By lanre amodu

Several years ago, two little boys, let’s call them Tom and Billy, were playing on a frozen pond. They were ages seven and six respectively.

In their excitement, Tom went farther than they should have and stepped on thin ice. Suddenly, the ice broke and he fell in. His younger friend rushed forward to help him but the more Tom struggled, the deeper he went.

In a brief moment, the surface of the water froze up and Billy could not break the ice. Quickly, he ran to a nearby tree, broke off a huge branch and dragged it to the spot where Tom fell in.

He used the branch to break the ice and managed to drag his friend out. Apparently, some people around had called the rescue line so help came soon after.

There was a mystery though; the rescue team could not figure out how a little boy like Billy could have broken such a huge branch and dragged it all the way to save his friend.

As they marveled saying, “How was he able to do that?” An old man standing nearby spoke up. He said, “I’ll tell you how he was able to do it. He did it because there was no adult around to tell him that he couldn’t do it”.

How right the old man was! The word “impossible” refers to something that cannot be done or something that can’t exist.

Have you ever asked yourself why some things are labeled ‘impossible’? Who exactly gave them the status of impossibility? While we ponder on these questions, here are my thoughts on impossibility:

• It refers to something that has never been done until it is done. Historically, we know of some medical conditions termed ‘incurable’ but are now curable.
  Once, it was considered impossible for man to fly or journey to the moon but we have long past that level now. All it takes is for someone to break the record then everyone agrees that it can be done.
• It is another way of saying, “I’ve run out of ideas”. When people reach the limit of their understanding, particularly when they are ‘authorities’ on the subject, they conclude that it can’t be done, whereas knowledge is progressive.
• It saves your feelings but hurts your future. Some people tell you things are impossible just to save you from eventual disappointment.
  

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  However, imagine how you will feel to give up on your dreams just to see someone else achieve it when you are old and cannot pursue it anymore. We play life too safe sometimes that we fail to maximize our potentials.

• It makes you less of a competition. The vehemence with which some people argue that something is impossible can make one wonder if they have vested interest.
  Could it be because they failed at it they are afraid someone else might succeed? It appears that the moment we decide to attempt the impossible, we begin to contend, not only with the problem but also with people.
• It is more mental than physical. If you can find a way around a problem in your mind, you will physically overcome it.
  However, the moment you’re convinced it is impossible, you won’t even try it. When you want to challenge the impossible, start with your mind.
• It is the norm but there are always exceptions. If there is something invaluable that science has taught us, it is that for every rule there is an exception.
  Simply because it is generally believed that something cannot be achieved doesn’t mean you can’t do it. It may be the norm but you are the exception.

Thanks for reading my article today. I would really love to hear from you. So, do share your views with me by sending SMS to 07034737394, visiting www.olanreamodu.com and following me on twitter @lanreamodu. Remember, you are currently nothing compared to what you can become. There is still plenty of time to change your year!