6 Steps to Finding Your Superpower

Who would win in a race—Superman or the Flash? Here are six steps to finding your superpower and learning how to beat both of them.

Superman Vs. The Flash

If you’re a fan of DC comics and movies, you may know that Superman and the Flash race against each other from time to time. It’s something they do for charity and sometimes for life-or-death stakes. Here’s a clip of the two racing.

I love that DC puts The Flash alongside the Man of Steel, showing that speed is as good as strength, especially in fight scenes. Directors do this by showing that the faster you move, the slower time seems to go. When The Flash fights, the camera slows down to show the scene from his perspective. In the blink of an eye, he’s punched out twenty bad guys, flicked bullets out of the air, taken a casual sip of tea, and whisked the person in peril out of the path of destruction.

I Am Unlike the Flash

The problem is this doesn’t work in real life. Yesterday, something went wrong in my plans, and I started moving at a frantic pace to solve the problem as quickly as possible. But it seemed the faster I moved, the more frustrated I got. Unlike The Flash, who could speed up to slow things down, I found that the faster I moved, the more mistakes I made. I did better when I reminded myself of one thing. My superpower is the opposite of The Flash: If I slow things down, I can speed things up. Stillness is a superpower.

A Lesson from Navy Seals

The Navy Seals have a saying, “Slow is smooth; smooth is fast.”  It can seem counterintuitive to slow down when you need to do something quickly. But when you move too fast, you make mistakes. It takes time to clean up the mistakes and move forward. Instead of speeding up, try slowing down, to smooth things out. Because when things are smooth, they go fast. So, how can you slow down when you’re feeling frantic?

Six Steps to Finding Your Superpower

By following these six steps, you can find that stillness is your superpower. This way, no matter what obstacles you face, you can overcome them. Whatever challenges come your way, you can practice the principle of Navy Seals, and always win.

1. Stop. Remember, the faster you go, the more mistakes you make. Get into a stationary position, whether that’s standing or sitting. Quit moving. Just be present.
2. Look. Be aware of your surroundings. Practice mindfulness by being present in this moment. Focus on only one thing, your hands, the floor, or a neutral object in the room that’s not part of the stress. Then, once you’ve centered your vision in this way, observe the things that might present solutions to the problem.
3. Breathe. When we become nervous, anxious, and excited, we tend to take quick, shallow breaths. You can reverse that anxiety by taking long, slow, intentional breaths. Breathe in from your belly, allowing your belly to expand. Breathe in through your nose, and out through your mouth, allowing your belly to contract as you exhale. It’s easier to control your breath than it is to control your thoughts—but you can trick your mind into calming down by relaxing your breathing.
4. Feel. Be aware of your heartbeat, your breath, the sensation of your feet on the ground, your bottom in the chair, and the movement of your hair in the wind. Ground yourself by practicing body awareness. Allow yourself to feel the anxiety, and don’t fight against it. Then softly invite it to leave and feel the sensation of calm as your breath purifies your thoughts and emotions.
5. Ask. Remember—you don’t have to do this alone. Whether you believe in God, the Universe, or your Higher Power—or even if your source of help is a supervisor, counselor, friend, or group—take a minute and ask for the assistance you need. Albert Einstein said, “We cannot solve our problems with the same thinking we used when we created them.”  When you ask for help, you open yourself to ideas outside of yourself. These ideas just might provide your solution.
6. Listen. After you ask—listen. Attend to what people are saying to you. Listen to your own heartbeat, to your conscience. Pay attention to the voice of God. Be open to the inspiration that comes when you take time to attend to Spirit.

Slow is Smooth; Smooth is Fast

When things get hectic, don’t try to be The Flash—you’ll just trip over your feet. Instead, be a Navy Seal. Remember, slow is smooth; smooth is fast. Stillness is your superpower. The more you slow down, the more present you’ll be. Take time to practice mindfulness, and you can be your own superhero.