Thought for the Week: Have You Discovered Your Superpowers Yet?
The Term Superpower…
Often gets used tongue-in-cheek. I sometimes jokingly refer to my ability to burp-on-demand (despite frequent requests not to) as a superpower. But real superpowers exist. Seriously. Have you discovered yours yet? If not, there’s a way to do so.
It’s called the CliftonStrengths test. In case you’re not familiar with it, some decades ago, psychologist Don Clifton launched the strengths-assessment movement. His idea was simple: “What if we studied what’s right with people, instead of what’s wrong with them?” The result was a test that millions (including me) have taken in order to find out what their key, underlying strengths are. Not only to help them discover what careers they’re wired for, but where they’ll be most satisfied—and where they’re uniquely gifted to serve others.
For Example
If your strengths include Futuristic (one of mine), you can envision how things could be in a way few others can. That, according to Clifton, coupled with my Communication strength, means I’m wired to convey concepts and tell stories that inspire others to enact that vision. And, brother, I’ll take that superpower over invisibility–or even flying–any day! (In fact, it is a kind of flying.)
If your strengths combine Includer and Empathy (two of my wife’s superpowers), you have the unique ability notice people who are on the perimeter, to feel what they’re feeling, and to draw them in. That’s a million times better than melting steel with your eyes!
We All Have Superpowers
But, like comic book superheroes, we have to work through their downsides — they’re often the silver lining of what, until now, we’ve only viewed as problems. Like comic book superheroes, we have to recognize and train them. But when we do, we turn into the superheroes we were created to be!
Have you discovered your superpowers yet?
I have been searching for my superpowers my whole life, and still haven’t found them yet. 🙂
I’m guessing there’s some tie-in with cooking in the mix, Jeanne. Warming people’s souls along with their bellies?
AWWWW Thank you Mitch. I like that. 🙂 I do feed people, that’s for sure. 🙂
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If I hadn’t discovered them by now, winsome feedback on LinkedIn last evening from two fellas I admire would make sure I knew!
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Appreciative Inquiry takes the same concept and applies it to organizations!
Even if I discover my superpower(s) I will take the advice from Edna from The Incredibles and will pass on the cape.
As any wise supherhero should, Pam.
Great question, not sure
Mine is getting upgrades while my OH always gets a parking spot
;>)
Context, Input, Activator, Learner, Adaptability
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The gift of discerning of spirits; very helpful in many situations. I used to imagine I was walking a half-inch above the pavement when walking down a street which I did a lot before I owned a car. That made for interesting walks. Discerning of spirits is not as interesting, especially when they don’t want to do what you tell them to, and at least the first time you tell them, they resist.
Very insightful Mitch. I wonder if you or your readers have read Lois Lowry’s young adult trilogy The Giver? It was also made into a feature movie, but the original novels are very readable and thoughtful. In The Giver, a young maturing boy has the superpower of being able to empathize. He enters training to ultimately replace The Giver, a designated elder who retains the memory bank of feeling and sensory depth in a post apocalyptic society that has evolved into state so controlling that Gabe, the superhero, must relearn how to see in colour while everyone else in the community now only sees in black and white. Lowry’s 3rd book, The Son, ostensibly presents more background that, to me, allow her young readers to envisage extreme versions Democratic Socialism versus a primitive coastal fishing village which to me represents a form of Rugged Individualist Republicanism. Of the two, Republicanism becomes the ultimate refuge, but first it has to encounter and deal with a demon-like phantom character who haunts and corrupts key members of the community called the Trademaster. Definitely worth reading and thinking about for today’s young Americans. Lowry is a classic writer. A read John the Baptist, in my view.
I can’t speak for others, but yes, I’ve read and greatly appreciated it, Xavier.
Myers Briggs Type Indicator was incredibly helpful. Also helped understand differences with people we love or even dislike.
Many people may have several mini powers that add up to one giant super power. 🙂
Very true, Nancy. That, in a sense, is part of the Strenths test. It’s geared not just to find just one but five key strengths, and then explore how they can work together to create a sum greater than the parts.
is procrastination a super power? if so, I believe i’m the very best of the best. 🙂
;>)
Myers-Briggs is one of many ways of helping to identify your strengths (aka superpowers). This helps you know where you need to focus your development – mainly in your strengths, but also recognising the areas you are not good at and improving them as well will make you more rounded.
In my case, I chose (fell into) a career in developing IT systems because it suited my superpowers in analysis and detailed thinking. However to become more than just a clever back-room coder I needed to work on my weaknesses of not being extroverted or comfortable dealing with people. While I never became, or even wanted to be, an extrovert (much to my wife’s disappointment), over time I learnt to build relationships with clients and users of my systems, that greatly enhanced my opportunity to understand what was really needed and become the system expert, enhancing my career.
However, I am still an introvert at heart and will not go to social gatherings and do small-talk. It is just too hard.
Understandable, David. Knowing your kryptonite has value too.
GATB (General Aptitude Testing Battery) used to be the go-to for career strengths when I was in the process of changing careers in the early 80s (after finding out my social work was not going to bring in world peace or prevent an evil peerson from becoming my supervisor who would find out how evil I was).
Surprisingly, it said I could be a policeman, a national park ranger, or a medical technologist. Well, I didn’t want to get shot by criminals or other cops who might find out how evil I was; I couldn’t imagine myself sitting in a forest tower by myself for months on end watching for fires, and I had no idea what a med tech did.
But I did enjoy the idea of going back to biological sciences (an early love of science in general), so I enrolled in a Med Tech program and found out it was pretty cool. Besides no one was going to shoot me and I got to work with a small group of professionals. Cool beans. The rest is history.😉
❤️&🙏, 🤠
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What an inspiring and refreshing perspective! I love how you redefine “superpowers” as our natural strengths and gifts rather than something fictional. The way you connect self-awareness, service, and fulfillment through CliftonStrengths is powerful—and deeply encouraging. A beautiful reminder that when we discover, train, and use what’s right within us, we truly become who we were meant to be.
Exactly, Saima.
I, wonder if just putting one foot in front of the other and showing up are not the best superpowers of all. Lord knows they’re in little supply these days…
You have a point, Gregory.
I think as we get older life gives us a new superpower. Invisibility. If you seem to be past your sell by date people often don’t notice you. We would make great spies. Then there’s the other one: not giving a fig what other people think. 😉
So, new superpowers appear as we age? I love it, Rhiannon!
I, too, have the power to burp on command much to the delight of my grandchildren and to the dismay of my daughter-in-law. Enjoy your evening!
Real superpowers are usually quiet.
Excellent point, Rakesh.
My imagination that can put me anywhere I want to be and helps me with my creativity in my writing and poetry.
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I laughed out loud when I read “…than melting steel with your eyes!” and I second that. Great post, thank you!
My pleasure, Renate.
Can our superpowers also be our weakness?
I think they can, yes, Iba. It’s a matter of taming them. My storytelling is like that–I have to carefully control when it’s appropriate to use it.
I believe I struggle with this. What can be my strength also turns out to be my weakness.
Indeed, Iba. That duality seems to be intentional, as a part of our God-given learning curve.
I surely hope I begin learning Mitch. I tend to get overboard, feeling deeply is like walking a tightrope.
Yes, our superpowers can also be our weakness yet it is in how you artfully tune your perception, taming and proactivity
Indeed, our inherent superpowers are inseparable from our profoundest weaknesses, the very flaws we strive relentlessly to fix, offering an perpetual crucible for honing our edge, demanding we arise in the full intensity of our existence and weaponize our authentic strength.
The optimum virtue or conduit to not make our superpowers become our weakness is to be meekly kind withoit agenda.
I guess my superpowers are organization – of things and processes and the ability to listen… which leads to adaptability and being the emotional support for others.
Much-needed superpowers indeed, Val.
Thanks Mitch. I put them to good use in my career…
What an enlightening post.I’m not sure I’ve figured out my super power yet.I’ll work on that.Thank you.
My pleasure, Grace.
I’m going to review mine! Thanks for the reminder, Mitch! It’s a great resource. 😊
My pleasure, Kelley.
“WE ALL HAVE SUPERPOWER But, like comic book superheroes, we have to work through their downsides — they’re often the silver lining of what, until now, we’ve only viewed as problems.” That is true.
Mine is patience!
That’s a rare one, Bernadette!
It is a thoughtful thinking post.
Forget the burping—your true superpower is likely hiding in the very “flaws” you’ve spent years trying to fix. Stop apologising for your intensity and start weaponising your edge.
And thank you very much sir Smith for liking and subscribing to my site.
Good to meet you, Gemavie (or is it Gavie?).
It’s kindly to have you sir Smith. It is Gemavie, and I’m on hand for reach.
I’d like to think that after years of seeking divine perspective, my superpower is to see things the way God does, but I suspect that vision won’t be 100% clear until I’m somewhere else besides this life.
(I do have the ability to make my uvula disappear, but I think that’s just a hidden talent. 😉 )
;>)