At first, dreams seem impossible, then improbable, and eventually inevitable. – Christopher Reeve
This is an image from a film based loosely on a pair of Science Fiction books at the dawn of the 20th century. At that point a trip to the moon was moving from impossible to improbable. Eventually, it became inevitable, and mankind took the giant leap.
What does that mean?
As is so often the case, this is a Twitter friendly version of a longer quote: “So many of our dreams at first seem impossible, then they seem improbable, and then, when we summon the will, they soon become inevitable.”
This is a neat quote, because I believe we all have had this experience. Whether we remember it or not, that was how things were when we learned to walk. It was also that way when we learned to ride a bicycle or learned to swim. It was like that when you were learning a foreign language or other intellectual pursuits (perhaps Math or Chemistry).
The point of the quote is to not give up. The only sure defeat is to quit. This quote urges us to continue the battle. To keep dreaming, to keep working, and to eventually make the outcome inevitable. There are no other options, if you wish to accomplish something of significance.
It’s easy to become discouraged. Most anything of any significance will take time and effort. But we must be willing to put forth the effort necessary, over a sufficiently long period of time, to make it happen. That’s where determination and perseverance come into play.
If you can stick with it, eventually you’ll make something happen, however small it might seem. Then it’s on to the next step, and a slightly larger result. The dream has gone from impossible to improbable. If you can keep after it, you will eventually move it from improbable to inevitable.
Why is perseverance important?
To persevere is to continue on, despite obstacles, despite setbacks, and most importantly in spite a lack of motivation. Someone who perseveres will continue to work on their dreams long after everyone else has given up on theirs. The person who perseveres stands a chance at gaining their ultimate goal. The person who quits has no chance.
Yes, there are trivial little things that take little effort or just a few tries to accomplish. But the really big things, the truly worthwhile accomplishments, those take time. Often they take the help of others, and in this case, perseverance includes putting up with others and their personal quirks.
Persevering, working at it day after day, night after night, this is what gets the job done. When you tackle the truly titanic dreams, sometimes it will take the perseverance of generations of people, working together. This quote was spoken by someone with a high spinal injury. The cure for such injuries will require decades, even generations of perseverance. But the cure is inevitable.
Where can I apply this in my life?
We all have dreams, hopes, ideas, or projects that will take more than a little while to accomplish. Whether it’s a career goal for ten years from now, starting a family (or a college fund), saving for retirement, or rebuilding a car, there are plenty of long term goals to work on.
Perseverance is simply sticking to it, or as my grandfather used to say ‘stick-to-it-ivness.” While there are plenty of ways to go wrong, the only sure way to fail is to quit, which is the opposite of perseverance, right? If you can keep at it, eventually, you’ll move up the ladder towards success.
If you don’t stop, you will make some progress from time to time. Yes, the hard times can be rough on your enthusiasm, but that’s why you need a reason, a motivation that can carry you through the tough times. That’s something for you to think about as you consider what you might be willing to tackle, or take off the back burner and get started back up.
It’s the first big hill that separates those who are willing to persevere from those who are just giving it a try (and, as you remember, “Do, or do not. There is no try.”). Once you’re past that, you have some evidence for your progress, and some momentum on the project, whatever it may be.
The next question, I suppose, is what dreams, hopes, ideas, or projects do you have? What are you interested in getting started (or restarted)? What are you thinking of doing, at which you are willing to persevere? What is the reason, the motivation, that will keep you moving forward despite the repeated setbacks you may encounter?
What can you see as the steps to move you from your present assessment of “impossible” (it’s gotta be that, or you’d be working on it, right?) to improbable? What other steps do you see to get from there to inevitable?
It’s not that far to go, if you persevere. It may take time, effort, money, and a little help from your friends, but you can get there, if you want it bad enough, and are willing to work for it.
From: Twitter, @RockChristopher
confirmed at : http://www.brainyquote.com/quotes/quotes/c/christophe125724.html
Photo by striatic
Happy Birthday, Christopher Reeve, born 25 September, 1952. He will always be Superman to me.
