Two men sat looking up into the sky. One said, “It’s wonderful that we can send people to explore the Moon and communicate all over the world by bouncing sound waves off large devices that orbit Earth.” His friend replied, “You are insane! Such feats are impossible!” The year was 1600, and those feats WERE impossible … or were they?
Is it possible for someone who’s just started walking for exercise to run a marathon? Can a person who only yesterday enrolled in college obtain a Ph.D.? A man and woman have begun getting to know each other … is a life of love and companionship possible? The answers are no – and yes.
Accomplishments that are totally unlikely today become reality when time and the right types of effort are applied to them. It takes steady progress, dedication, and a large dose of vision, but the end will ultimately be in sight. Goals broken down into next steps which are planned, prioritized, and then executed are eventually achieved.
What appears impossible may just be an idea that’s ahead of its time, or that is outside the grasp of current experience. It starts by doing what we can today – going for a short walk, filling out the university application, learning to be selfless in a relationship. Each action takes us to a new plateau from which the next challenge becomes visible. The process then continues.
Endurance athletes, those with the title “Doctor”, husbands and wives in long-term successful relationships, and many others know that what once seemed completely unattainable is actually quite possible. Think of that the next time you look up into the sky.
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The above is used by permission from the book Three Years Of Tuesday Mornings: 156 e-mails about business and life by Steve Fales.
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The “Possible Impossibilities” theme reminds me of the Thomas Edison quote: “If we did all the things we are capable of we would literally astound ourselves.” As you point out, the starting point is always having an open mind about the possibilities, breaking goals down into next steps, and committing to the journey that takes us from now to some new frontier of growth and fulfillment.
Reminds me of … Don’t despise small beginnings.