How many of us dreamed of having superhero powers when we were kids?  Obviously, a lot, otherwise Marvel wouldn’t have made so many movies in the past decade!  Having the ability to fly, super strength, or any other ability (that defies the laws of physics) is not only entertaining to see, but empowering when used to fight against evil.

Now, that’s fiction, but power does exist in real life as well.  It’s usually associated with wealth and celebrity-level success in life.  But, what if I told you that each of us possess power regardless of how much money we earn or how high we rank in society?

Your power lies in your voice.  This is especially true for those of you, like me, that are introverted and don’t normally shout or yell.  Your voice allows you to convey your thoughts and emotions on any subject you wish.  But, for introverts, being heard in real life is very difficult — if not impossible.

On the internet, your voice is heard and received at the same decibel level as everyone else’s.  You are finally treated on an equal playing field.  And, most of us have large amounts of friends/followers which act as a platform for you to speak your mind.

So, you have a voice, a platform, a message… but, how can you make yourself heard amongst the sea of people on the internet?  That’s the “secret sauce” to all this: influence.

In real life, extroverts dominate conversations through the sheer volume and intensity of their voice.  Does it matter what they’re saying?  Most of the time, no.  The squeaky wheel gets the grease.  In other words, the more one whines and complains, the more likely they are to get their way — whether they’re right or not.  This is especially true for us introverts who aren’t interested in arguing with loud and obnoxious people.

But online, you can usually mute/ignore/block people that speak in all caps, spam, or are just plain rude in general.  You’re not obligated to interact with the riff-raff of society.  Trust me, when I say: the clearer you are at communicating your point(s), the more likely you are to influence or persuade someone else to agree with your opinion.  I also find that you command more respect by using correct spelling & grammar, and by always remaining courteous & professional.

Now, how do you use this new found power successfully?  It’s all about connection.  Celebrities have millions of followers, but there’s no physical way for them to speak with each and every one of them.  Instead, they do what I do — pretend the person they’re trying to reach is right in front of them, looking at them face-to-face.

Speak like you’re trying to connect with just one person, and it won’t matter whether you’re trying to reach one person or 8 billion.  You will succeed once you find that special connection that works for you.  Creative people like musicians, artists, writers, actors, etc. are all trying to connect with their fans through their work, and they succeed because they’ve mastered the skill I just described; all in their own unique way.

So, try it!  Go on Twitter, Instagram, Facebook, TikTok, or wherever you have the largest amount of followers and say something you’ve always been afraid to say, regarding some injustice you’ve personally faced.  If you feel safer quoting someone else or a supporting article, go ahead, but be sure to include your brutally honest opinion too.  

It’s incredibly liberating!  You’ll be surprised at how much power you can wield with your voice, and you’ll quickly discover how you can harness that power to affect positive change in this world.

You can measure your success based on the number of likes, hearts and/or positive comments you receive.  Remember, it takes time to perfect your communication skills, but with some practice, you’ll be a rockstar in no time!  And, if you’d like me to chime in or just offer some support, feel free to tag me:

• @NRodrigues516 on Twitter
• @yonkey2k17 on Instagram
• Neil Rodrigues on Facebook
• @yonkeysworld on TikTok

Have fun!