There is a long list of Super Powers that Hero Minded people can develop from obstacles and use to build a better world. This is the list, so far (and I’ll keep adding to it).

Super Powers aren’t things that are impossible for humans to do. I call them Super Powers because you can do so much with them.

A child can exert Super Powers and so can the physically feeble. Many are powers of the mind and heart. You already have many of these abilities and there are some you aren’t practicing as often as you could.

We don’t have to wish for abilities that are not physically possible to make a difference. It’s not about looking up to the actions of fictional heroes in movies, though that can be a fun fantasy. Ultimately, this fantasy can be a way for us to cheer the actions of someone else and allows us to abdicate our own responsibility to be Hero Minded.

The Super Powers below provide each of us with what we need to be Hero Minded in our everyday lives. They’re things we can and need to do. Challenge selfishness (in ourselves and others). Make necessary changes so others can live thriving lives. Bring people together. Change someone’s mind. Improve everything. Break down barriers.

Here are your Super Powers:

• Empathy* – Identifying with and seeing through the eyes of another. This is at the heart of Hero Minded principles. This is an ability that we can constantly improve upon, throughout our entire lives.
• Creativity – Finding new ways around obstacles that others haven’t yet tried.
• Courage – Willingness to risk by acknowledging the payoff is worth it. The ability to take the next step, even when fear of failure, rejection, loss, etc. is present. Take that one, tiny step. And then the next step is possible. You don’t have to accomplish the whole thing at once.
• Connection – Build a network of others who can help you. Creating a Hero Minded world is all about working together. We can do more together than on our own. Use and grow your contact list.
• Ask – Lose the fear of asking for help, opinions, insight. You’re part of a huge, dynamic world and the more connected you are, the more you can do. You’ll be amazed what happens when you ask. Jia Jiang got over his fear of rejection by asking for crazy things – and found that most people said “yes.” Brian Glazer asked some very famous and powerful people for a conversation and changed his life and others.
• Do the Opposite – Doing the unexpected takes people off guard and creates room for connection and vulnerability when a fight is brewing. One example is to be forgiving when people expect you to be outraged. Another is to speak up for someone being bullied, especially when people don’t expect that from you. Smile at the person that just cut you off and wave hello. It takes the selfish villain minded fight out of the world and puts the focus on Hero Minded things.
• Your Voice – If you have a platform where people listen to you, use it to build good for others. That includes celebrities, politicians, authorities of all kinds (teachers, police, CEOs, managers), parents and even the popular kid at school. You have a responsibility to use the power you have (however much it is) for the greatest benefit to the greatest number of people.
• Synthesis* – Combine thoughts into something new. There’s a lot of information out there in the world. Combine the right things and create something that didn’t exist without your ability to see things a new way. (This Super Power works great with Noticing and Extrapolation, below.)
• Extrapolation* – See the eventual effects of actions, decisions and policy and steer toward better outcomes for all. If you don’t acknowledge where you’re going, you’re going to end up in a very different place.
• Articulation* – You need brevity, clarity and impact in the way you present your ideas – all crucial if you want to convince others of anything.
• Responsibility* – Don’t expect others to do it – you need to do it. We are all responsible for what happens, already. Whether we choose to feel responsible is where we make a choice to be Hero Minded or a villain.
• Vulnerability* – This may be the greatest super power of all, because it’s the ability to create connection and trust, which will in turn create more Hero Minded people. Vulnerable people are actually the strongest.
• Endurance and Tenacity* – Keep going, even when it’s hard. Even when you think you might fail. Challenge yourself to ask for the impossible. You’ll be amazed what happens. Let the crap that others sling at you roll off your back.
• Noticing* – Pay attention to what’s going on around you. It is key to your ability to make a difference. Give attention to those that are doing Hero Minded things and challenge villains when you see them. By noticing, you’ll have more opportunities to practice being Hero Minded.

* Some of these are extracted from and built upon a talk about super heroes by Chris Brogan

Make a list of the Super Powers you already have. Which one are you going to use to make a difference today? Make a list of the Super Powers you’d like to grow. What are you going to do to start flexing that muscle today?

Related posts:

How to Find Your Super Powers Fighting the Villains of the World to Achieve Strength What is Hero Minded? The battle between our two natures and how we can all win A School Project Turns Into a Calling Do the Homeless Need These Coats? How Hero Minded Vision Fuels Action See beyond yourself and your lifetime