IMAGINE BEING ASKED, “WHAT’S YOUR SUPERPOWER?” What would you say?
I was asked this question the other day!
Sounds like a fun question, right? But let’s be real – it’s not always easy to pinpoint our awesomeness that makes us, well, us.
So, how do we unlock the superhero within? Every one of us is incredible, yet recognising and celebrating our strengths can be a tough one. Some of the responses that I’ve heard are below. Recognise any in yourself?
“It sounds big-headed”
“I don’t like focusing on myself”
“I’m better at seeing my flaws”
“It’s embarrassing”
“I haven’t got any”
“I’m nothing special”
LET’S REVERSE THIS – imagine being asked to respond to this question on behalf of someone else. You could probably write a list as long as your arm for them. It’s so important, however, to see our superpowers (our strengths) for ourselves. We don’t have to be shouting them from the rooftops although this can have the most amazing positive impact, both externally and internally. For example, confidence in your abilities and added value, less comparison to others, having a ‘feel good’ factor, the ability to write a fab CV for yourself, focusing on what you do have instead of what you don’t…the list goes on!
WHAT SIMPLE APPROACHES ARE THERE TO HELP YOU WITH THIS?
Here are a couple of technique suggestions. These are quick, easy to use and might help you to sprinkle some superhero stardust on yourself.
1. WRITE IT DOWN, SUPERHERO STYLE
Grab a pen, let your thoughts unfold and write them down. There’s something liberating about seeing your strengths in black and white. If you still have some blockers, then try No. 2
2. THE SUPERPOWER OF PERSPECTIVE
Have you ever tried looking at things through someone else’s eyes? It’s like trying on different capes!
Try these different perspective positions:
✨The first position is your view of yourself (this is often the one that is the toughest).
✨The second position is how others see you (disassociate yourself, i.e. you are someone else observing ‘you’). Now list all the strengths that you observe in that person. Let your imagination flow – no holding back!
✨The third position is the outsider’s perspective, i.e. how someone else sees you. This is an objective outsider, someone you have no connection with, or involvement. They are a ‘fly on the wall’. What are they saying?
I love this technique as it’s like trying on different glasses for a fresh view.
In summary: the first position (you), the second position (how others see you), and the third position (an outsider’s perspective).
💥🚀 GIVE IT A SHOT.
ASK YOURSELF THE QUESTION, “WHAT ARE MY SUPERPOWERS?”
💥The inner critic might try to gatecrash, but let’s keep that door locked. You are NOT bragging about yourself. Focus on your fantastic quirks, link them to your unlimited potential, and remind yourself – you’re a star! Time to get rid of that modesty shell.
💥Now you can choose how you share your superpowers.
- Do you shout about them?
- Do you write about them when it’s applicable, e.g. on your CV?
- Do you share them with friends?
- Do you savour a quiet celebration and silently pat on your own back?
- Do you use them to identify where you want to go next?
The benefits are many.
YOUR CHALLENGE: If you feel comfortable sharing your superpower, I’d love to hear more. It can be one word, a sentence, or short phrases.
I’ll start (and, trust me, I had to dig deep to share this and most of the following come from the second and third position):
Infectious energy, caring with a dash of tough-love, a problem-solver, intuitive, hears and observes.
I rarely acknowledge my strengths and reading the above puts a smile on my face.
Your go…….
* For more information on the concept of perceptual positions, based on the NLP work of John Grinder, have a look at the link below. The perceptual positions exercise is taken from Neuro-Linguistic Programming (NLP) and its goal is to show you, in a structured way, how to see other people’s points of view.
Perceptual positions – Mind Tools