On Being a Superhero

The only superpower you really need is the one to constantly cultivate the attitude that forces you to ask, from the minute you wake up, to the minute you fall asleep, “What life can I save today?” It’s a practice. Often we forget it. We resist it. Instead of saving lives, we worry about saving ourselves too much. “How will I pay the bills?” “What do I do about my boss saying bad things about me?” And so on.

James Altucher
from Choose Yourself

Altucher’s book, and especially the quote above from his chapter on being a superhero, resonated with me. It seems to get at the heart of impact mindfulness and of prioritizing impact over self-interest.

And the concept of the Big US would serve to dissuade discrimination in the deployment of superpowers.

However, towards the end of the book Altucher writes in a way that seemed to swing back towards interest first thinking. That what matters is not so much impact, but potential maximization.

I disagree.

However, for most of my life I did think just that. I thought first potential maximization and then impact realization.

But as I grow older I’m beginning to realize (slowly) that it doesn’t work that way. That the Universe has indeed endowed us with “superpowers” and that it’s calling us to use them…NOW…not upon reaching some level of our potential.

In fact, I would go so far as to say that we realize our potential through the habitual employment of our superpowers.

The Universe has indeed endowed us with “superpowers” and that it is calling us to use them…NOW…not upon reaching some level of our potential.

And what are those superpowers, you ask?

Well, it’s just as Altucher says in the above quote. Saving lives.

And what could be more impactful than that?

Okay, I’ll admit that’s a bit confusing. I am sure you are thinking, how in the world am I going to find the time to do that…Costa Rica Guy? And even if I could find a few seconds of each day to allocate to the effort, what ability do I have to save a life?

Well, you see, that line of thinking greatly under-estimates your capacity to make a difference.

You don’t have to rescue the distressed damsel from the burning high rise to make an impact.

You “save lives” by small acts of kindness, by planting a tree, by encouraging a down and out friend, by taking a stand against oppression and exploitation, by taking care of yourself physically, emotional, mentally and spiritually so that you are found in a condition of health when the Universe calls on you. You do it by shipping your art and you do it by employing impact mindfulness.