At some point, we all feel powerless. We see a goal we want to reach, but the journey feels uncertain, and the barriers seem insurmountable. It’s easy to get stuck in this feeling, but what if the real issue isn’t a lack of power, but an illusion of control?
We always have power—not necessarily the power to do, but often the power to not do. When faced with a tough choice, there’s always an easy option: don’t take action. Don’t send that email, don’t make that phone call, don’t reach out to that new opportunity. But that same choice to avoid action comes with a cost—the cost of missed opportunity.
Every time we choose inaction, we distance ourselves from the goals we wish to achieve. The opportunity slips away, and suddenly the timeline we imagined stretches out, or worse, the goal itself fades into the background. Was the power to avoid taking action real power? Or is it simply a form of delusion—a way to protect ourselves from the potential pain of failure? Is powerlessness itself a form of maya, an illusion we create to justify our inaction?
How the Fear of Rejection Masks Opportunity
We often look at those who seal big deals or make waves in their industries and wonder how they manage it. How do they get past the rejection, the obstacles, and the overwhelming odds? The answer is almost too simple: they ask.
They ask for the deal, they ask for the opportunity, and yes, sometimes they get rejected. In fact, rejection happens so often that it becomes part of the rhythm of success. But in asking, they claim the power of action, which is the only true power any of us have.
This brings to mind a verse from the Bhagavad Gita: “You have the right to work, but not to the fruits of work.” In other words, doing is your dharma—your duty. The result? That is beyond your control.
Embracing the Power of Action
If you focus solely on the results, it’s easy to feel powerless because you cannot guarantee outcomes. But if you shift your perspective, you’ll realize that power lies in the doing, in the effort you put in. You may not know if you’ll succeed, but you can control whether you try. The moment you stop focusing on the outcome and start putting your energy into the process, you reclaim your power.
Inaction is the true defeat. Choosing not to act because of fear or the illusion of powerlessness leads to stagnation. Action—whether it leads to success or failure—is movement, and movement is progress.
The Cost of Opportunity
Every time you choose to avoid something—whether it’s asking for that deal or pushing forward despite uncertainty—you are not saving yourself from rejection, but paying the cost of lost opportunity. And that cost is often higher than we think. You miss the chance to learn, to grow, to meet people who could change your life, to find success in unexpected ways.
In the end, the question is not whether we are powerful or powerless, but whether we are willing to see through the illusion of inaction and seize the opportunities in front of us, regardless of the outcome. You may not always achieve your goals on the intended timeline—or even at all—but every action you take is a step towards something greater, a life lived fully.
So, do we really have power? Yes. But it’s the power to act, and through that action, to embrace both the risks and rewards. The power to not act, however, is nothing more than maya—an illusion that keeps us from our dharma. And if we learn anything from the Bhagavad Gita, it’s that doing, not the outcome, is where our true strength lies.
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