The love of power…


So many people want to be in power for selfish reasons. Some people become powerful because of their desire to be a leader of people. Also, there are people who become powerful because of the desire to help others.

I think the age-old question is what the definition of power? And why does everyone want it so badly?

Dictionary.com defines power as “the ability to do something or act in a particular way, especially as a faculty or quality” or “the capacity or ability to direct or influence the behavior of others or the course of events.”

The love of power may stem from people’s desire to find meaning and show their importance in the world. As a person who grew up in ever changing environment, I wanted control for some type of consistency. Not knowing that I was being prepared for a life that is not going to be traditional.

My little sister posted on social media recently that “some of us matured early because life showed us the worst side of the world at an early age.” This same thought may be applied to power. Some of us acquire power at an early age because life showed us the need for it to be placed in the ‘right’ hands.

Some may strive for power to gain some type of control in their life that may be reflective of earlier life events.

So, what does one do in the quest for power? And how do we check our motives at the door? I think the answer is simple: Check your moral compass. Does the quest for power do good for the mass? Or does the quest benefit a specific subset of people? Obviously, for an executive in an organization this logic may be different.  There is a difference between healthy competition between businesses versus diabolic behaviors that tear down a competitor. So, there must be a line drawn between healthy competition and disastrous business practices. Instead of working and striving to gain more power; the focus should be one’s purpose in life. What are we doing for others? Will Smith said it best, “if you're not making someone else's life better, then you're wasting your time. Your life will become better by making other lives better.” As an alternative of seeking power for power sake; seek purpose. Power is only a byproduct of serving others.

Dr. Ronnie O’Brien Rice, Esq.

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