A Passion for the Edge

What Is Impossible?

2009-03-18T06:30:00.001-07:00

Strange question but an interesting, intellectual, imaginative, idea to kick around.

At one time the best minds in the world thought the earth was flat, the sun revolved around the earth, and that it would take a hundred years to send a man to the moon (instead of the decade proposed by President Kennedy). A round earth, a sun revolving around the earth, and getting to the moon in a decade were all once thought to be impossible by great minds of the time.

At one time science fiction included things like space ships, robots, ray guns, and wrist phones. Space ships, robots, ray guns, and wrist phones were all just science fiction.

What a bunch of ignorant people. Pretty stupid huh?

Of course we are much smarter now and know what’s really impossible. Right? Or a few hundred years from now are people going to look back at our ignorance and laugh too?

The question is, is it possible for us to think of anything that is really impossible? Or are we confined forever to just defining the new ‘flat earth’ of our day?

Here are a three interesting areas for comment and discussion.

What are some facts agreed to by most humans, at one time in our history, that are now known to be wrong?

Can you define something that you think is impossible?

What can we do to bring us closer to achieving the ‘impossible’ in our lives?

Let’s have some fun!

Some interesting reading here.

What are some facts agreed to by most humans, at one time in our history, that are now known to be wrong?

2009-03-17T06:31:00.000-07:00

The idea here is to amaze everyone with your command of trivia. And to limber up the mind, break some boxes, shatter some glass ceilings, and start the process of challenging the basis for our beliefs.

O.K. I'll get things rolling.

Numerous scientists and engineers thought heavier-than-air flight was impossible. In 1895 Lord Kelvin stated, “heavier-than-air flying machines are impossible”. Of course the Wright brothers proved this wrong just eight years later.

In under a century we went from impossible to mach 3 flight, trips to the moon, and manned orbiting laboratories.

It's not that these scientists and engineers were not bright. All the facts they used to make thier claim were correct. It's just that certain critical facts were either not considered or not know at the time. Using the flat earth example, this was a very logical idea before there was an understanding of gravity. Once new information (gravity) is thrown into the mix then the idea of living on a ball instead of living on a flat plate begins to seem O.K. This is why keeping an open mind about what can and can't be done is absolutely critical. Once you close your mind, you fix the reality you live in.

Can you define something you think is impossible (either in general or for yourself)?

2009-03-16T06:32:00.000-07:00

Exploring what might seem impossible in general or for yourself personally would both be interesting. However, I think discussions about what individuals feel might be impossible in their personal life would provide the most interesting, instructive, and revealing learning processes.

Who wants to get this discussion going?

What can we do to bring us closer to achieving the ‘impossible’ in our lives?

2009-03-15T06:32:00.000-07:00

The right time, the right place, and the right action.

This is an amazing photograph of a sunset I took the other day. Without a doubt one of the most spectacular sunsets I have ever seen. It was blindingly brilliant. It looked like the horizon was on fire,

We've lived here for nearly 25 years and never seen anything like this before. I just happen to look out my office window and there it was. So I stopped what I was doing and started taking pictures. Within a few minutes the incredible sight was gone. The brilliance lost.

I happened to see this sunset because I glanced out the window. But if I had waited just a few minutes to finish what I was doing before grabbing the camera, it would have been too late. The moment would have past. The opportunity lost.

The right time, the right place, and the right action. Don't let opportunities pass you by. Take Action!

Ordinary people can do Extraordinary things.