The Ultimate Power

“Power tends to corrupt; absolute power corrupts absolutely.”  Sir John Dalberg-Acton 

At the time that Sir John Dalberg-Acton made this statement, it was in response to Pope Pius IX’s promulgation that the pope is in fact infallible – the year was 1870. 

Fast forward to 2009, I wondered if this quote still held water or if it ever held water at all. As I pondered it, I realized that although in many cases, Sir John Dalberg-Acton’s words may be undoubtedly true; it is also certain that in many cases it is not. 

People who understand true power know that it comes with a great responsibility in wielding that power. They also know that if you should turn a blind eye to that responsibility while you wield such power, it will eventually destroy you. This is not a scare tactic – promise. 
  

The truth is that, if you understand true power and you accept the great responsibility that comes with it, you were meant to have it and to wield it because you will do so in service to others. This is to say that power only corrupts irresponsible men and women and in so doing true power is eroded and is therefore no longer power in its most pristine form. True power requires both understanding and accountability in order to reach its full potential otherwise it becomes something else- tyranny perhaps or subjugation or worse.

 

Where Does the Ultimate Power Come From?

The Ultimate Power is natural and therefore innate to all human beings. We are all endowed with the capacity to develop and exercise the ultimate power. From the moment you are born, you have the opportunity to cultivate your ultimate power and watch it grow to its full potential. 

This is true no matter who you are, where you come from and what you know. YOU are endowed with the capacity to bring forth the ultimate power. The ultimate power cannot be given to or taken from you, you simply have to acknowledge its existence, understand it, accept the responsibility that comes with it and then endeavor to develop and wield it. 

It may sound oversimplified to you but don’t dismiss it too quickly just because it might sound a bit around the bend. I have personally experienced the shift when I have acknowledged, understood, accepted the responsibility and then endeavored to develop and wield it. It is one of the most incredible and fulfilling experiences of my life which I continue to enjoy. I exercise the ultimate power on a daily basis and it has proven to be integral to some of the most significant and profoundly positive changes in my life. I have seen what it can do when others have done the same. 

In essence, the ultimate power comes from being and so whether you want it or not, you have it. It’s up to you to let it lie dormant inside you or choose to bring it forth. 

 

What is the Ultimate Power?

The Ultimate Power is Choice. It is the ability to choose your response to all stimuli and to exercise free will. In fact, the ultimate power is required to develop and wield the ultimate power because like I said just a few sentences ago, you can either choose to let it lay dormant inside you or to bring it forth. This is a choice and this is the ultimate power. 

You are born with the capacity to choose, to exercise free will – this is the ultimate power. Surely, while you are a developing baby, you do not yet understand the power of choice but as you grow and become more self-aware, it becomes clearer and clearer. You begin to choose the types of food you like, the types of toys you like to play with, the television programs you like to watch, how you like to dress and the list goes on and on as you get older. 

The power of choice is natural and therefore innate to all human beings. It cannot be given or taken from you – it is yours from the moment you are born. Your parents, your family, your friends, your teachers and your environment may all influence how you make your choices but at the end of the day, the power of your choices remain yours and yours alone. 

That’s why even when you have had such tremendous influences in your life and you have been given a particular program growing up, you are still able to rewrite the program if at some point in your life the old program no longer works for you. You are the programmer – you can rewrite the program – you can exercise the ultimate power of choice to change the things you want to change in your life. 

There is no such position that you could be in where you have no choice. I think that it is absolutely outrageous for anyone to tell or insinuate to another that he or she has no choice. Of course you do – YOU always do. 

When people say your choices are either this or that, they are dead wrong. What about walking away – that’s a choice too, is it not? Sure, in a life and death situation you may be faced with only harsh or ugly choices where no matter what you choose, the situation won’t end well. These are extreme cases and even then, you still have choices albeit harsh and ugly ones BUT you still have them. 

Let’s go a step or two further with the ultimate power of choice. What about the way we relate to people and circumstances? Why do you allow people and circumstances to rob you of your ultimate power? 

The ability to choose your response in any given situation means that you are responsible for your actions – what you say, do, and your body language. If you react to people and circumstances, you effectively give them your ultimate power of choice. That’s why people are quick to say the devil made me do it; I could’ve made it if it wasn’t for the traffic; If she would just be a little nicer to me, I’d be able to get my work done. Lame…LAME…LAME! 

You are in control of your choices; you have the ultimate power to choose. If you take a proactive stance, then you can exercise your ability to choose your response; you can exercise free will regardless of what people say and/or do and regardless of circumstances. 

When you exercise the ultimate power you are saying that you are proactive and proactive people are not driven by what happens to them but by the things that they make happen. When you choose your responses neither people nor circumstances can take your ultimate power of choice. Your choices are based on principles and your value system which is made up of what matters most to you. When your values are grounded in correct principles, you will be able to understand power and accept the responsibility that comes with it. This is the ultimate power. 

Do you see how powerful this is? Just try it in one situation in your life in which you’d like to have a different outcome. I guarantee you that you will see immediate and positive changes. 

Many people get caught up in the reactor of life and they consistently respond only when acted upon. They allow emotion to guide their responses as opposed to standing on their principles and living their values. When your direction comes from within and your choices are based on your values, you can deliberately choose your response in any given situation. The power is yours and you can develop it and exercise it at any time.

 

The Ultimate Power Is Absolute

Yes, it is! The ultimate power is absolute for everyone. We all possess the ultimate power and it is absolute because it can neither be given to nor taken away from you. It is as absolute as the right to life liberty and the pursuit of happiness. In fact, aside from life (simply because I can’t prove yet that it’s governed by choice), these rights are governed by the power of choice. Whether these were written in the Bill of Rights or not – these rights are still yours and the choice to pursue them is still yours. 

Think of it this way – there are many situations and positions in which you may have some kind of power. People may even revere or fear your power; if you are using it wisely and responsibly, people may even admire you for that. 

Here’s the thing though – power like this can be given or taken away. You may have to wrestle to do that in some cases BUT, it can definitely be given to and taken away from you. Surely, you may have done things to earn your position of power and yes you may even deserve to be in that position; again though, I have to stress it can be given and taken away. 

In the US, the president is probably by and large considered the man with the most power and even he can be booted from his position by the people. He was put there by the people and he can certainly be removed by the people. This example is a tad oversimplified but I’m sure you get the gist. 

Clearly, no powers that can be given or taken away are the ultimate power – NO. The Ultimate Power is absolute because it is present the moment you are born. Yes, it takes time to develop and to realize that you do in fact have the capacity to wield it but nonetheless it is always there – CHIOCE. No one can ever give or take away your choices. In fact, I think it’s an audacious position to take when someone asserts that he is giving you a choice in a particular situation – this or that. This is utterly ridiculous! 

You are always free to choose… no one has to give you the choice. When someone says I am giving you a choice, what he/she is really saying is, these are the only options I want you to consider. That’s all well and good but what if you have something entirely different in mind? Aren’t you free to assert that as a choice? Aren’t you free to follow your choice and forego the ones given (I mean offered)?

Absolutely, positively and unequivocally YES! You have the ultimate power to choose what you want to do even if the choice was not included in the pot. You can simply choose to go your own way. I admit, sometimes all the choices you may be faced with are ugly and you simply try to choose the least evil among them. The fact still remains that choice is absolute – and it’s completely up to you. 

Choice is the ultimate power and it is absolute because no one can give or take it away from you. So go, start right now – exercise your ultimate power and watch your world change right before your eyes. This is a truly remarkable experience.