An Impossible Journey

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My Impossible Goal

I am well aware there are lots of things I don’t do in my life because I believe them to be impossible for me. I haven’t signed up for the American Ninja Warrior competition, wrote a book, bought a Corvette, or spent a whole day doing nothing, because to me those things are impossible. But if I’m going by my own logic (see article: What is impossible?), then anything is possible for me if I believe hard and take action. [Side note: when I say a n y t h i n g is possible I am not referring to things like growing wings and flying or turning my dog into a cup with a magic wand.] I decided to try my own impossible journey in December 2018. I brainstormed those impossible things I have yet to venture into because, well, they’re impossible, but that I would love to accomplish one day. I set my goal and here we are today, 2 months later and I’m chuggin’ along on that journey.

My impossible goal for 2019 is to start a Life Coaching business with a full program by the end of the year. There are more specifics to it than that, and I would challenge you to make your goals super specific (metrics, deadlines, etc.), but that’s good enough for here. Let’s go back to the discussion about possibility vs. impossibility for a second. To many people in the world, this goal I’ve set is not only possible, it’s their current reality. Does that make it possible for me? Not necessarily. Remember, there is no single set standard for what’s possible for you or for me.

We each get to decide what is possible for us, what is impossible for us, and what is worth believing in.

So, this goal I’ve set, impossible in as much as I have no idea what I’m doing or how I’ll get there or if I even will, is a major milestone for me. I graduated with my master’s degree in professional counseling in the same month I set this goal. Earlier that year, I realized counseling wasn’t where the Lord wanted me and yet I felt deep in the depths of my heart that I was meant to help people. Around the same time, I was introduced to life coaching, found a coaching membership program, and joined just for the heck of it. Doing something just for the heck of it has changed my life completely.

Maybe you’re reading this just for the heck of it. Don’t underestimate what can come from doing something just because.

Planning (To Fail)

I’ve chosen a goal; an i m p o s s i b l e goal, and decided to believe in it, hard. Now it’s time to take action, just like I presented to you, dear reader, in my previous article. And just like any person who sets out on a crazy, impossible, unattainable, huge goal I heard myself say: But…how..do I even…I can’t..I don’t even know…what?

Now it’s time to fail. A lot. Actually it’s time to plan to fail. Even more fun!

Here’s a secret I haven’t mentioned yet: by telling your brain you’re trying the impossible, you’ve taken away it’s ability to argue you with you. What?!? I know! Hear me out on this. If I decide to go run 2 miles (which I haven’t done since the end of running season last year), my brain will start arguing with me. It will remind me that I’ll probably fail, tell me there’s no way I could possibly succeed and on and on. If I tell myself I’m going to try to run 2 miles even though it’s impossible, I have effectively shut down all those arguments. I know I might fail, brain! I just told you it was impossible!

Attempting to accomplish a goal and knowing there’s a good chance you might fail, but trying anyway, is where the magic happens.

This is the next step: plan to fail. I’ve chosen 25 tasks I’m going to attempt during the first quarter of this year. I’ve signed myself up for each one knowing that, yep I might just fail, but heck if I’m not going to try anyway.

Choosing 25 Fails

Ok, so you’ve chosen that impossible thing you’re going to go after. You want to go for it, knowing you might not get it done, but also knowing you’re going to try anyway. Now I want you to plan to fail with me. Choose 25 things you’re willing to try and fail at over the next quarter. Have you been thinking about writing a book, but the very idea seems so daunting and impossible? Go for it, believe hard, and choose 25 things that will get you closer to writing a book this quarter. Plan out those 25 goals and go for them with everything you’ve got.

Let me be your crystal ball for a second. At the end of the quarter, you’re going to look back at what you did, didn’t do, tried, and failed epically at over the last 3 months. You might even wonder how the heck you made it through the last 3 months and then you’ll remember all the blood, sweat, and tears (even the metaphorical ones) you shed. You’ll be amazed at what you’ve accomplished, how much closer to the impossible you’ve come, and find that you’re excited to go for more.

Here’s what you won’t say: I regret trying.

I guarantee it.

So try. Do the impossible. Fail epically. Believe hard.