What Would Be Your Superpower?

I was once asked during a coaching course: if I could have any superpower, what would that be? I had to think about it and concluded that I would like to have the ability to be invisible. I had come to that conclusion because I thought about how much easier it would be to make a positive difference in the world. Doing things for people that would improve their lives and making a difference in the world without being seen doing it seemed like a worthwhile goal. This seemed very kind, commendable and positive, with a natural feel-good quality in considering such a possibility.

The Uncomfortable Truth

However, in undertaking some recent personal development work on myself, I recognised that the answer I had given was actually more about what I fear and what limits me in life than what I would like to do for the planet or others.

Because being invisible means that no one would see my mistakes.

Being invisible would mean not having to find the same courage to step out and speak up in public. Being invisible would mean that I could continue to live my life without being judged, condemned, or told that I was not good enough.

This revelation hit me at my core because I had spent years working on myself. I have given talks, presented to people, and shared openly about how my younger self was a complete people pleaser and felt like a total imposter, despite being at the top of my professional career as a healthcare professional and working as a clinician in the medical service.

Personal Development is an Iterative Process

It took me some time to come to terms with the truth of personal development: it truly is an iterative process. I was not coming back around to the same old patterns; it was not that I had been kidding myself. Instead, there was, and always is, more work to do in finding my own potential and my true self.

I had to remind myself that learning, and indeed success, happens in spirals. I was not learning something all over again. Instead, I was gaining a next level of freedom and self-mastery, if I was willing to do the work.

Embracing Authenticity

I have to confess that I would still like to be capable of being invisible if I had any superpower. And it is becoming more authentic for me to acknowledge what I need, to understand who I can be as that superhero, to use that capability in a genuinely positive way.

Your Turn for Reflection

So I leave you with the question: if you were superhuman, what superpower would you like to have? What would you choose and why?

I invite you to use it as an opportunity to consider what it is about that superpower you chose that is so attractive to you. It is part of being human to have needs and selfish motivations, and this is not bad. Instead, it is being aware of them and working with them that allows us to truly accept ourselves and reach our potential.

Practical Reflection Exercises

To help you explore this further, try working through these questions. Give yourself time to sit with each one, perhaps writing your thoughts down:

1. The Initial Choice: What superpower immediately came to mind when you first read the question? Do not overthink it, just notice your first instinct. What does this reveal about what you value most or desire most in your life right now?

2. The Deeper Why: Ask yourself "why" three times about your chosen superpower. For example: "I want to fly" followed by "Why do I want to fly?" then "To escape difficult situations" followed by "Why do I want to escape?" then "Because I fear confrontation" followed by "Why do I fear confrontation?" This process often reveals the underlying need or fear.

3. The Shadow Side: What would be the potential downsides or dangers of having your chosen superpower? What might you avoid facing about yourself or your life if you had this ability? Sometimes, what we think would solve our problems might actually enable us to avoid growth.

4. The Current Reality Check: In what ways are you already using a version of this superpower in your life? For instance, if you chose invisibility, how are you already "hiding" or avoiding being seen? If you chose super strength, where are you already trying to control or force outcomes?

5. The Growth Opportunity: If you could not have this superpower, what would you need to develop or accept about yourself instead? What would it look like to find courage, peace, or fulfilment without this magical ability? This often points to your next area of personal growth.

An Invitation to Growth

As a personal development and lifestyle coach, I work with people every day who are willing to address the things that are coming up for them, including challenges and opportunities, and to become more of who they would like to be.

If there is something that is coming up for you, and perhaps you thought you had dealt with it before, know that this is purely an invitation to step up to the next level of your own self-mastery. And it is only there because of what you have experienced and the choices that you have made before now.

What superpower would you choose, and what might it reveal about your deepest desires and fears? I would love to hear your thoughts.