About this quote

Power changes people, and time wears down even the best intentions. When you stay in a position of authority too long, you stop listening to feedback and start protecting your own power. Compromises that seemed small at first slowly pile up until you are defending the very things you used to fight against. Have you noticed how easy it is to justify a bad decision just because you made it? It takes active effort and a willing exit strategy to keep your integrity intact.

When to use it

• I knew I had to step down from the department head role when I found myself writing a policy to punish the junior staff for the exact same shortcuts I used to take.
• He started the youth soccer league to give local kids a fun, low-pressure place to play, but now he is screaming at referees over a minor tournament trophy.
• We started this eco-friendly startup to reduce plastic waste, but to keep the business afloat this quarter, we just approved a cheap shipping method that uses heavy bubble wrap.
• You spent years complaining about how overprotective and controlling your parents were, but now you are tracking your teenager's location every single second.