Power Week
Welcome to Voices of the Day! Power: success, influence, responsibility, strength, and even a bit of time-travel in this week’s responses. Success or influence, which is more important? Can you have too much power? Do the inputs of others give you more or less excitement to pursue a goal – does the lack of ownership matter?
We’ll see if the voices have the answers. I can assure you, they have a lot of wisdom and consideration in their responses this week. And I encourage you to answer the questions yourself, and with those around you. Where do you measure up? Could you handle more responsibility right now? See where you stand as we look at power through the eyes and mouths of others.
Would you rather be successful or influential?
Successful I guess. But not career or unimportant stuff like that. Successful in love and happiness! – I
Influential – II
Successful – III
Influential – IV
successful – V
influential – VI
Successful – VII
Successful – VIII
successful – IX
influential – X
influential – XI
successful – XII
influential – XIII
influential – XIV
successful – XV
successful – XVI
Successful – XVII
Successful – XVIII
Influential – XIX
Successful – XX
successful – XXI
Influential – XXII
successful – XXIII
Successful- XXIV
successful – XXV
influential – XXVI
Do the suggestions of others make you want to do something more or less than if you come up with an idea on your own?
Sometimes, but not often. – I
More – II
Depends on who it is but generally less – III
More, if I admire the person; less, if I don’t – IV
less – V
more – VI
Neither – VII
no – VIII
to have time stamps for the legal point of view, depending what it is to have it patented – IX
Dependent of the quality of the idea. I’d say more, because having someone else to bounce off increases my enthusiasm for something. – X
more! – XI
more – XII
I would like to do more – XIII
About the same – XIV
less – XV
Less – XVI
More – XVII
More – XVIII
No, I enjoy doing what I came up with – XIX
Do something more – XX
Less – XXI
More – XXII
Make me want to do it more – XXIII
More if I come up with the idea on my own. – XXIV
I prefer to go with my own ideas. – XXV
less – XXVI
Is it possible to be too smart? Too strong? Too wise? Too rich? Or too well-liked?
Everything ‘too’ is not good. So yes to all.- I
Too rich I imagine – II
Yes – III
Knowing everything would probably lead to deep depression, being too strong means you’d fear breaking people with a hug, being super-rich can be soulless, and if everyone likes you, you probably aren’t being honest enough – IV
yes – V
yes – VI
You can be too rich and too well liked. – VII
yes – VIII
yes, for example someone is more likely to want to follow someone that came from nothing then became successful. – IX
I’d argue it is not these things on their own but the associated negatives of each that would lead me to say yes. For example, if I’m too rich I may become distant from friends etc. there are a host of problems associated with these predominantly positively considered characteristics. – X
No, growth and development is a constant journey – XI
no – XII
it depends on the environment where one grew up – XIII
Yes, many college students end up too book smart and not street smart at all – XIV
no – XV
No – XVI
Yes – XVII
Yes – XVIII
Yes, as an abundance of anything will overshadow their other skills, or even make them hungry for more – XIX
Yes it is possible to be too smart, strong, rich and well liked. – XX
Rarely – XXI
No – XXII
Yes – XXIII
Too proud, definitely. – XXIV
too strong. losing humility and forgetting about those who are around you. Never lose gratefulness – XXV
yes – XXVI
How would you feel if you were given more responsibility, at this point in your life?
Not happy. I’d rather have less than more. – I
A little stressed but maybe more fulfilled – II
Worried – III
I wouldn’t want it, I’m overwhelmed as it is – IV
good – V
happy! – VI
Uncomfortable (very inexperienced) – VII
depends – VIII
Depends on the situation, preferably not. – IX
Fine. – X
Ready for the challenge- XI
good and proud! – XII
I am not ready for a family, but other than that, I´m up for anything – XIII
I would be accepting – XIV
great – XV
Perfectly fine – XVI
Anxious – XVII
Quite stressed, already got alot on me – XVIII
I would feel fine – XIX
Too much on my plate right now, I would probably decline. – XX
Motivated – XXI
Comfortable – XXII
I would be grateful- XXIII
Excited. – XXIV
A lot going on right now. Would not like that. – XXV
overwhelmed – XXVI
If you were thrown back in time 200 years, exactly as you are right now, would you thrive or struggle?
Struggle, like everybody would. But I’d hope that I’d thrive! – I
Struggle at first anyways – II
Struggle – III
If I were a noble, thrive; anyone else, struggle – IV
struggle – V
thrive – VI
Struggle – VII
struggle – VIII
struggle, I need medication and probably die. – IX
Struggle. – X
Struggle at first, but you grow and adapt – XI
I don’t know, not good in history and therefor not able to answer properly – XII
I would struggle at first, but then will eventually find ways to adjust myself accordingly – XIII
Both – XIV
struggle – XV
Struggle – XVI
Thrive – XVII
Struggle – XVIII
Struggle – XIX
Struggle – XX
Struggle – XXI
Thrive – XXII
I would thrive – XXIII
I think I would thrive because I have more knowledge that my contemporaries 200 years ago did. – XXIV
Thrive – XXV
struggle – XXVI
How are you feeling, right now?
Okay, no special emotion either way. – I
Pretty chill. Waiting in a long line – II
Nauseous – III
Pretty energetic and positive – IV
good – V
full – VI
Calm – VII
ok – VIII
ok – IX
Not as bad as yesterday – just fine I’d say. – X
Good! its 7am and I am ready for the day. – XI
very good, thank you – XII
positive – XIII
Content – XIV
great – XV
Calm – XVI
Ok – XVII
Happy – XVIII
Tired – XIX
Am alive. Cant beat that can you? 🙂 – XX
In a middle point – XXI
Pretty good – XXII
Stressed – XXIII
Tired. – XXIV
Positive – XXV
content – XXVI
Describe yourself, however you want, in two sentences.
I’m a quiet, introverted, lazy, philosophical, atheistic, crazy, sex and kink obsessed dude. Thanks. – I
I’m a young dude with a pretty easy way of life. As a bit of a loner I think a good amount and can get depressed here and there. – II
I am a quiet, aloof person but open and silly with people I know – III
Well, since this is a Power Survey, it may be of interest that I recently became aware of being a narcissist (NPD). – IV
creative, outgoing, confident – V
I am dilligent, strong willed and opinionated person. However, would would always try to make peace with people, even if it means swallowing my anger – VI
I am lazy and sympathetic. I am young and inexperienced. – VII
good – VIII
love of technology and a slight hoarder for nick knacks – IX
Tall and under confident in relation to personal endeavors. Disenfranchised with the state of the world and our prospects of having a positive impact on it. – X
I am a driven individual with creative flair – XI
Always doubtful but never tired to do more – XII
I am quite calm and can be flexible when it comes to adjusting with new environment – XIII
Taking in all life has to offer and using my experiences to guide my future and be shared appropriately to serve as a lesson or insider view to help others – XIV
small but powerful – XV
I would describe myself as strong willed and passionate. I am a straightforward thinker with a mind for business. – XVI
I am friendly, polite and will always go out of my way for others. I can be a bit weird sometimes but in a funny way.- XVII
Happy, Energetic – XVIII
I am a student very focused on her studies. My mission statement is “I will be highly educated and a positive change, while respecting differences and speaking up for what I believe. In everything, I will give my all.” – XIX
Open minded – XX
I’m a woman in my middle 30s trying to be reach a stable point in a career that is majorly performed by males – XXI
Happy good lucky person with bags of confidence – XXII
I mostly see the positive in situations and enjoy making many jokes. – XXIII
A young adult navigating working life. A person trying to have success in my chosen career. – XXIV
Cool man. Hard worker. – XXV
I am a compassionate person. I am a student. – XXVI
Final Thoughts
Powerful stuff, am I right? I loved how willing to take on added responsibility people were and simultaneously how others recognized that there’s no reason to pile more onto a full plate. On the other hand, I was surprised by how many people think they would struggle in the past but I’m sure our other voices would be the kind of people to help them accommodate and adapt quickly. Finally, the numerous voices that saw a possibility in being too rich and too well-liked is fascinating. Is it the association of greed with money or an accusation of misplaced interests; is it so likely that being admired by many is a recipe for disaster or a result of disingenuous behavior?
Conversation Sparks
There are so many questions that sparked for me. Do the people around me feel satisfied or unfulfilled with their roles and responsibilities? And what is the relationship between success and influence, can you fully separate them in the first place? I’ll definitely be looking to use them as fuel for future conversations.
This was also the first week trying out a new format for Voices of the Day! What did you think of it compared to our prior weeks? Feel free to let me know! Check out last week’s post to compare the differences! And stop by this page if you need to brush up on (or learn, no judgement!) your roman numerals so you can follow the voices from question to question. Until next time, thanks for reading and listening, and remember: be heard.