We've all experienced this – a person or thing is annoying you and all you want to do is reprimand them. Usually, we'll attempt to keep our cool, however, we often discover afterward that we didn't sound as smooth as we thought we did in the moment.
This may be the case for most of us. However, some individuals are capable of calmly pulling off incredible power moves that take them from a state of weakness or conflict to a position of enviable strength. We've rounded up a list of our favorite real-world examples of power moves that are worthy of admiration. Don’t forget to take notes!
100% Confident
Have you ever attempted to hit on somebody you thought was appealing at a bar? You need to know that courage is key when you're attempting to make casual conversation with somebody you like.
Take it from this man whose ultimate confidence paid off. He was on a mission, and he achieved it, winning over the woman of his dreams in return for his power move. We have a feeling, though, that not everyone would get such a great outcome from using this technique!
The Ultimate Game Plan
It's a fantasy for everyone who regularly hits the clubs to be able to sidestep the entrance fee at the door. Of course, that fantasy rarely becomes a reality since the establishments need to bring in cash. However, some people have figured out how to game the system.
This person enacted a stealthy con, enabling them to sashay on into the club for free with the bouncers being none the wiser. What a power move!
The Bro Code
There could be no more excellent thing to have on your side than dependable friends. They know precisely how to get you out of any sticky situation, and the following power move proves that point:
This child couldn't have cared less about the potential for detention after the epic power move he made. If his pals didn't stick to the bro code, the situation may have gone an entirely different way. That’s one lucky kid!
A Card up His Sleeve
People take many approaches in their attempts to get out of speeding tickets. However, we’ve never seen a power move as smooth as this person’s! When these two friends were pulled over for speeding, one ended up having a secret weapon.
Rather than being reprimanded by the cop, this clever person was able to criticize him. Of course, it’s a rare moment indeed when a cop who tries to give you a ticket just happens to be parked on your property, so this is one of the rarest power moves on the list!
The Brassy Cat
All cat owners know that cats are the kings and queens of power moves. If you’re not yet convinced, have a read of the bold act this neighborhood cat was happy to do while making eye contact with the closest human.
He clearly wanted to make an impression, and that was unmistakably what happened. At times, animals can be much more astute than we give them credit for, and this one is obviously an expert at exerting his power over people.
The Art of Sass
One thing kids are far better at than adults is the art of backtalk. The interesting thing is, they don't even realize how amazing they are at it! In this situation, who's to say?
This was one of the best comebacks we have ever seen. Needless to say, this boy will be remembered for the (probably unintentional) remark for quite some time. At least the world-weary uncle appears to have taken the joke well.
How to Move on
If you haven’t watched the John Mulaney comedy show on Netflix, you should skip this one as spoilers are incorporated. Anyhow, here’s the unexpected power move: John’s dad was on an excursion with his children, and when you’re out and about with a car full of kids, there’s one request that will be inevitable.
You know the drill – a vehicle loaded with kids will eventually be filled with tiny voices begging to stop at McDonald's. Children can't resist the moment they spot the golden arches. John’s dad appears to give in, but when he reaches the window in the McDonald's drive-thru, he orders a cup of espresso for himself. Monster or legend?
How to Win Hangman
This is extraordinary compared to other power moves on the list. The professor was leading his class through a game of scientific Hangman, with just three puzzling letters on the board. As the class struggled with the puzzle, a passing senior took one look at the board and shouted the answer.
The whole class, including the professor, presumably had a jaw-drop moment after this epic power move. This person must be a physics major or a genius in the making.
Putting up a Fight
Children can get pretty serious, and when they want something for themselves they’ll do almost anything to hold onto it. When kids see their sibling accomplish something or play with something, they quickly want to have exactly the same thing.
This little miss was sitting on the lap of her uncle's sweetheart, feeling large and in charge. When her sibling saw her, he got envious, but instead of getting up to respect her sibling's desire, she instead let out a fart.
Too Serious
This person clearly takes things too seriously! He was offered a pencil for lunch by a schoolmate, and despite the fact that he had a real lunch of his own, he still took the challenge and ate the pencil.
Who offers a pencil for lunch? More to the point, who eats one? He presumably did it just to demonstrate that he could. However, it seems like he took things a bit too far.
Ron Swanson’s Power Move
We regularly identify with the characters we see on television. Just because they aren't real, doesn't mean they can't inspire us with their power moves.
Ron Swanson’s character from Parks and Recreation is a great example. When somebody bothers him, he deliberately gets their name wrong. This is a definite power move, but maybe not the best one to take into real life.
The Fastest Way to Go Home
This person needed to go home ahead of schedule, presumably because they were sick. When the boss denied this very reasonable request, the employee proved the gravity of the situation by vomiting on her.
Either that was sufficient to persuade her that her employee was wiped out and ought to lie in bed, or she felt incredibly embarrassed and couldn't see their face for the remainder of the day. At least, the worker got what they needed.
The Essence of Authority
This person's dad revealed a moving story from his days back in secondary school. Their professor was attempting to make a point about authority by saying that if he advised the class to leave, they would all do so since he has authority as an instructor. If another student told them to leave, however, they wouldn't go.
The student in question stood up and made the first of two power moves, telling the class they could leave. Then every student in the room pushed the power move to the extreme by actually leaving. What bosses!
A Savage Response
Children can be totally heartless on occasion. Many of them don't mean any mischief by it, yet a few children know precisely what they are doing. Regardless of what you ask them, children will in any case figure out how to shock you!
It would appear that this toddler just took the big man’s girlfriend. With a smooth reaction like that from the child, how could you not chuckle about it? He’s clearly a heartbreaker in the making!
The Power Walk
Lawyers are a fascinating breed. No one can tell what sort of character you will get in a legal advisor. It could be anything from Phoenix Wright to Saul Goodman!
Based on this story, this lady exudes power moves, and we wish that we could look this cool when we trip and stumble. This attorney didn't skip a beat when she lost her shoe. Indeed, this lawyer isn't to be fooled with in court.
Hierarchy Act
Have you been to a high school reunion? Sometimes they’re nothing but fun, with old friends catching up and rekindling their connections. However, some people just never mature beyond their high school mindset.
In this case, the school bully was still determined to be a jerk to all the kids he’d once picked on. However, he failed to understand that people grow up, develop confidence, and improve their lives after high school. We hope this encounter made him rethink his life choices.
Flex Your Creative Muscles
Everybody fears being fired. You need to earn enough to pay the bills, so it pays to work hard and show up on time each day to ensure your value is understood.
If you ever find yourself called into a meeting room for the dreaded termination talk, take a leaf out of this fellow’s book and stand your ground. It seems like it was for the best that the person left. We bet this company wasn't around for much longer.
Ice Cubes Don’t Lie
Showing up late for work is mortifying if you’re a diligent person. If you’re a coffee fiend, the situation is even worse as you have to decide whether to pick up your morning espresso and arrive even later.
If you can’t do without your morning buzz, just make sure you don’t appear at the office with iced coffee. This is pretty clever since the timing of hot coffee is much harder to nail down. Those ice blocks don't lie! Of course, showing up late with a fresh iced coffee is definitely a power move.
Bartending Blues
Have you ever experienced terrible customer service at a bar? Bartenders may get to drink with customers on occasion, but that doesn’t mean they don’t have to do their jobs efficiently.
Tragically, some bartenders don't have enough respect for the work they do. In such cases, customers have to take matters into their own hands. What would you have done in this situation? We have to say, we’re pretty impressed by the customer who refilled his drink!
Senioritis is a Force
Senioritis refers to that time in secondary school where you decide you no longer need to worry about school work. A few instructors attempt to defy it, however, a large portion of them don't succeed. This instructor thought he’d cracked the case.
Sadly, his odd attempt at fighting laziness in his students backfired. He learned that the apathy of high school seniors is a relentless power.
The Hint Maker
No one enjoys running into their ex-partner following a difficult separation. Odds are, the discussion that follows will be really uncomfortable. Some are savvy enough to spot their ex and head in a different direction before making eye contact. However, many think that striking up an awkward conversation is the thing to do.
It's a cruel means of telling somebody they're not welcome, but are there actually any decent methods of doing it? We're pretty sure that this woman’s friend was glad she didn't have to get rid of the guy herself.
The Ultimate Negotiator
Negotiation is a tough skill to acquire. There are a ton of questions that you need to contemplate before you begin. Only the best arbitrators out there naturally understand the best approaches to get people to cave to their demands.
Even among the seasoned professionals, there are those negotiators who have an unrivaled degree of shrewdness. We can't help thinking about the number of free lunches this guy has gotten throughout his career.
How to Tune People out
Don't you hate it when you're strolling down the road, tuning in to music, staying out of other people's affairs, and somebody comes over and attempts to start a discussion?
Many people have discovered shrewd approaches to avoiding intrusive conversationalists, yet we believe that this one takes the cake. This young lady has made the most out of her situation. The only problem is, you need hearing aids to be able to adopt her power move.
A Grammatical Power Move
Don’t you hate it when teachers get nit-picky about your grammar? You ask if you can go to the bathroom and the teacher thinks they’re so clever when they reply with “I don’t know, can you?” This kid had a brilliant response.
If only everybody was this confident in saying what they need, the overdone quip likely wouldn't exist. This is definitely one to take note of if you’re still in school!
How to Score Free Groceries
Grocery stores can be a nightmare at the best of times. You have to deal with the buzzing fluorescent lights, screaming kids, long checkout queues – you know the drill. Every now and then, though, the supermarket offers you the opportunity to make a power move.
We get that it's almost midnight, but that is no reason for the staff to avoid offering assistance. Their lack of diligence did offer this guy the chance to simply walk out with a free load of groceries, though, so we can’t be too annoyed at them!
Silent Rejection
Some parents like to be involved in what music their kids listen to, and their opinions on the matter are highly important. It might have been an amazing power move on the parent's part, but we don’t recommend littering like this.
We can't envision this ending well for the parents. Even if they didn’t get a littering fine from the police, they’ve modeled littering as acceptable behavior to their kids. There are other ways to stop them from listening to Shaggy!
Twisting the Rules
Don't you wish that you could bend the rules your way sometimes? Often, it just isn’t possible. However, when people leave some ambiguity in the way they word things, you should always seize your chance to twist things to your benefit.
This kid didn't really defy the rules. We simply need to know how he managed to get to the opposite side of the emergency exit. Jacob probably had some unfathomable athletic ability to pull that off.
Ruthless Company
Kids can be truly sweet and innocent, with barely any comprehension of the harshness of the world. However, this very innocence can sometimes make them tougher than even the most world-weary adults.
We realize the child didn't mean any harm, however, this is a perfect representation of how demanding little children can be. They will tell you precisely what they want and assume that their demand will be granted.
The Joke was on Her
Aside from little kids, a few parents have gained notoriety for being ruthless. If they see their children with something they shouldn't have, they'll ensure that they never see the contraband item again.
Little does the mom know, it is not difficult to copy a CD. Writing "Bible Hymns" on the case was a stroke of genius. We just hope the girl had headphones because it would quickly become apparent that the CD wasn’t filled with Bible hymns once she pressed play!
A Cure for Rude People
Some people have naturally uproarious voices. There isn't a ton that they can do but to be aware of their volume so they don’t disturb people when out in public. Others are not all that considerate and can cause a commotion in spots intended to be calm and quiet.
In the end, rude individuals will snap when met with bold power moves. This person sunk to the loud man's level, but he only stayed there long enough to expertly get back at him.
Genuine Feedback
We think that teachers, out of all the professions, should be the most capable people at handling constructive criticism. All things considered, they dole it out the most! However, it seems not all of them are willing to hear about their shortcomings.
What makes this feedback so powerful is that it comes from the student the instructor respected the most. Something tells us that this teacher had a profound, meaningful conversation with himself that evening. We hope he has changed his methods.
Getting Their Attention
You'll never know what sort of employee you'll come up against at a fast-food restaurant. As you'll see below, some of them aren't all that skilled at customer service.
We wonder if the man was penalized at all. Or did they realize he was in the right? He definitely had the right to refill his own drink since the staff didn’t seem to have any desire to do their jobs!
A Bigger Citation
Imagine if you had the power and authority to fine a police officer while he was in the middle of giving you a fine? Would you ever hold back on exercising that power? We think not!
This city official was amazed at the audacity of the cop, sticking to his guns over a minor infraction. So, the official did what any logical person would do – they followed the cop’s lead by sticking doggedly to a rule they were authorized to enforce.
Let’s Go Home
Sometimes a little overtime at work is unavoidable. However, no one should be expected to work more than their scheduled hours because someone else is holding things up for no good reason.
When you have inconsiderate clients, you’re left with two choices: put up with them and allow your team to work late or bust out an almighty power move. This guy’s boss chose the latter, coming up with a powerful method of saying "it's time to go home!"
Sick for Days
Apart from medical professionals, you're the one who understands most clearly what's best for your health. It can be frustrating when you’re forced to go to work while sick, especially if your manager doesn't appear to trust you.
Fortunately, this individual didn't need to remain in the office long for it to be abundantly clear that they were genuinely sick. We trust that the business had the option to evaluate their time off arrangement and dispose of it.
Someone got Fired
People who steal tips from their coworkers are the worst. Wait staff already deal with customers who are stingy with their tips. To have your colleagues take the tips you do get is simply unacceptable.
Thankfully, the manager in this situation wasn’t blind. OC (obnoxious coworker) strolled directly into that one. To be fair, their request for someone to be fired was granted.
An Excellent Move
The bar can be where the phoniest stories spring up. Add liquor to the group, and no one can really tell what will come to pass! Fortunately for these guys, they took a circumstance that might have been tense and dealt with it in the most savage manner possible.
They really appeared to be pretty chill about their table being taken. It was a success for all parties. Awkward it may have been, but it worked out in the end.
If in Doubt, Put it in Your Mouth
There are a few stories that you just can't explain, no matter how hard you try. Feel free to take a stab at clarifying the reasoning behind this story – we don't think we can. We're in solid concurrence with Friend 1 here.
This is the sort of individual that you know not to fool with! We don't have the foggiest idea how this person had the ability to macerate the paper plane and swallow it. What a feat!
A Shocking Recovery
Falling over in public is the worst. Everyone's eyes will be on you, and you can’t take back what happened. So, your best course of action is to bust out a power move and make a stylish recovery.
This child pulled it off gracefully. He took an embarrassing fall but quickly transformed it into a power move. We bet he’ll grow up with an inspirational perspective on life! Indeed, you can transform any awful moment into a triumph if you have the right attitude.