The amazing revelation of mere feasibility

I remember the amazement I experienced the first time I saw Google’s autocomplete in action. With this small feature, Google revolutionized knowledge management. No longer did users have the hit-or-miss experience of having to enter multiple searches to figure out the best term. Google provided real time feedback on the the most commonly grouped terms.

The visibility of this simple feature did something else. It announced to the world that it was now feasible to have intelligent, interactive web pages on an industrial scale. In a short time, the Web 1.0 world of static pages were replaced by applications that are often as good as desktop software. And gaining every day.

Just believing

Just the knowledge that something is feasible seems to open up new possibilities for others. The four-minute mile stood as what appeared a physically impossible feat until it was broken by #41, Roger Bannister, in 1954. Two months later, not one, but two more runners had cracked the the barrier. Physical conditioning alone couldn’t have done this. Instead, it was the belief that it was possible.

The Wright Brothers showed the world that flights was possible. Barak Obama proved that a black man could become President of the United States in our lifetime. The people who rise above their circumstances do things that no one believes can happen. Here are some great quotes from those who did just that:

“It always seems impossible until its done.” - Nelson Mandela

“It is either easy or impossible.” - Salvador Dali

“The word impossible is not in my dictionary.” - Napoleon Bonaparte

“No one gets very far unless he accomplishes the impossible at least once a day.” - Elbert Hubbard

“We would accomplish many more things if we did not think of them as impossible.” - Vince Lombardi

“It’s kind of fun to do the impossible.” - Walt Disney

Each one of these quotes came from people we know from their remarkable achievements. And it isn’t just about breaking the barriers: Einstein was considered a poor student but overcame his own teachers’ beliefs. How many of us have been told we don’t have what it takes…or tell ourselves that.

There is so much happening now in our world driven by a connected human race that is leveraging technology that is moving at speeds that are hard to believe. Less and less is impossible. What’s feasible in your work or life that wasn’t a short time ago? What stops you?