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Many people go through life wishing they had more power. For example, in the aftermath of the recent U.S. presidential election, some people wish they could wave a magic wand and change the results. So they protest but quietly believe their impact will be too small. What can we do to make a difference despite a macro lack of power?
Here are some possibilities:
Tutor, mentor, or counsel. A number of my clients who had a broadly influential position, for example, in policymaking, left and feel they're actually having more impact one-on-one: mentoring, coaching, counseling.
Get political. Here’s the other side of the coin. Government may move slowly and in unexpected directions but it has enormous power. If you’re feeling powerless, one option is to get political if only to vote in the next election. Or get involved in a campaign, or even run for office.
Gain an important skill. Learn HTML so you can create custom websites. Take a class on mediation even if you only use it with family, friends, and coworkers. Review the tutorial on making the most of GoogleSearch. That can boost your ability to harness much of the world’s information. Indeed, knowledge is power.
Change jobs or career. Have a bad boss? Work in an unethical workplace? Should you put out feelers for a better job?
Start a simple, ethical business. See my article,The Un-MBA.
Create something important. Write a memoir embedding life lessons. Or make a one-minute YouTube video on an issue you deem important. Or create and perform a one-person show, even if it’s just for friends in your living room.
Fix something. Perhaps it’s a relationship, a leak in your house or a neighbor's, or an inefficient process at work.
Take care of your health. The system is ever more overtaxed by demand, for example, from high-need, low-pay patients. Our best shot at health power may reside within ourselves. Yes, it’s the same-old, same-old advice: diet, exercise, stress management, avoiding mind-altering substances, control of diabetes and hypertension, but those can make a real difference.
Invest prudently. Saving regularly, even if it’s just $20 a week, not only feels good but thanks to compounding's power, can really add up and thus make you feel less vulnerable, more powerful. While I’m not a financial advisor, experts have told me they agree with my sound-bite of general investment advice: “Every time you have an extra few dollars, invest it in your chosen Vanguard All-in-One Fund:”
Be kind yet just. Err toward kindness but recognize that kindness in response to bad behavior can reinforce it. For example, bailing out your ne’er-do-well relative yet again probably does more harm than good to the person and perhaps to you.
Avoid hubris. Passionate liberals and conservatives too often believe they have a monopoly on good ideas and view others as ignorant. Worthy thought really does reside across the ideological spectrum. It’s worth making the effort to truly open yourself to understanding what the other side believes, and not just so you can better understand how to make them think as you do but perhaps for them to bring you toward their positions. Fuller understanding is key to real power.
Dr. Nemko's nine books are available on Amazon. You can reach career and personal coach Marty Nemko at mnemko@comcast.net.
