Not only that, but read through to the end of this post for an insider announcement about making the 'impossible' possible.
Often times when you are trying to break out of a state of discontent in your life - be it in regard to a relationship, a career, or a physical state - well-meaning people will tell you all about the things that you can’t do.
“You can’t do THAT!” they say, incredulous. Or the all-knowing, “It just doesn’t work that way.” And there’s always the doubt-inducing, “I just don’t know about THAT…”
People who, in all sincerity, have your best interests at heart and are genuinely trying to help you, will often steer you away from the direction you’re thinking of heading in, because of their discomfort or unfamiliarity with the ideas you’re toying with.
Sometimes they’ll tell you to steer away from a certain decision because all they can see is the short-term pain and discomfort that sometimes comes with making a change in your life. But often, going through the short-term ‘pain’ of change is well worth it, if it means getting you closer to a life you love.
As human beings, even those of us who love adventure and novelty have certain ‘creature comforts’ that make us feel safe. Our amygdala, or ‘lizard brain’, likes to keep us in situations that are familiar. Evolution is excruciatingly slow, and our survival instincts are very powerful, even though they can at once be subtle and covert. Our decision-making process is often grounded in ‘safety and security’, even when long-term, there are different and better choices we can make for ourselves.
We won’t even talk about the folks who don’t have your best interests at heart. I happen to believe that most people are good, and wouldn’t intentionally try to steer you wrong, but apparently they’re out there. Sometimes you can spot them a mile away – so stay clear of those types (duh!) – but I’d like to focus here on the people who you know are looking out for you, who truly believe that they are acting in the interest of your highest success and happiness.
Family, mentors, coaches and friends…the people we look to for guidance and reassurance, often mistakenly tell us what is or isn’t possible, based on what they know, based on their personal experience, and based on their own feelings about what’s ‘realistic’. See, that’s all any of us really have: our own feelings, our own knowledge, our own perceptions. We seek out the information that we want to learn, and interpret all of it through our own lenses and filters of experience, personality, values and beliefs.
But just because we, or our families, mentors, coaches and friends haven’t heard of anyone doing certain things a certain way, or being successful in doing the kinds of things we are talking about doing, does not mean that such successful people and circumstances and lifestyles and choices do not exist, or are not possible.
Seriously folks: there are seven billion of us on this planet. Seven billion. Even people who are well-educated and well-versed in ‘the ways of the world’ don’t know everything about every possibility out there.
Case in point: I once had a completely sincere and heart-centered mentor advise me that ‘you don’t write a (non-fiction) book to make money from the book itself; it’s more like a business card thoroughly describing what you’re about. An advertisement for whatever service you actually offer.’ And I can see that in most cases – the vast majority of current cases - that’s true. But ‘in most cases’ does not mean ‘always’.
I know of a writer who (without having gargantuan Oprah Winfrey or Tony Robbins –type fame) authored a business-building how-to guide that made $100,000 during its 24-hour launch. Now I know that Chris Guillebeau didn’t launch this book just to make money. The guy is an amazing example of how to do what you love and help move the world in a more positive direction, and is 100% sincere in his endeavours to empower people to live great lives outside of the box of conformity. But making $100,000 in one day is a pretty good example of how you absolutely CAN write a book and make money from it.
My well-meaning mentor just didn’t know it was possible.
People only know what they know. So when someone says “I don’t know about THAT…”, maybe you should believe them. Sometimes they don’t.
Speaking of people who make the ‘impossible’ possible, stay tuned for an exciting announcement I’ll make next week about a very cool (and FREE) program I’m launching next month. It’s one that might just open your eyes to some new possibilities for yourself.
What’s your ‘impossible’ dream?
Don’t let them tell you what you can’t do. Because maybe you can.
PS - Check out Chris Guillebeau's latest book, The $100 Startup, for practical ideas on how to start your own business.