Have you ever noticed people who silence a room simply by stepping into it? These people have a commanding presence enough to arrest everybody without needing to say a word.

Most people equate images of power with “big and loud” personalities. “Big and loud” helps, but it is far from the most crucial factor. At its core, what does it mean to be “empowered,” and where does it come from?

Empowerment Comes From Within.

Being empowered is an internal affair. It is having enough self-love and self-compassion to know you are worthy. It is reaching into yourself and trusting yourself enough to know that you have what it takes, even if you aren’t sure yet.

Empowerment is not something anyone else can give you. Even if your superior bestows the title of “CEO” or “Manager” on you—spoiler alert!—it won’t make you feel any more confident than you currently feel.

It can only come from within.

Empowerment Comes From Rising Up.

There is a story about four people named Everybody, Somebody, Anybody, and Nobody.

There was an important job to be done, and Everybody was sure that Somebody would do it. Anybody could have done it, but Nobody did it. Somebody got angry about that because it was Everybody’s job. Everybody thought Anybody could do it, but Nobody realized that Everybody wouldn’t do it. It ended up that Everybody blamed Somebody when Nobody did what Anybody could have.

Empowered people don’t wait for “someone else” to get things done—they rise above their occasion and take the initiative. Or similarly, if they are given an overwhelming task, they don’t back down from it. They dig deep, reach for their self-confidence, and tackle the challenge.

But how do you develop “empowerment”? How do you create that self-love and self-compassion necessary to trust yourself enough to take more significant risks?

Empowerment Comes From Experience.

You develop empowerment from experience.

Some people can flick on a switch and instantly be who they want. But for most people, it takes time to successfully overcome one challenge after another and cultivate the self-assurance that “I did it once. I can do it again.”

So don’t worry if you aren’t where you want to be yet. As long as you take the first step and keep pushing yourself, you’ll be surprised by just how far you can go if you don’t stop.

But there’s one more thing you can do that will significantly help your journey.

Empowerment can be Drawn From People around You.

Humans are fueled by praise and reinforcement, whether we like to admit it or not. From a young age, most of us are rewarded for good work and punished for bad. Self-confidence is great, but self-confidence with external reinforcement is stronger.

Find yourself a coach or a team that can support you honestly. You can’t rely on people who will mindlessly praise your every move; you need people who will give you critical feedback and are genuinely invested in seeing you grow. That way, when they do praise you, it will be that much sweeter.

Similarly, you need to find people willing to support you and whose company you enjoy. It’s hard to lead a team that doesn’t care about your vision and makes you feel drained at the end of your day.

Building a team to teach you and a team to work with you takes time and energy, and they still won’t be able to “empower” you—as mentioned, that can only ever come from within. But having others along on your journey can make it much faster and more fun.

At this point, a new question arises: This all sounds great, but what will you do with all this self-confidence and empowerment once you have it?

Empowerment Values Equality.

Truly empowered people rarely chase power for the sake of it. Usually, they champion others and are pushed by their desire to level the playing field.

Empowered people use their influence for those who don’t have a voice. They speak up for those who can’t. They fight for rights for those who are oppressed, whether it be a child being bullied at school, an entire village of neglected farmers, or women perceived to be “lower class citizens.”

They do this not so the oppressed can be higher than others but simply so they can be equal with others.

Empowered people work to raise everyone, regardless of gender, race, age, nationality, religion, or other criteria. They are simply aware that some need more help than others getting there.

So what does it mean to be empowered?

Empowerment is a superpower that makes you unstoppable.

It is not something anyone else can give you—it’s something you need to tap and awaken inside you on your own. And once that happens, it sets you on a quest to make everyone else around you come alive, too.