"It always seems impossible until it's done."
Perhaps the single most powerful and well-known comment on the subject of impossibility.
Words expressed by one person - just like you or I - who fundamentally altered the course of history for the better. His name? Nelson Mandela, of course.
Though the majority of us will never have to confront challenges of this scale or magnitude in our lifetime, there is great certainty that we will face plenty of doubt, hesitance or lack of belief in the challenges that do face us (no matter how big or small).
The thing is, most of the time in this complex and confusing journey we call life, things will happen to us that we cannot predict and certainly cannot control - right? Wrong.
The only thing to fear in life is fear itself. Now that's by no means an easy concept to wrap our brains around but it's true.
When we brand something as 'impossible' we are creating a situation in our mind that prevents us from achieving something that's (ironically) quite the opposite. We build a wall where there needn't be one.
We fear failure, we fear rejection and we fear the unknown but what if you decided to embrace your what if? and become fascinated with your fears?
Well, let's take a second to think about some of the totally ridiculous, impossible ideas that popped into other peoples heads once upon a time...
A small tablet that could relieve you from physical pain?
A vehicle allowing you to travel, at your leisure, across the entire world?
The internet...?!
They were all impossible once but the one thing that they all had in common was someone who approached them, refusing to believe in such poppycock.
As founder of the Not Impossible Foundation, Mick Ebeling nicely summarises:
"If not now, then when?"
"If not me, then who?"
If you want to achieve greatness? Believe in the impossible.
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