It’s only impossible until it’s done.
I recently had a conversation and the question “Is it impossible or is it hard?” was posed. How many times do we get overwhelmed and our first instinct is to quit? Or, when we hear an outlandish idea…we completely dismiss it. Why is it that as soon as something “hard” approaches us, instead of facing it head on, we crawl back into our shells and turn away?
Throughout my career I have constantly found that if I am not challenged, I am not fulfilled. It’s like the notion of defeating the giant is a driving fuel of my mere existence. As a former walk-on student-athlete I ALWAYS showed up in championship meets, regardless of where I was ranked to finish. It got to the point that opposing coaches would pencil me in to score points because it didn’t matter if I was ranked 24th coming in…I would always finish in the top 8. As a young coach and administrator, I found the most satisfaction in working with the more challenging student-athletes, and providing a sense of empowerment within them to achieve everything others said they would not.
I have jokingly said if you hang around me long enough, I will make you believe you can achieve beyond your wildest dreams. In actuality, I truly believe that. Challenges don’t scare me. They may make me think twice, but I ultimately want to prove to myself that I can out think…out work…out [wo]man anything that is put in front of me. I wouldn’t be where I am if I hadn’t been BOLD in my thoughts and actions.
What is standing in between of you and your next? What is scaring you at the moment? What has everyone around you said was impossible? Take a second to sit with that. Give it a name and a space. Now pull out your notes app in your phone (because who carries a pen and paper anymore) and jot down the challenge, break down the steps into digestible pieces, think outside the box – it’s okay if it’s WAY out side of it, and note the people who can play the dime dropper role (assist leader). Be solution oriented. Problems don’t solve themselves.
If it’s hard, you will need to give more of yourself. If it’s impossible, you need to get creative because it’s only impossible until it’s done. Remember, you do not have to be greatest…you just need to be [your] BEST.
-Dr. LCJ