Man, sometimes you just hit a wall, right? Like, you’re looking at a situation, and you know you need to bring some serious game, some real authority, but you’re not quite sure how to actually do that without just being a jerk. That’s kinda where I was a few months back. I had this big project at work, a real make-or-break thing, and I was leading the team. The pressure was on, and honestly, I was feeling a bit flustered. I knew I needed to project confidence and move things forward powerfully, but I struggled with finding that right balance. I didn’t want to just dictate, but I couldn’t be a pushover either. It was a proper conundrum.
I’ve always dabbled a bit with the I Ching, not in some super spiritual, guru kind of way, but more like a trusted old friend you go to when you need to sort out your head. It’s a different way to look at things, you know? So, one evening, after another day of feeling like I was wrestling an octopus, I just sat down with my three old coins and my notebook. I formulated my question, keeping it simple and direct: “How do I act with great power in this situation?” I didn’t want a prediction; I wanted guidance on my actions.
I shook those coins, watching them tumble, feeling that familiar little ritual. Once, twice, six times. Each throw, I carefully noted down the lines, building up the hexagram. My hands actually felt a bit shaky, which was weird, ’cause it’s just coins, right? But the intention was real. When I finished, I looked at what I had drawn. It was Hexagram 34. “Great Power,” or “Dazhuang.” I actually chuckled a bit, thinking, “Well, that’s on the nose.”
I pulled out my worn-out I Ching book, the one with all my coffee stains and dog-eared pages. I settled in to really dig into what it was telling me. The core message I got? Man, it hit hard. It wasn’t about being aggressive or bossy. It was about inner strength, about authentic power that comes from within, not from trying to dominate others. It talked about the thunder on heaven, immense strength, but also about not overreaching, not being reckless. It was a big warning against using power for the sake of power, or to inflate my own ego. It was all about doing the right thing, with conviction, and letting the power flow naturally from that.
The changing lines I got also hammered it home. One of them, I remember, strongly suggested that great power, when misdirected or used for selfish reasons, leads to trouble. It was like a mirror being held up, showing me that my frustration wasn’t coming from a lack of power, but perhaps from misusing or misunderstanding it. It pushed me to consider where my true strength lay and how I was projecting it. It told me to be firm, yes, but also just and righteous in my actions. Not to push too hard, too fast, without thinking it through. It was a call for deliberate, grounded action, not some wild charge.
So, the next day, I walked into the office with a different vibe. I stopped trying to force solutions. Instead, I started by really listening to my team, genuinely hearing their concerns and ideas, even the ones I initially thought were a bit out there. I gathered all the information I could, making sure I understood the entire picture before making any big moves. When I did speak, I made sure my words were clear, direct, and backed by solid reasoning, not just my gut feeling. I delegated tasks more effectively, trusting my team, but I also made it clear that I was there to steer the ship and make the final calls, without apology.
I also stopped trying to be everyone’s friend and focused on being a fair and decisive leader. If someone wasn’t pulling their weight, I addressed it directly, but always professionally and with solutions in mind, rather than just complaining. I found myself setting firmer boundaries, both for myself and for the team, which actually brought a weird sense of calm and clarity to the whole project. We hit a few more bumps, sure, but I felt much more equipped to handle them. I wasn’t just reacting; I was acting with intent.
What did I learn from all this? That “great power” isn’t about throwing your weight around. It’s about knowing your direction, standing firm in your convictions, and then acting with integrity and deliberate force, like a really well-aimed punch instead of a wild swing. It’s about not needing to prove your power, but just being powerful through your consistent, principled actions. It changed how I approached that project entirely, and honestly, how I think about leadership now. It wasn’t a magic fix, but it gave me the exact nudge I needed to get out of my own way and truly lead.
