In all our family meeting workshops with clients, we kick off the 2-day session with a question: If you could have any superpower, what would it be and why? We’ve heard hundreds of answers, most of which are externally focused. Fly. Teleport. Turn invisible. Abilities that let us escape friction, move faster, or avoid discomfort altogether. They’re imaginative—and revealing.
But the superpowers that actually determine whether someone thrives in life are far quieter.
In a recent FS.blog reflection, Shane Parrish listed a set of superpowers (below) that don’t look impressive on the surface but compound relentlessly over time. They are internal skills—ways of relating to yourself, others, and the world—that shape the quality of a life far more than talent or circumstance.
The ability to change yourself and your mind is foundational. Thriving requires adaptation. People who can revise beliefs, update identities, and let go of outdated stories stay aligned with reality rather than trapped by the past. This flexibility is not inconsistency; it’s growth.
For example, the superpower of not taking things personally frees enormous emotional energy. Most situations are not about us, even when they feel that way. When feedback, silence, or disagreement no longer trigger self-defense, people gain clarity, resilience, and the ability to respond rather than react.
Not needing to prove you’re right is closely related. The need for validation is exhausting. Letting go of it creates space for learning, collaboration, and peace. Thriving individuals care more about understanding than winning.
Careful selection of relationships may be one of the most practical superpowers of all. Who you allow close, who influences your thinking, and who has access to your inner world matters deeply. Thriving doesn’t require more relationships—it requires better ones.
Staying calm is a form of quiet leadership over your own nervous system. Calm doesn’t mean passive or disengaged; it means steady. People who can remain grounded during uncertainty think more clearly, decide better, and recover faster from stress.
Being alone without being lonely signals a healthy relationship with yourself. The ability to sit in solitude without distraction or avoidance often precedes insight, creativity, and self-trust. Thriving people are comfortable in their own company.
Being okay with being uncomfortable separates growth from stagnation. Discomfort is the entry fee for learning, change, and meaning. Those who can tolerate it—without numbing or fleeing—expand their capacity for life.
And finally, thinking for yourself. Independent thought is not contrarianism; it’s discernment. Thriving individuals can listen widely, respect others, and still arrive at their own conclusions.
These are not flashy superpowers. You won’t see them celebrated loudly. But together, they form a durable foundation for a life that is resilient, grounded, and deeply lived.
"Progress is impossible without change, and those who cannot change their minds cannot change anything."
<br/><span class="body-2 opacity-80" style="padding-top:0.75rem">~ George Bernard Shaw</span>
"Do the best you can until you know better. Then when you know better, do better."
<br/><span class="body-2 opacity-80" style="padding-top:0.75rem">~ Maya Angelou</span>
