Powerlessness is what the balei mussar call destroying the "Anochi"; the "self".
The Chassidishe seforim call it "being batul u'mevutal to the ohr ayn sof"
But being powerless does not make you one iota less responsible for your actions.
Being powerless does not mean helpless.
My zayda says in Kedushas Levy that we need to realize that we are nothing at all, but.. still... Hakadosh Boruch Hu only has nachas ruach from little me and little you!
Powerlessness is a paradigm shift in how a person looks at himself.
It's simply the recognition that "I can't do it alone".
If a person wants to do it alone because of his EGO, that person is toast!!
Why?
Because today Mr. Anochi wants to be the "shayner yid", the "shoimer aynayim", but tomorrow Mr. Anochi has new more powerful desires, like the need for shmutz!