No One Did It Until They Did
Why sometimes I’ve believed as many as six impossible things before breakfast.
Lewis Carroll’s Alice in Wonderland
The Impossible
Trying something new. Branching out. Moving outside your comfort zone.
What do these three things have in common? They can be scary as fuck. Especially when you’re blazing a new trail and venturing into worlds unknown.
In fact, when it’s something no one else has done, it can feel like you’re taking on the impossible.
The 4-Minute Mile
Have you ever heard the story of the 4-minute mile?
For the longest time, experts said it was impossible for runners to break 4-minutes in a mile. And, for the longest time, no one did.
People got close.
One person hit 4:01 in the 40’s. But it seemed like there was an invisible barrier preventing every runner from breaking 4-minutes.
People believed they couldn’t simply because it had never been done.
Then, in 1954 Roger Bannister did the impossible. He broke the 4-minute barrier.
Once he did it, others began to, as well. He single handedly shattered the invisible barrier every other runner had constructed.
Moral of the Story
I love that story.
First, and foremost, I was an athlete so this particular story resonates with me. And it’s a very simple way to explain a seemingly complex idea.
These barriers, like the 4-minute mile, are mental. That’s it.
Roger Bannister had to fully believe, without a doubt, that this limitation did not apply to him. He had to believe the impossible was possible.
What’s even more telling is the fact that, once Bannister did it, others quickly followed suit. Once the world saw that it was actually possible, other runners were able to do it, too. Simply put, they could not (and did not) believe it was possible until they had proof.
We’re Not All Runners
This story is all well and good, but how exactly does it apply to life, in general?
Well, everything is mental, not just sports.
Think about it. If you don’t believe you can do something, do you really think you’re going to do it? Most definitely not.
Imagine this. You’ve always had this dream of starting your own business, but you don’t actually believe you can do it. So, you get started. You purchase a LLC, make a website, and write a business plan. You do all of the necessary prep work. But, no matter how much you do, there’s always one thought in the back of your mind reminding you that you’re just not cut out to own your own business.
Other people? Of course it’s possible for them. They have the right background. They’re smarter. Their idea is way more creative.
Sound familiar?
This is an invisible barrier of your own making. Somewhere along the way, you decided that you weren’t actually capable of starting your own business. So, no matter what you do, you will always fall short.