The Story We’ve Been Told
For as long as we can remember, human evolution has been framed as a story of dominance.
We exist, we’re told, because we mastered the art of survival - outcompeting others and controlling our environment. It’s the narrative of survival of the fittest.
At its core, though, what drives this story is fear.
The fear of extinction. The fear of not having enough. The fear of not being enough.
It’s this fear that fuels the endless pursuit of what I call external power.
I used to believe that external power - titles, money, recognition - was the key to success. I chased it, measured myself by it, and, at times, defined my worth by it. But no matter how much I achieved, it always felt like something was missing.
That’s when I began to ask: Is this really power? Or is it just fear disguised as success?
What Is External Power?
External power is about control:
- Control over the environment.
- Control over others.
- Control over outcomes.
It’s what we’re taught to strive for - success, status, and security.
It’s the kind of power you can:
- Gain or lose
- Buy or steal
- Inherit or transfer
Money, status, possessions, professional standing, education, and fame - these are often symbols of external power.
They’re where we look for safety and significance.
But here’s the issue:
When we see power as something external, it turns life into a competition.
It creates winners and losers. It keeps us in a cycle of fear, violence, and destruction.
And we only have to spend five minutes watching the news to see this happening all over the world.
We’ve built entire systems around this way of thinking. And while it may have helped us survive, it hasn’t brought us peace.
Whether at a personal, organisational, national, or international level, we can’t escape the many examples of competition for external power driving our decisions and behaviour.
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A Different Kind of Power
What if real power isn’t about control at all?
Authentic power is something entirely different.
It doesn’t come from what you own, achieve, or dominate. It can’t be taken from someone else or handed to you by another.
Authentic power comes from within.
It’s the power to:
- Love life in every form it takes
- See meaning and purpose in the smallest details
- Respond with compassion instead of judgment
It’s not about being the strongest or the smartest or the most successful. It’s about living in a way that’s true to who you are.
And here’s the thing: Authentic power doesn’t rely on fear. It’s rooted in love, connection, and presence.
A New Evolution
As a species, we’ve mastered external power.
But maybe the next chapter in our evolution isn’t about dominating. Maybe it’s about collaborating.
What if we stopped measuring strength by what we can control and started measuring it by how deeply we connect?
What if we stopped chasing security outside of ourselves and started building it from within?
When we shift from external power to authentic power, we stop fighting for survival. We start living with purpose.
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Your Inside Edge
Here’s the thought I’ll leave you with:
The most powerful contribution you can make to the world doesn’t come from what you have - it comes from who you are.
So, what would change if you let go of the need to control and focused on showing up authentically?
This is still a journey for me. There are moments when I catch myself falling back into old patterns, chasing external validation.
But now, I remind myself: true power comes from within. It’s about living in alignment with who I am, not who I think I’m supposed to be.
And the more I lean into that, the more I see the ripple effect - not just in my life, but in the lives of the people I work with.
The most powerful agreements aren’t the ones we make with others. They’re the ones we make with ourselves.
Keep going and keep growing.
Warmest,
Glin
'Together We Create More Valuable Agreements'
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