Personal Power: A Short Guide to Getting it, Keeping it, and Giving it Away by Sandra Lee Schubert

Getting It:

Who doesn’t want to feel powerful walking down the street or into a room full of strangers? What is personal power? By its simplest definition, power is the capacity to perform or act effectively. Personal would mean pertaining to or coming from a particular person. So personal power is the ability of a person to act effectively. That is easy enough. I know lots of effective people. I know when I am good at something it is very satisfying.

The ability to produce a result makes you a more desirable person. The salesperson that brings in the most business. An effective government can make its citizenry content and more supportive of that government. When you can achieve things you are a happier person. Knowing action brings results makes you more willing to take chances.

You may not be one of the lucky people born with an innate knowledge of their power and gifts. If you are not now effective how you can turn that around? It is the cumulative effect of trial and error that will help you develop your power muscles. You can’t operate at 100% all the time. You may fail 90% of the time — but that 10% is what knocks the ball out of the park. The trick is to have the 10% become the most effective you can make it.

Taking a chance and deciding an action increases your effectiveness. It also means learning and growing from the mistakes you make. Fine-tuning the process at each step helps you to create better results. Increasing your decision-making muscles will lead to better choices. You take on bigger projects, make better decisions, increase results, and your effectiveness. This is a nice personal power roll you are on. But how does this apply to your life?

Stop wasting time. Spend less time on relationships and careers that don’t support you. This can sound dry and unemotional. Yet it is the opposite. Let’s say your goal is to be a wonderful artist — but you like TV. It takes self negotiation. One hour of TV per night and the rest of the time it is all art. You work on your art and can treat yourself to a TV break. Relationships improve when you are no longer interested in superficial interactions. Personal power is deciding to be fully engaged in living your life. No holds barred.

Keeping it:

Personal power is a big seller. Do an internet search and you will find all the ways you can get it. Buy a book, a ten-week course, or a five-module virtual program. I walked across fiery hot coals to get a little personal power. Sometimes a teacher gives you exactly what you need. Let me be clear — I am not knocking the seekers or those who want to lead you to the golden gate of power. Avoid the carrot on the stick that keeps you just seeking and not living.

I had a column on writing. I read books on how to write better, different, and how to sell that writing. I can get caught up in the reading of “how to write” and forget to do the work of writing. Knowledge is only effective after you take action. Strike out on your own if you are going to find and keep your personal power.

You can falter. Even the productive person can expect a time, a time when there is no inspiration. The trick is to not view this time as a setback. There is an art to nothingness. When you are in a personal power mode, view these periods as a time to reflect and take stock. Do a life inventory. Think about future goals. Do some research; take classes — learn a new skill. The opportunity in a fallow period is to rest, rejuvenate, and learn. The quest for and maintaining personal power shouldn’t be a competition for the most, but for the best that you can attain.

Giving it away:

Become the teacher. Who doesn’t want to sit at the feet of a wise person and gather needed knowledge? A mentor is a wonderful asset to the person struggling to know who they are and how they are going to achieve what they want. Once you have learned how to be a successful person, consider sharing that knowledge. Write a great inspirational book. Open up your studio and invite school kids over. Give them paints and help them discover color. Discuss creating. You can abuse the power you have or use it to help others. The choice is yours.

Final thoughts:

Personal power is a skill we develop. You can be born knowing you are powerful or come to understand that you are. Buy a book if it helps. Take a course. Be authentic in your choices. Remember, power comes from you. Use it wisely and it will serve you well.

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