Some people see themselves in the drivers seat of their lives and others feel they are in the passenger seat. Stop being frustrated with how your life is going and take your personal power back.
No matter why you may think you are in the passenger seat you can take back your personal power. The first step is recognizing where you are giving it away. We’re going to explore 3 ways you may be giving your personal power away below.
Personal Power Blocker: Self-talk
The first way we give away our personal power is in the way that we talk to ourselves. Do you recognize some of the statements below? If so, you are giving away your personal power just by the way you talk to yourself.
- They never let me…
- Xyz was doing it, so I couldn’t…
- I don’t know how to…
- I never get to do what I want to do
- I can’t do it
- It’s in my genes so I can’t…
- I’m not smart enough…
- I’m not pretty enough…
- No one wants me…
- It’s not fair
- No one in my family ever xyz so I can’t either
When you hear yourself saying one of these statements stop and ask yoursel, “Is it really true?”. For example, let’s say you caught yourself with the thought, “I can’t get that promotion because…” Now, ask yourself if that statement is true.
Then ask how you would know if it were true. Have you tried to get the promotion? Have you looked at your resume and qualifications? Have you tried to demonstrate your knowledge, skill and effectiveness to your boss, co-workers and others who would give feedback and ultimately choose who was in line for a promotion? Most likely you haven’t done all you could to get the promotion.
There is much that we can control and impact with our personal power. Change your thinking and you will start to see what you can do rather than what you can’t do.
Personal Power Blocker: Perceptions
Are you perceiving the world in a way that is giving away your personal power?
Below are a few ways perceptions might be blocking your personal power.
- You feel like others control your life
- You try to be like other people thinking that is the way to a better life
- You feel someone is holding you back from reaching your full potential
- You think there isn’t enough time to do xyz
- You don’t have the support you need to be successfully (e.g. spouse or family support)
If you have any of these perceptions, you need to ask yourself if the perception is true or just a viewpoint.
We choose how we perceive the world. It may not seem that way all the time but there are many viewpoints of an event. You can choose whether you see an event as good, bad, or indifferent.
Choose to see each event as an opportunity and the world will open up for you.
Personal Power Blocker: Action
How you might be giving away your personal power through action (or lack thereof):
- You wait for directions
- You don’t set any goals – if you have no direction that is just where you will be: nowhere
- You have trouble focusing – you try one thing but then give up and move to another before giving yourself ample time to be proficient
- You resist change
If you are waiting for the world to bring you your golden ticket, it’s going to be a long wait. Successful people set goals and take steps to ensure their success. What are you doing to have a successful, happy, fulfilled life?
Take your personal power back by getting in the driver’s seat of your life. Get on the road and start making progress toward your goals.
