There are two ways of exerting one's strength: one is pushing down, the other is pulling up. Booker T. — Booker T. Washington

There are two ways of exerting one's strength: one is pushing down, the other is pulling up. Booker T.

Author: Booker T. Washington

Insight: We tend to think of power as something we wield downward—commanding, criticizing, proving we're right. But there's a quieter form of strength that gets overlooked: the ability to lift someone else up. Washington's insight cuts deeper than it first appears because pulling someone up actually requires more sustained effort than pushing them down. A harsh word takes seconds. Building someone's confidence, opening doors, mentoring through setbacks—that demands real patience and investment. The tricky part is that pulling up can look passive to people obsessed with dominance. It doesn't announce itself. You won't see it trending on social media. But in your actual life, notice who makes you feel capable and who makes you feel small. The people who pull you up are the ones you trust, follow willingly, and want to become more like. They're not trying to prove anything. They're doing something harder: they're making room for you to grow beside them. This matters now because we're drowning in downward strength—the constant urge to correct, to dunk on someone online, to establish a hierarchy. The real power move is spotting potential in others and helping them reach it, especially when nobody's watching.