We all have that task that seems impossible for us to achieve. We have these things that we don’t like to do or that makes us uncomfortable but if we will think about it, we needed to overcome it.
But, why aren’t we facing it?
I have a lot of impossible tasks on my own too. Sometimes, when given the opportunity to overcome it, I just find it hard to act accordingly and fail miserably. One example is overthinking. When I’m faced with a situation or challenges, I find it hard to stop thinking about it. I can’t stop thinking about it to the point that I’m affecting other things already. When I can’t solve or figure out something, the attitude or response that I give and show to others is a response of negative emotion.
Is an impossible task gonna be impossible? Let me tell you stories and stay with me here.
Your Own Definition
A task to be considered impossible should come from our own definition. Each of us has our own physical and mental abilities which help us separate from other people. Whenever we have an impossible task, we tend to see if the people in our environment have done it. We look for approvals or validations from our external environment. And by doing that, we will often hear them say you can’t do this because I wasn’t able to do it. You will just hurt yourself. That’s impossible, please stop.
Well, that’s impossible for them, but not for us right? We can only say it is impossible if we’ve tried it and gave our best to achieve it. But of course, we aren’t going to do things that aren’t supposed we should be doing just for the sake of applause or recognition.
The point is if you want to achieve something and other people are saying you can’t do it. Put some respect on yourself and don’t believe in them. You aren’t them. Along in the process of achieving their goals, they had to quit because they can’t just do it. When they quit, they want you to not go for it because they haven’t made it. But, you are different. You are a different beast than them. You aren’t average. You are another beast.
Aren’t you gonna prove to yourself that impossible is possible?
4 Minute Mile
Have you heard about the story of the 4-minute mile? Around the 1950s running a mile under 4 minutes is impossible. It was just impossible. Doctors believed humans aren’t designed to run a mile under 4 minutes. It also said that our body will explode like our heart or lungs and some other medical limitations.
A lot of runners during that time tried to accomplish it or break that barrier but they’ve failed to do so. I haven’t read someone got into some bad conditions after attempting it. If you are wondering about it. But, there’s this one runner who believed it is possible. His name is Roger Bannister. Roger Bannister break the 4-minute mile on May 6, 1954. After that event, a lot of people including students already surpassing it.
Comparing it to today, we can also see that a lot of running events have bigger challenges than that. A lot of people who already broke the so-called impossible task. But, what changed? Did humans get an upgrade physically?
I don’t think that’s the case. I believed what happened was we saw someone who is not like a superhero, someone we don’t see on the tv having some powers, or something foreign (aliens). Humans saw a normal man just like us who did the impossible task. Having the evidence that someone can do it, alters our beliefs. Since then, we stopped thinking it’s impossible. That’s how powerful our mind is. Once we set something is impossible, it will be impossible. But once we set it is not impossible, then it will be possible.
Roger Bannister gave us a blueprint that the impossible is possible. That’s why since then a lot of people achieve that as well. And you know what’s crazy about it on our time now? It was like a normal thing now. Common people now doing a common thing.
Why Can’t I?
There’s this one-night session of my workout where it seems like it was way off on my body. It’s like a day where your body isn’t ready to go into war. There’s always that day… The day where it’s easy to surrender and find comfort under the bedsheet.
To finish my workout session I need to do the following:
- 120 push-ups
- 120 shoulder rear deltoids with band
- 120 push-ups with basketball
It sounds like it doesn’t seem hard nor easy. It sounds challenging. I actually thought I was just gonna do 20 reps each set then that’s it.
That’s my plan to accomplish it. I think I designed it accordingly. Let me share with you why.
When I’ve finished the first two drills, my chest and shoulder were all pumped and sore. I thought it would be great to put that push-ups with basketball drill as the finisher.
When I started it, I didn’t know that I will struggle to complete at least 10 reps. Actually, I had a hard time completing 5 reps on it. Imagine that, 5 reps were already hard, then my goal is 120 reps? Am I out of my mind? It was so hard for me to balance the ball. It was slipping on my hands.
I can remember that moment clearly where my mind was telling me to quit. I was in the 20th rep, struggling, and my mind convincing me to stop. It’s telling me that I haven’t prepared for that exercise and just stop the damn exercise. It began negotiating to me that if I will stay there might as well aim for little reps than 120. It was proposing to just do 30 reps tonight.
My state during that negotiation was undecided. I didn’t know what to say and it is pressuring me to give an answer. It’s crazy. It’s also saying that do 30 reps tonight and attempt 120 reps on another day when I’m well prepared for it. I was actually getting convinced and ready to sign the deal.
I am sitting on the ground, sweat dripping, and ball on the side. It was dark. It was a moment where everything stopped and I needed to make a decision.
Whenever I start my workout session I always play some motivational videos from YouTube to keep me on the zone. You know what I’m saying right? It helps you focus on the task in front.
That night I was playing this great video on loop and actually I didn’t dwell much on the words when I’m working out. I hear the words from the video but I am not processing it entirely because of course, you’re much more focused on the weights. But, I didn’t know what flipped that night and the words from the video gave me something I needed. If you will play that video, you will hear it talking about the impossible is possible. And also, it’s talking about there should be someone who will be strong. Someone who will take a stand. Someone has to believe. Why can’t be you?
When I heard those lines, I remembered asking myself, why can’t I? Why can’t I do the impossible be possible? Why can’t I do the impossible task? If I’m going to quit right now, then when I will be able to achieve it? If I’m going to quit now, how many other things where I will just quit and not finish the job? Those self questions were awakening. They’ve awakened something within me. I completely forgot about the negotiation!
I didn’t get the answers from my questions but something within me flipped. Something changed. I don’t know what is it specifically and I don’t know the right word for it, but something really changed. I just continued working out even though it is hard. I just started telling myself to not think how long we will be finishing the exercise. I just started telling myself to just focus on the next rep rather than the whole set. One rep at a time. And then, whenever I feel like I can’t do it again. I stop, rest for a while, then ask again those questions. I don’t know what those questions are doing to me but it is giving me a boost. It is like adjusting my focus on the next rep and not on how painful or hard the exercise.
After an awhile of doing that repeatedly, little did I know I am now a few more reps to complete my so-called impossible task for the night.
I completed it.
Bringing It All Together
The more I experience those kinds of situations, the more I understand the power of the mind. I’ve already encountered those mind switching numerous times but every time I experience it, it always felt a new experience. And I think life knows how to challenge you in a way you don’t expect you will be challenged.
Impossible tasks shouldn’t be defined by others. Before you say a task is impossible, try it out with all you got first. Impossible tasks just need a blueprint or a piece of evidence on how to achieve it. Roger Bannister showed us that the 4-minute mile is achievable. Impossible tasks aren’t really impossible if you truly believe that you can achieve it. Impossible tasks are possible as long as we stop focusing on how long the process will take and just focus on each rep. Looking back to the moment where I’ve asked those questions and I didn’t receive the answers I needed. I actually already got the answers but it was beyond my senses. Whenever I ask those questions, in the unseen realm, it is adding more trust to myself. That’s the reason why whenever I ask myself I get the boost I need to work on the next rep.
The mind is really powerful. Whatever you believe or not, it will show it to you. Doing an impossible task allows us to tap into this thing into our minds and callus it. The more we callus our mind, the more it gets stronger. Callus it into our own advantage so it will act accordingly and give us a tactical advantage during special moments. Let’s get it!!
May you reach your dreams.
