I’ve discovered an ultimate in multitasking: exercising my brain by watching Ted Talks while exercising my body on the treadmill. I love that the new treadmills at the Prince William Sound Community College fitness center give users the ability to not only access a variety of workouts, but also TV and the internet for their entertainment.
The other day, as I huffed and puffed my way up a random variety of inclines at 3.8 mph, I watched three short Ted Talks. The first featured Diana Nyad talking about how she finally accomplished a life goal at the age of 64: being the first person, male or female, to swim from Cuba to Key West, Florida. It took her 53 hours, a large support team, and a great deal of grit. This was after doctors, psychologists, and friends told her that she couldn't do it. She was too old. Her main message was that you should never, ever give up, and you should never let someone else tell you your dream is impossible.
The second video I watched introduced Ben Saunders. This young man is one of only four people to have skied solo to the North Pole. Having left Russia with everything he needed for the entire trek, it took him 10 weeks to reach his goal, all while pulling two sleds containing over 400 pounds of gear and food. On one day, after seven hours of skiing, he actually lost 2.5 miles thanks to pack ice that was consistently floating opposite of the direction he wanted to go.
Saunders said that he has a framed school report hanging above his desk at home. On it, a teacher had written that Ben did not have the ability or determination to ever accomplish anything in life. Saunders’ final message to the audience: “No one else is the authority on your potential.”
Many, many years ago, I tested to be in the Program for the Academically and Creatively Talented (PACT), the gifted and talented program at Homestead Elementary in Eagle River, Alaska. I suppose I must have been in fourth or fifth grade. The only part of the test I remember was being given a piece of yellow construction paper shaped like a crescent moon. I was supposed to create a picture using it. I have no idea what I came up with, although I do recall being stumped. The upshot was that I was rejected by the program for not being creative enough.
I’d like to think I’ve proven that assessment wrong. I’d like to think that I’m working hard to prove lots of previous assumptions about me wrong, including many of my own. I’ve learned that not only am I the only authority on my potential, but that I need to continually update my assessment of myself and my capabilities.
I suspect the same is true for you. What assumptions, those made by others or yourself, are you hanging onto as truths? Is it time to confront them and prove that you are the only authority on your potential? Just imagine what you could do!
Never let anyone tell you your dream is impossible.
