This is the second post in our series on Personal Power. Last time we answered the question What Is Personal Power? by developing these definitions:
Personal power is a potent force within us that seeks to achieve change in our ourselves, our families, our business and our world.
More to the point -> A potent force within us to achieve change.
Personal power is all about change.
1. Our inward life
2. Our outward life
From this, I want you to see some key attributes or characteristics of change. I have always believed that the starting point for anything in life is understanding. When we understand something (as much as humanly possible), we can deal with it. Let’s get started….
Personal power’s influence must start within you. All change begins at home, deep down inside us as human beings.
I believe that we cannot effectively change anything outside of us until and unless we are willing to first look within.
Why? Because the things that limit us personally, directly effect our abilities as powerful agents of change in the world.
Are you a person who procrastinates? This effects your ability to foster change in the world.
Is your disposition more negative than positive? This limits you towards change.
Do you struggle with self-esteem? Not working to overcome this struggle hinders your abilities.
Make sense?
Do you see what I mean by the need for change to start from within? It must happen in order to use our personal power – that “potent force within us to achieve change.”
This is the first key characteristic of change: Change must start from within us.
The second is this: Without inner change, we are limited in our ability to effect change in the world.
With our inner change in hand, we can look at personal power and change as it relates to family and business. This is what I call our outward life. These are the areas that are the closest to us as we move out from within.
Let me say it this way: Time spent with family and business or career is second only to your time spent with you. Because of this, it is vitally important to look at change and these areas.
We’ve often heard the old adage that “the only thing that never changes is the fact that everything changes.”
This is so very true within our family and business life.
We get married.
We divorce.
Children are born.
Children grow up.
Children leave home.
Children come back home.
Family members pass away.
We get our first job.
We change jobs.
We start new businesses.
We get promotions.
We get laid off.
Change happens all over our family, career and business.
How we manage this change is directly related to how we use (or do not use) our personal power.
Hear me say this again in a more direct way:
If you and are are going to be able to successfully navigate through the changes that will happen in your outward life – you must do it with the potent energy within you that is able to exert great force – you must do it with personal power.
This is the third characteristic of change: In order for change to be managed effectively, it must be managed with personal power.
So, what have we learned?
1. Personal power is all about change. Change is it’s reason, focus, goal and power.
2. The first characteristic of change is: Change must start from within us.
3. The second characteristic of change is: Without inner change, we are limited in our ability to effect change in the world.
4. The third characteristic of change is: In order to manage change effectively, it must be managed with personal power.
In upcoming posts we will move further out from ourselves and address how personal power can help us to achieve change in the world – what I call our Community Life.
I’d love to hear your thoughts, insights, ideas and inspirations. Let’s chat in the comments.
Are you ready for some positive change in 2013? Reinvent Yourself! is the theme for our upcoming UP Woman Circle Event on February 1st, 2013. UP Woman events are changing lives of women – you do not want to miss this!
