I recently purchased The Thank You Economy by Gary Vaynerchuk. In this book, just before the table of contents, was a list of quotes about various items that were thought to be impossible or totally impractical. The items ranged from radio and television to telephones and digital communications. These comments were not made by ignorant people. These comments were made by people who were educated and had made major accomplishments in the past. It reminded me of another person who made a clear but incorrect prediction about something he had a great deal of knowledge about.
On the windy dunes of coastal North Carolina, in 1903, the Wright brothers had the first flight of a powered, heavier-than-air craft. The primary claim to fame of the Wright Flyer was the ability to warp its wings to control its flight path. The first flights were short and straight. This was quite a feat for that time. When you consider that the two brothers were self taught in aeronautics (their primary job up to that point was running a bicycle shop), their accomplishment was nothing short of amazing. Ten months later, in Ohio, they succeeded in piloting their aircraft in a complete circle. This was accomplished at the break-neck speed of 30 miles per hour. Once more, they accomplished something great
However, despite these monumental accomplishments, Orville Wright saw some things as impossible. In an interview published in the New York Times on February 27, 1914, the following exchange took place.
“Do you take the matter of making a flight across the Atlantic seriously?” Mr. Wright was asked.
“I do not,” he said. “I cannot do so and neither can any other aeroplane manufacturer who will speak frankly.”
Five years later (May 20, 1919), John Alcock and Arthur Brown piloted the first non-stop transatlantic flight from Newfoundland to Ireland (1890 miles). In 1927, Charles Lindbergh made his solo flight from New York to Paris (3600 miles). Did the laws of physics change between 1914 and 1919 to allow transatlantic flight or was it a new thought process that allowed such a journey to take place?
So back to the title of this paper, is the impossible really impossible? Or do we set up obstructions in our mind that prevent us from even considering what we can actually accomplish? What if we took those obstacles down and ruthlessly proceeded beyond them? While Orville Wright was a pioneer in aeronautics, he saw an insurmountable obstruction that would prevent a flight from crossing the Atlantic Ocean. He looked at the world as he knew it and said, it is impossible. What if he had maintained his earlier thought process of why not?
Where are you in your healthcare career? If you are not satisfied with your current situation, think of what you can do to change it. Find the barriers that are holding you back and seek ways to either go around, over or through the walls that are in your way. Ask others for their thoughts. You might be surprised how another person looking at your problems can develop answers that never crossed your mind. Use the support of others around you and climb your highest personal peaks. The view from the mountain top is outstanding!
