The drive to accumulate power over others or situations is always rooted in fear. Having power isn’t inherently fearful — power may come to you naturally. But the seeking of power signals an underlying fear, typically of helplessness.
“People who want to feel power — control over situations — just fear. They just are scared on some level. We all are scared when we are looking to find power.”
Like any addiction, achieving power provides only a short-term high. Joe recalls driving in his poorest period and realizing that the billionaires he knew were also driving around thinking “I don’t have enough.” The best investor he ever met said: if you see somebody who thinks money will solve their problems, don’t invest. Capitalization doesn’t solve problems — it just makes them bigger.
Once you have power, you must work to maintain it. The cycle never satisfies because the fear underneath hasn’t been addressed. The only path out is through the feeling of helplessness itself — the very emotion that drives the power-seeking in the first place.
Related Concepts
- Fear as road map, not enemy
- Fear-based safety attracts what it fears
- Helplessness is the emotion being avoided
- Going through helplessness is what creates empowerment
- Owning your wants means being okay with having them
- Depersonalizing money creates financial freedom
- The difference between craving and wanting
- Power seeking is the ultimate expression of fear