Unfortunately, extreme levels of power are necessary to get things done. If you're afraid of being assassinated, find a way to prevent it without giving up the power.

Choose a more versatile form of power. Militaristic political control is absolutely necessary if your task is sweeping social change - and even then political climate asserts much more influence over what you must choose to do than your 'power' exerts on the environment. Money is a far more flexible and reliable form of power for the purpose of getting nearly everything you want to get done.