Impossible dreams almost always come true.
When people think something can't possibly happen, they say "that's impossible." But when people say "impossible dream," they mean something once thought impossible that actually came true. The 1967 Boston Red Sox, for example (almost.)
Of course, usually the people who thought the outcome was impossible were people other than those who achieved it. The human condition is such that dreamers are at least partially surrounded by naysayers. "You're too small," they say, or "Don't aim too high; you'll be disappointed."
The reality of human life is that change is the constant. People routinely surpass "limits" of human endurance: the four-minute mile, the first ascent without oxygen of Mt. Everest, or even your neighbor who gets up and goes to work despite a horrible cold. We don't know our limits until we test them, and many of our limits turn out to be nothing more than a self-imposed belief.
Here's the biggest obstacle to bringing an impossible dream into your life: you have to believe in it, no matter what.
Doing so requires not only faith, but also tenacity so strong that it borders on irrationality, at least to others.
Rosie Swale-Pope, a 60+ woman who at this writing has almost completed a solo run around the world, says, "People talk about mind over matter, and I believe in it, but you really have to dig deep. It's not enough just to think. You have to work past your limits. I actually don't think that people have any limitations.
"Just go as hard as you can every day," urges Rosie. She says the challenges keep changing, and the only true enemy you have is yourself. By the way, Rosie ran the longest, hardest and coldest route possible around the globe, through both Siberia and Alaska.
In 1995, Molly Hale broke her neck in a car. She was supposed to be paralyzed from the neck down. She was not supposed to come back from this sort of injury. She can walk, with balance support. She is a vibrant, active member of society.
To make this progress, Molly had to ignore her medical team when they told her she was being too optimistic about her future.
"I've learned to view established truth with a detached attitude. I'm willing to take it in and see whether it is true for me. Medically I'm not supposed to be doing any of the things I'm doing. I should not be moving. I should not have the freedom of movement I now have, nor should I be able to gain ground."
It seems to some that the fundamental, absolutely essential skill required to make an impossible dream come true is the ability to embrace such a dream and wholeheartedly believe in it over an extended period of time. Believe, as in you will do whatever it takes to make that dream come true. This sort of belief means being willing to ignore - or at least postpone - the sensible, logical path. Athletes who live impossible dreams often compete through pain and injury. Innovators in both business and social endeavors keep striving long after others decided they were "crazy."
To maintain balance during a quest to make an impossible dream come true, it is helpful to value the journey as much as the destination. You can be as happy pursuing an impossible dream as you are having it come true. In fact, many people who accomplish an impossible dream promptly turn around and set a brand new lofty goal. They love surpassing their "limits," and so should the rest of us. Most of our limits are illusions. Break them into small enough pieces, and we recognize the truth in this statement.
Consider that virtually every innovation we now enjoy must have seemed seemed utterly impossible to 99.99% of humans living 200 or more years ago: electricity, automobiles, airplanes, wireless phones, personal computers, microwave ovens, gore-tex, scanners, popsicles, highways, washing machines, motorcycles.
Even today, people who are reticent to adopt new technologies can be amazed when confronted with the functions new devices offer. Pull up a satellite image of your current location on your iPhone and show it to such a person, and then watch the look of amazement in his or her eyes. But if you asked such a person whether it was worth your time to develop applications for such a device, the odds are pretty good your response would be something to the effect of "that's a silly dream."
It is not the world's job to encourage you. It is not the role of others to inspire you, although this often happens. It is up to each of us to find motivation and possibilities deep inside ourselves, and to realize that once we learn to tap into such reserves, almost anything becomes possible.
As evidence, think of a moment when you felt unbelievably alive. Perhaps it was when you first fell in love, or first travelled to an exotic location. The way you felt may have been triggered by an external person or place, but the feeling itself was entirely located within your mind and body. You can feel just as good, just as alive, merely by using your own thoughts to trigger similar feelings. For example, if you practice imagining the feeling of falling in love, eventually you will experience a positive jolt of energy. All the chemicals, all the emotions, all the biological processes exist already within your body. They are assets you can use any time you choose.
In summary, to make an impossible dream come true in your life:
1. Believe 100% in the dream, even when outside events discourage you.
2. Dig deep, and work past your limits.
3. Break down big challenges into manageable pieces.
4. Enjoy the journey as much as the destination.
5. Find inspiration within you.
vinay vishwas
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