How to Boost Your Personal Power
The greater your personal power, the greater your success. The method for increasing your personal power in this week's article was described by L. Ron Hubbard in 1958.
"Power is contained in the ability to maintain a position in space. If you can't maintain a position in space you will never have any power." -- L. Ron Hubbard
Try this demonstration. Put a coin on your desk. Move it around with the tip of your finger. Now, with your thumb, firmly press down on the coin. Make it hold a position. Try to move it around with a finger. Because the coin holds its position, it has power.
Holding an ethical position increases your personal power. For example, someone at your job says, "Will you tell the boss I met my quota so I can get a bonus?" You say, "No, sorry, I can't lie for you." No matter what the person tries to make you lie, you hold a position.
1. Joe is happily married to June. One day, Joe runs into his ex-girlfriend. She says, "I sure miss you! Let's go to my apartment for some wine, okay?" Joe holds a position on what he knows is right and says, "Great! I'll pick up June on the way because she'd love to meet you."
2. You decide to stop smoking. After the first day, your body screams, "Get me a cigarette!" You hold a position and refuse. During the second day, your body says, "I will die if I don't have a smoke you jerk!" You hold a position and eat a carrot. Because you hold a position, your body gives up and you become a nonsmoker.
3. You need to finish a report for your boss by morning. Most of the report is in your laptop and you decide to finish it at home. After dinner, you discover your laptop won't start. You try everything you know to get it working with no success. You call for tech support, but the computer company is closed. You call a friend who says, "Don't worry. Your boss will understand."
You decide to hold a position and to make it go right. You pull out a writing pad and start to write. At midnight, your spouse says, "I'm sure your boss will understand if you don't finish the report. Come to bed!" You feel really tired and decide to climb into bed.
After a few minutes, you decide to hold a position regarding the report. So despite feeling tired and having a dead laptop, you get up and continue handwriting the report. At 5 AM, you finish the first version. You think, "My boss will understand that it looks sloppy."
Yet once again, you decide to hold a position. You remember you are a professional.
So you get dressed and arrive at the office an hour early. You use your desk computer to type up the report. By 8 AM, the report is done and it is perfect.
You give it to your boss who says, "Thanks." You feel powerful. When you hold a position on a constructive, beneficial position, you earn respect and support. The people around you realize you have good intentions and that you usually do the right thing. They learn they can trust you.
For example, a friend says, "Don't tell the store you dropped the television. Just take it back and tell them it didn't work in the first place."
You say, "No, I'll tell the truth and try to work something out."
Later, your friend calls and says, "You were right about the TV. Can you help me with my investments? I know I can trust you."
When an antisocial person holds a position on destructive or evil positions, he or she eventually fails. Most people in this world prefer good intentions. Sooner or later, they learn who has bad intentions and withdraw support or fight back.
For example, a coworker says, "Let's have some fun and all go get drunk!" At first, a few people go with him, but they soon discover he is an alcoholic and gets mean when he's drunk. No matter how often he holds a position and demands that people go with him, he ends up drinking alone.
Holding a position to destroy something good, hurt someone or prove others are wrong is a poor use of your personal power. You lose respect, trust and support.
Holding a position to do good is an excellent use of your personal power. You make a more successful, happier life for you and others. You earn respect, trust and support. 1. Write down five examples where you should hold a position. Situations where you should say, "No" or "Yes." Things for which you should take a stand.
2. Select an easy item on the list that will benefit you and others if you hold a position on it. Write down how you will hold your ground.
3. Do it! Hold a position on this thing as soon as possible. Notice how you feel.
4. Continue to strengthen your personal power by holding your position with tougher and tougher situations, especially those positions that help you and others succeed.
5. You will find it gets easier and easier to hold your position in space. You become more powerful than ever before. |
