epic snowstorm, but can you gather supplies for your neighbors who have lost power and water? You can’t stop global warming on your own, but you can vote, eat less meat, recycle and take small actions to reduce your personal carbon footprint.
It may not feel like it in the moment, but there is power in these small actions – and it builds up over time. So embrace the power you have to influence positive change of all kinds with the choices you make and actions you take.
