A New Superpower for 2023
Call it a bit of a late New Year’s reflection, but today I was struck by a thought that seemed so counterintuitive and yet so true:
“Our greatest weaknesses and fears could actually be the key to finding our superpower.”
At this point in my life, I know that I am by nature an impatient, strong-willed optimist: a combination of qualities that I bet quite a few of you can relate to. I like doing more than thinking about doing. I love measurable goals, and I love achieving them even more. And I tend to think that if I put in the effort, things will work out great.
Most of the time my natural inclinations serve me pretty well, and they’re central to how I view myself and approach my life.
But I don’t have to look far into the past to find examples of times when my natural approach hasn’t worked for me — not everything, it turns out, can be reduced to a measurable, crushable goal. Sometimes the best course of action is to wait, watch, and listen, not rush to action. And we all know effort doesn’t always guarantee success.
In an act of frustration, we might find ourselves trying to fight against the downsides of our personal tendencies by doubling down on what comes naturally, even when it isn’t working.
But what if, in a way, we chose to play to our weaknesses in those moments? Instead of continuing to beat our heads against the wall, what if we could transform those personal challenges into a mantra, something that we could keep with us and tap into in those moments when “playing to our strengths” doesn’t work?
That’s the superpower.
To illustrate what I mean, here’s my mantra, a shout-out to my weaknesses. And it even has a cool acronym: PAUSE.
Patience — Accept Uncertainty — See Everything
Cool acronyms aside, creating a mantra like this can unlock your superpower because of what channeling that intention, at the right time, does for us.
A mantra built on total self-awareness and self-acceptance makes us more open, more friendly, and more connected in situations where we might otherwise shut down, becoming defensive or avoidant. Where we might say to ourselves, “Time to walk away” or “Let’s just forget about it” or maybe we’d be stumped, thinking, “What the heck happened?”
Making an intentional pivot like this helps us build a fortress around our frailty, a sort of armor at the moments when our confidence might be shaken or where we might not feel like the best version of ourselves. With this kind of a mantra, we can accept all of what we bring to the party each day. It’s all allowed to be there, working for us, not against us.
Do you have a mantra that’s helped you (with, or without, a cool acronym)? I’d love to hear it.