By Jack Parsons, Jr.
There are days in business when a challenge looks like a sheer cliff face. Maybe you're facing a massive security breach, maybe you have a crippling technical debt, or maybe you're simply staring at a financial goal that seems unattainable.
In those moments, the goal feels truly impossible.
But I always find clarity in a quote from a man who faced true impossibility and overcame it: "It always seems impossible until it's done." — Nelson Mandela.
Mandela’s words remind us of a fundamental truth: if you complete a task or reach a goal, it was, by definition, never impossible. It was just hard. It was difficult, painful, and perhaps even agonizing, but it wasn't impossible.
The Power of Perseverance
The space between "impossible" and "done" is where perseverance lives. It's the engine that converts a pipe dream into a reality. At METROGEEK, we’ve used this mindset to get through many tough situations over the years.
Perseverance isn't just about grinding away alone; it's a dynamic and strategic process that involves:
- Going the Extra Mile (And Then Some): This means refusing to accept the first failure or the initial setback. It’s the commitment to try a second, third, or tenth solution when the first nine didn't work.
- Knowing When to Ask for Help: True strength isn't self-sufficiency; it's recognizing your limits and leveraging the expertise of others. Asking for help from a mentor, a peer, or a specialist is not a weakness—it's the fastest path to getting it done.
- Doing the Research: In our industry, solving a complex security threat means dedicating time to understanding the new vulnerability. In any business, it means digging for facts, not just guessing, and turning information into action.
- Having Faith: This is the belief in the possibility of the solution, even when the evidence suggests otherwise. It's the core confidence that the goal can be reached, which is necessary to fuel the effort required.
Redefining "Impossible"
When you change your definition of impossible from "something that cannot be done" to "something that has not been done yet," the entire landscape shifts.
Every success story—every new technology, every thriving business that makes it past its first five years—was, at some point, impossible. The inventors, the founders, and the engineers who completed the task proved that the impossibility was just a perception based on where they were standing at the time.
So, the next time you face a challenge that seems too big, too complex, or too daunting, remember this: the hardest part is starting, and the only way to prove it was never impossible is to finish it.
Keep going. We'll see you on the other side of "done."
