Making the Impossible Possible

We’ve all heard the word “impossible.” Maybe someone said it to you. Maybe you’ve said it to yourself. Maybe you have said to yourself, “Starting over? That’s impossible.” “Building that business? Impossible.” “Healing from that pain? No way.” “Living a bold, fulfilled life? Not for someone like me.” But what if I told you that “impossible” is not a fact but an opinion, and you have the power to make the impossible possible?

The Lie of Limitation

Too often, we accept the limits placed on us by others, society, and, most dangerously, ourselves. But throughout history, some of the most transformational breakthroughs have come from those who dared to challenge those limits. Let’s rewind momentarily and reflect on the Wright Brothers, whose dreams took them beyond gravity.

It’s the early 1900s. Orville and Wilbur Wright, two bicycle mechanics from Dayton, Ohio, had a dream of human flight. Not metaphorically. Literally. Experts ridiculed them. The public laughed. “Humans will never fly,” they said. But on December 17, 1903, the Wright brothers launched their aircraft into the sky for 12 seconds—and the world changed. What was once considered “impossible” became reality, because someone believed it could be.

Another individual who defied the odds and turned impossible into possible was Roger Bannister, who broke the 4-Minute Mile barrier.

Fast forward to 1954. For decades, scientists claimed the human body could not run a mile in under four minutes. It would be dangerous, even fatal. Then came Roger Bannister. An amateur runner and medical student, Bannister refused to accept the limitation. On May 6, 1954, he broke the 4-minute barrier. And here’s the wild part: within weeks, other runners followed. The floodgates opened. Why? Because someone shattered the ceiling of belief.

Your Belief is the Key

These weren’t superheroes. They were ordinary people with extraordinary beliefs. And that belief changed everything. I’ve seen this truth play out in my own life. I was born into poverty and failed tenth grade twice. I had to retake English to graduate. The odds were stacked. Success? It felt like it belonged to other people. But I decided: I would not let my past write my future. So, I became the first in my family to pursue higher education. I went on to earn a doctorate. Today, I coach ambitious professionals and leaders worldwide to master their minds and live to their highest potential. Not because I had all the answers but because I refused to believe that “impossible” applied to me. And the same is true for you.

What Are You Calling Impossible? Take a moment. Ask yourself, What dream have you placed on the shelf? What breakthrough have you convinced yourself is out of reach? What story are you telling yourself about what’s not possible? Muhammad Ali once said: “Impossible is not a fact. It’s an opinion...Impossible is potential. Impossible is temporary. Impossible is nothing.” Also, Nelson Mandela reminded us, “It always seems impossible until it’s done.”

The Challenge

Here’s a challenge for you to do today. Name one “impossible” in your life. Secondly, challenge it by asking, “What if this is just a belief?” Then, finally, take one bold action—even a small step in the direction of that dream because your mindset is the launchpad. And every legacy, every transformation, and every major shift in history started with someone who refused to let the “impossible” have the final word.

Final Word

You were not born to live confined by limitations. You were born to lead, rise, and redefine what’s possible. So believe. Take the step. Do the impossible. The truth is it’s only impossible until you do it.