More than my enjoying the trip to USA, as said earlier, I enjoyed reading numerous books, and I thought of bringing some of them but due to the luggage limitations, I could not. One such book that inspired me most was ”The powerful people” written by Dr. Verna Cornelia Price. I could make only an extract of this book not only as a piece of learning for n1e but also for the guidance of youngsters and it is presented as under:
The Powerful People:
Who are Powerful People, who influence the life of others:
If you classify them, they would be-
(A) ”Just is” i.e., close family members, who will always caution you to do or not to do. Parents, relatives, children, sometimes they are good and sometimes turn to be a head ache.
(B) ”Choice People”, i.e., friends and colleagues, who teach you to b excellent always. They constitute friends, mentors and acquaintances.
(C) ”My First Boss”, who teaches to be honest but kind.
We are powerful but we do not realise our power, to choose, change and to influence others. Then you will wonder what is Power?
Generally power is taken as a negative term. Knowledge is not power, knowledge of correctly utilizing power is the real power.
The way to assess your power is to be challenged and to change. Then you must change your mind, your relationship and your action.
Therefore the purpose of personal power is to know your purpose in life, what for you are created to be and what for you are created to bring to others.
Then ask a question to yourself
Why do I have personal power and
How I am supposed to use this power? And
It should help you for preparing a good future for your life.
There are Powerful People around us.
Who are they?
There are four kinds of people who can change your life:
1. The Adders ( + )
2. The Subtractors ( – )
3. The Dividers ( + )
4. The Great Multipliers ( x )
(1) The Adders: They are powerful because they add something to your life, and influence positively… They are not ill-motived. They are interested to help in building your career. They are well balanced person. They are interested to help in building your career. They wish to help you grow and change your personality. So sometimes they behave unpalatable. They are goal-driven, purpose-minded people. They are often behind you to avail opportunities, explore vistas of knowledge, education and wisdom. Their association makes you feel that you are a powerful person.
(2) The Subtractors: They are sadists. They are uncertain what they are. They are timid, failure in life. Their association-ships your confidence, resource, joys, peace and self-esteem. They are expert manipulators. Try to avoid such persons.
(3) The Dividers: Such persons are tricky people. They want to be apparent friend and for their gain divide your family and relatives. They are manipulative people and want to control you because at the cost of your talent, they want to take advantage. They are indirectly your destroyers. What all you have to do is to keep away yourself from them, as they may indulge you in bad habits. They aim to control you for personal gains and utilise you indirectly.
(4) The Great Multipliers: The Great Multiplier is a miraculous mentor. He wants to guide you in any line, say, financial professional, emotional or social matter. A multiplier can literally help you to enlarge, magnify your activities or objects.
He is your advisor or counsel more particularly a successful friend. He is selfless. He can be a boss, a parent, a colleague, a neighbor or your children.
The Multipliers are of two types.
One type is known as Escalators, who make you to reach the other floors to get a clear vision of life. They motivate you to build your character so that you can achieve your goal with your own personal power.
Another type is Elevators, who put you on tl1e elevator and push the button so that you will reach the desired height. They are exciting in life to find out your goals and potential.
Thus what I am impressed of this book is that everybody will come across four type of persons commonly found in every society and place. Somebody may give advice to you as a friend and advisor, but after duping you he may vanish, somebody may advise you out of some animosity and he may ruin your career. Somebody may get you involved in bad habits and somebody may come as a friend in need and really turn to be ”friend in-deed.”
It is up to you to identify them. I thought it my duty to share this part of knowledge, and you will certainly experience when you put it into practice. This will also help you to guide the coming generation of this rich experience. This is a word to the wise and not the stick to the blind.
Authored By: Vazir Ahmed Khan, Retired Manager, United India Insurance Co.Ltd.
