The ‘possible’ is constantly under attack because someone thinks it is improbable, or impossible, or difficult, or ‘not the way we do things.’
This year, embrace ‘possibilities’ as your theme. Search for the possible. Learn to recognize the possible. Talk about the possible. Catch yourself cancelling an idea before you’ve explored the possibilities. Catch other people trying to squash your dreams of what is possible for you.
So often we start out making a plan, setting goals, creating ‘resolutions’ because we think we should. The first rule of goal-setting is that it be realistic. ‘Realistic’ can be the enemy of ‘possible.’
Now, realistic can also just be realistic. But I have seen too many dreams crushed under the accusation that they are not realistic and therefore must be discarded.
What would happen today in the US if the President were to suggest that, in a decade or less, we would walk on the Moon? And, yet, despite all the naysayers, this country made that happen. (I know, there are those who say we didn’t really do that but, remember, I worked for NASA on the Hubble Space Telescope Project and I don’t think they can create a coverup that big!)
Possibilities draw us up to our greatness. Possibilities stretch us beyond what is comfortable and realistic to the former you and invite you to grow, to expand, to explore beyond what you already know into the possible you.
What is possible for you to consider? What dreams do you have that you can pursue?
In working with clients I sometimes have to catch them speaking a belief as if it is a rock-solid truism about how the Universe works. When we address that belief AS a belief, the world of possibilities can open up for them and the excitement starts.
Who is limiting you? Not ‘what’ is limiting you, but ‘who’? The answer is YOU. Even if you think you can list a bunch of folks who are holding you back, the real answer is YOU. You are believing the limitations of the past, the definition of ‘realistic’ that someone else has planted as a truism. You believe of yourself that you might not be able to reach for that dream and so you decide not to reach at all, rather than suffer the indignation of a potential failure.
There are so many possibilities and they are lurking right in front of you but they might be hiding behind that veil of illusion. Take some time alone to reach behind the veil and see what is there. What might you do if you forget about how you will accomplish it and just seek the possibilities? What dreams may lie beyond the veil that you haven’t dared to dream because you didn’t think they were realistic?
Our stories and myths contain all sorts of impossible things happening. Cinderella marries the Prince. Rodgers and Hammerstein even wrote a song for their version of Cinderella titled ‘Impossible’ that contains the line, ‘Impossible things are happening everyday.’ Rumpelstiltskin thought it was impossible that the miller’s daughter would guess his name but guess it she did.
There are possibilities right in front of you but you may have donned your filter-glasses so that you can’t see them. Take off the glasses. Part the veil. Reach for the possibilities and stop listening to anyone who tells you that you can’t do it.
Reach for the Moon. Impossible things are happening everyday!
Mystic Messages 
Possibilities Are Right in Front of You – Richard’s Commentary
January 23, 2014 — RichardRosemary opens her post with a wonderful belief:
The ‘possible’ is constantly under attack because someone thinks it is improbable, or impossible, or difficult, or ‘not the way we do things.’
I call this a belief because it comes from an optimist! Optimists believe in the “possible” – and everything is possible!
I’ve been an optimist my whole life. I too believe anything is possible. This doesn’t mean everything I’ve ever attempted in life has succeeded, been possible in the long-haul. But this hasn’t changed my basic belief.
One of my last major programs for the company I retired from a few years ago was a satellite-based tracking system that we targeted to long-haul trucking companies. The idea was to offer a low-cost, easily installed device that could pin-point a unit’s location and even communicate with the driver using text messaging. The concept was developed long before smart phones, texting, immediate GPS-based location services, super-cheap hardware and ubiquitous cell-phone coverage. We developed the technology from the ground up and partnered with a new satellite company. We faced many hurdles, delays, technology short-fall, cost-creep and even market push-back. I was in charge of marketing and welcomed the possibility of major market penetration. I became really excited when we developed a device to track truck trailers when they were decoupled from their trucks. In fact during testing with a customer we actually located and recovered two trailers that had been stolen and taken into Mexico; we even helped recover the load on the trailers!
Exciting, right? My sales team began to take orders. The “pipeline” was growing! Major possibility here! Then…further delay; satellites didn’t launch as scheduled; technology failed; delivery of component parts was late; competing technology came on strong; and the company, wisely, withdrew development funding from my program. I took nearly a year to shut the program down, redistribute staff, sell off piece-parts, resolve lawsuits and close the program office.
Possibility turned to failure. I look back on this as a wonderful example of a “possibility right in front of me.” In this case it was handed to me; and I grabbed it and took it as far as I could. The program did not succeed; but I did! I made sales. I installed units and they recovered stolen equipment. That possibility was realized. And, oh by the way, I had a heck of a good time doing my darnedest to make the whole thing work. I even learned a great deal about the trucking industry! There was a lot of success inside this program that I look back on with good feelings and pride.
Eternal optimist? Yes. And I have had many great possibilities fall into my lap since that “failed” program. They keep on coming. My next one for 2014 involves a major trip mid-year that is exactly inline with my purpose and my entire world-view. It may be the biggest possibility of my life so far. I will be sharing more about this possibility as it unfolds, as I unfold it! Stay tuned!
Are you an optimist? Do you look at all the possibilities right in front of you? Do you follow Rosemary’s advice?
There are possibilities right in front of you but you may have donned your filter-glasses so that you can’t see them. Take off the glasses. Part the veil. Reach for the possibilities and stop listening to anyone who tells you that you can’t do it.
Impossible things are happening everyday!