Achieving the Impossible

Here are three strategies that helped me achieve the impossible:

1. Leave the Familiar

Moving into unknown territory can seem scary because the path is not illuminated. We’re not sure what we might encounter. We might stumble and make mistakes—but our world will never get bigger until we find ways to enlarge it, and this means moving out of the familiar.

As babies, we do not want to leave the comforts of the womb. We come kicking and screaming and often continue these habits any time we enter a new life experience.

. Here is what I learned about leaving the familiar:

• Embarking upon uncharted territory means making mistakes – no one is perfect at everything. Embrace mistakes in the company of others doing the same thing and you’ll feel more like taking risks.
• Let go of self-images – our self-perception may not be accurate or it may be based on false assumptions. Once you learn to draw out what is new and challenging, you will know which self-images are accurate and which ones are not.
• Learn to develop strengths and manage weaknesses – too often people focus only on identifying their strengths. Just as important when learning to do the impossible is learning how to manage your weaknesses.

2. Embrace Uncertainty

You don’t have to be a hero to take a risk. Ordinary people accomplish great things every day. And they do it by experiencing the same fears and concerns that you and I do. The key to their success is attitude: they engage uncertainty as a partner rather than the enemy.

• Embark on low risk projects at first to develop the skills to work with higher risk projects
• Give yourself time and space to come up with solutions
• Seize the opportunity to explore multiple layers of talent and skills
• Allow the process to be messy and unstructured as you uncover those new talents and skills

3. Let Go of Ego

This is the most difficult strategy to incorporate. Until you are willing to be a beginner, there is very little you can learn. Achieving the impossible is about learning—from everything about yourself to the situation in which you find yourself. Society has told us that to be successful we must have the answers. The more we know, the more intelligent and competent we are seen to be.

Ego can be a tremendous impediment to achieving the truly difficult things in life because we don’t want to admit we don’t know everything. Here are some ways to let go of ego:

• Resist the temptation to complain – ego strengthens itself by complaining
• Avoid negative reactions – grievances and resentments are a way to punish others
• Forget about being right – the ego loves to be right

Achieving the impossible is not about the right buzz words or the best model for a corporate strategy. It is about facing the unknown and landing on your feet when confronted with the unexpected.

“Courage is doing what you’re afraid to do. There can be no courage unless you’re scared.”

~Eddie Rickenbacker, American aviator (1890-1973)

Questions for Reflection

1. How have solutions presented themselves if you gave yourself time? 

2. How has your awareness been heightened in times of uncertainty? 

3. How have you achieved the impossible? 

4. What is the hardest self-image to let go of?

——————–
LaRae Quy