“The only way of discovering the limits of the possible is to venture a little way past them into the impossible.”~Arthur C. Clarke
We blog a lot about taking risks. We coach and counsel our clients to step out of their comfort zone and try something new, to reach for their dreams even if they seem too distant and unreachable. Because the only way to know if something is possible, especially the things that seem totally impossible, is to go ahead and try them.
You may dream about stepping out on your own, and then talk yourself out of doing it. You might speak longingly about when you’ll get your book written, or run a marathon, or make VP, or SVP. Some of us let these goals falter and die, and then there are those of us who’ve taken steps – little by little – to make our goals a reality.
Often the first step towards our dreams and goals seems unrealistic and at least a little impossible. And yet with that first step, that impossibility often becomes a possibility, or at least it becomes clearer where the line between possible and impossible may lie. It also becomes clearer what, if anything, needs to happen to make the impossible more possible. Maybe we need to put more savings aside so that we can take a month off to write. Maybe we need to go back to school and earn another degree. Maybe it’s just one course we need, rather than a whole degree. Taking that first step towards what may seem impossible will help us know what other steps we need to take.
Too often we let our preconceived notions, our fears, our distorted view of reality and possibilities hold us back and convince us not to try. All we may need to do is venture out just a little way past our limits, to see what we can achieve.
How far out from the possible have you gone?
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If you enjoyed this post, you can read more like it in our book, The Power of Thoughtful Leadership: 101 Minutes To Being the Leader You Want To Be, available on Amazon.
For guidance in stepping out to try the impossible, contact Lisa at lkohn@chatsworthconsulting.com.
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