With Great Responsibility, Comes Great Power👊
I remember being a young boy, idolizing the superheroes I grew up watching in TV, movies, and even video games.
One of my favourites was Spider-Man, a classic story:
Nerdy kid gets spider powers and turns into a hero.
I looked up to superheroes like this because they had gotten their powers through some sort of divine intervention.
"I don't have to do anything; I just have to wait, and one day I'll get powers."
For years, I believed that this would be the solution to my problems.
Some sort of divine intervention was going to change my habits.
I wasn't going to be a chubby boy; one day, I'd just get superpowers and
BOOM, I'd get ripped.
But unfortunately, it doesn't work that way.
For years, I doubted if I could ever achieve that chiselled "wall crawler" look.
But I made excuses for myself, the most common being the ones I'd say about my body:
"I can't look like Spiderman; I'm big-boned."
"Oh, I can't have abs; I have wide hips."
I have a big head, I won't even fit into the mask"
Excuses, excuses, excuses.
I wasn't ready to take responsibility for my actions.
I literally wanted to be Spider-Man without heeding the lesson preached throughout the entire Spider-Man saga:
"With great power comes great responsibility."
This meant that because Spider-Man was blessed with these spider powers, it was his duty to do all that he could to help those who could not help themselves.
It wasn't until I took matters into my own hands, stopped blaming factors I couldn't control, and started making progress not just on my body but on myself that I began to change.
I never ended up getting those spider powers,
(darn)
but I did learn a very valuable lesson, much like Spider-Man did.
However, in my case, it's in reverse:
"With great responsibility comes great power."
You alone must make a change in your life, regardless of your situation, so that hopefully, one day, you can say that you have done your duty, just like the noble heroes we once watched and grew up with.
Today, I want to discuss how you can use responsibility for your actions to turn that into power.
The New You
It may be challenging to envision how our actions can truly make a difference in our lives, especially if we lack concrete proof.
Internet influencer, Alex Hormozi, a business guru, has an insightful philosophy regarding finding evidence in our actions.
Here's his full quote:
"Confidence without evidence is delusion. You don't become confident by shouting affirmations in the mirror, but by having a stack of undeniable proof that you are who you say you are. Give yourself so much goddamn proof that you are the version of yourself you want to be, and you'll become them. Outwork your self-doubt."
The part I find most significant, and the main takeaway here, is this:
Accumulate a stack of proof that shows you are making a change in your life so you can confidently affirm that you are indeed becoming the person you aspire to be.
The key is to outwork your self-doubt.
This idea is so powerful and appealing because it puts you in complete control of your own narrative.
There's no room for shortcuts or any sort of divine intervention.
We must put in effort to achieve the results.
But how can we practically implement this concept?
and
How can we gather undeniable proof that we are transforming from who we once were?
It all starts with giving yourself advice, taking action, and holding yourself accountable.
Changing your Nature
Changing your nature can be daunting, especially if you're unsure where to begin.
However, there's a fundamental step you can start with.
This involves you disassociating from your current self and immersing yourself in the mindset of the person you aspire to become.
It's crucial to understand that this doesn't mean abandoning your values, ideals, or likes and dislikes.
Instead, it's about sending a message to yourself that you will no longer let the programming you've been telling yourself define who you are.
This means you can no longer make excuses as you used to.
This means that:
You are not stuck.
You are not doomed.
and
You are not cursed.
You are no longer the negative, helpless version of yourself.
This new version of yourself is positive, mindful, and, above all, responsible.
As you start telling yourself these things, you'll realize that you must change your behaviour to align with your ideals.
However, this isn't just about blindly repeating affirmations in front of the mirror, as Alex Hormozi suggests.
You need a concrete action plan behind this transformation, with actionable steps to demonstrate that you are no longer that person.
So, how can you achieve this transformation?
Start by taking on more responsibility.
Taking Responsibility
Taking responsibility for your actions can be challenging because it's easy to shift blame onto external factors, like your nature.
You might say things like:
“I can’t do that, I've never done that before.”
“I can’t do this because my body doesn’t allow it.”
“I can’t do that, it looks too difficult for me.”
You must take responsibility for these thoughts that diminish your power.
You’ll never be able to change your height, eye colour or foot size.
But you can change your nurture and change:
How you perceive difficult situations.
How you find solutions to your problems.
How you can change your life for the better.
Your thoughts must also change to:
"I can change my body"
"I can do this because I found the solution in a book"
"I can do this because I can achieve anything I set my mind to"
If you don't believe in your ability to achieve your goals, no one else can convince you otherwise.
So believe in yourself.
Because you really can do it.
Be your biggest supporter: It may feel weird at first but you alone must be your biggest cheerleader. Tell yourself to keep pushing no matter how hard it might feel
With this new belief that you can crush any goals you set for yourself with a new change to your mental programming.
And changing your programming will in turn change your behaviour.
Your goal during this process will be to remove habits that no longer serve you as they will no longer align with your programming
Taking Responsibility
Here's an example of a bad habit that used to dominate my life and took away my power.
A practice I've now taken responsibility for:
Binge Eating.
When it comes to food, I simply couldn't resist.
Growing up in an Italian household, food was as vital as life.
However food had a hold over me more than I can blame my upbringing for.
If you were feeling unwell, I would turn to food to feel better.
If I were sad, I'd turn to food for comfort.
And especially when I was happy, food was the centrepiece of the celebration.
Food was my source of joy, love, and companionship.
However, food had taken away my power in various ways.
I had fallen into the habit of using food to cope with situations I was solely responsible for.
I'd seek comfort in foods that made me feel better temporarily but didn't change my situation.
Food was the source of my unhappiness with my body, yet I used food to cope with it.
I realized I needed to reclaim power from food and take responsibility.
It wasn't until I'd had enough and discovered calorie counting and it everything changed for me.
Calorie counting is straightforward: you can enjoy the foods you like, including pizza, pasta, and bread, but you must stay within a specified calorie range for the day.
This was a game-changer for me.
I could regain control over food in a healthy way that didn't make me feel deprived.
I made it into a game and it became fun to limit food intake.
After practicing calorie counting, I naturally started making healthier food choices.
When you have a limited daily calorie allowance, you want to ensure that your meals provide the best nutritional value, protein, and satiety.
I know that by taking responsibility for my food choices, I've successfully wrestled back the power that food once had over me and now dictate how food fits into my life.
I find great power in knowing that I alone have made that choice and that I alone must continue on that mission.
Taking Back the Power
This ability to reclaim power from food neatly ties into the next point:
Changing your attitude toward challenges can lead to a shift in your behaviour.
We must become accustomed to hard work and the resistance that accompanies it.
Another quote I really appreciate from Alex Hormozi goes like this:
"This is what hard feels like."
This framing can work similarly to how we tell ourselves,
"This is what red looks like" when we see an apple on a tree
or
"This is what cold feels like" when we take a cold shower.
When we're confronted with a gruelling task, one where the potential rewards might not seem bright, and we can't even see the other side because we've never crossed this threshold before remember the mantra:
"This is what hard feels like"
If we can recognize the emotions and sensations we experience when we're going through challenging situations, we can begin to acknowledge, understand, and take responsibility for the tasks ahead.
Changing my habit of binge-eating was very difficult for me.
It took years of trial and error and I failed many times.
But never be afraid to fail.
Remember that failure is the precursor to valour
Don't let past failures restrict you any longer.
Failing makes you stronger, more resilient, and more adaptable to future challenges.
This is why it's crucial to acknowledge that you'll face difficult times, so remember to mentally frame them as part of the journey.
Just as Spider-Man likely takes as many blows as he delivers, we must be ready to embrace the responsibility of hardship.
Doing so gives us the power to overcome obstacles and help us stay committed to becoming better, no matter the costs.
Power in Taking Responsibility
Now that we're becoming better individuals and taking responsibility for hardships, it's time to change ourselves for the better.
We alone are responsible for everything we need to become better individuals.
If we want to be happy, we have to work for it.
If we want to be healthy, we have to take action.
If we want to be Spiderman, we need to be our own source of "divine intervention"
And most importantly;
If we want to be powerful, we must first take on the personal responsibility of ourselves.
And with patience and determination, we will eventually achieve it.
I promise you that the more effort, sacrifice, and responsibility you willingly embrace, the more powerful you will feel with each passing day.
Spider-Man isn't just powerful because of his spider-like abilities; he's powerful because he understands his duty to his city, his loved ones, and himself—to keep his promise to Uncle Ben
You, too, have a responsibility.
It's a responsibility to yourself,
To hold yourself accountable to your goals.
It's about doing the hard work even when it feels challenging and uncomfortable.
Soon enough, you'll amass an undeniable stack of proof showcasing your transformation, proving that you are indeed,
a superhero.
Good luck, my friends.
For Glory!
-Stefano Ferra xx