“The only way to discover the limits of the possible is to go beyond them into the impossible.”
Arthur C. Clarke
There is this thing about limits. Most of them aren’t real. They’re stories we tell ourselves—reinforced by past failures, old doubts, and the quiet, persistent voice that says, Stay where it’s safe.
But leadership isn’t safe. It’s a choice to step forward when the easier move is standing still.
Rewriting the Story: What If Your Limits Aren’t Real?
Look at the last time you held back. Maybe it was an opportunity you turned down because you weren’t “ready.” A conversation you avoided because it felt too risky. A vision you talked yourself out of pursuing.
Now ask yourself: Who told you it wasn’t possible?
Was it a boss? A mentor? Or was it you?
The most effective leaders don’t accept limits at face value. They challenge them. They test them. They refuse to let past assumptions dictate future possibilities.
Want to rewire your thinking? Read The Art of Possibility by Rosamund Stone Zander and Benjamin Zander. It will wreck your excuses in the best way possible.
Growth Hurts—But It’s Worth It
If leadership feels easy, you’re probably not doing it right. Growth requires friction. It forces you into places where you don’t have all the answers—where failure is a real possibility.
And that’s a good thing.
Because every breakthrough happens just past the edge of what’s comfortable.
So, what are you avoiding right now because it feels too risky? That’s probably the exact thing you need to do next.
Action Over Perfection
Waiting for the perfect time? The perfect conditions? The perfect plan?
That’s fear in disguise.
The leaders who push beyond limits aren’t the ones with flawless execution. They’re the ones who move forward anyway—messy, uncertain, and determined to figure it out as they go.
Your Move: Step Into the Impossible
Every meaningful leap forward—whether in leadership, business, or personal growth—starts with a single, decisive step. Not when you’re “ready.” Not when everything is perfectly aligned. But now.
So here’s the challenge: Pick one limit you’ve accepted as fact. One constraint you’ve told yourself is unmovable. And this week, do something—anything—that tests it.
Not someday. Not next quarter. This week.
The impossible isn’t out there in the distance. It’s right on the other side of the step you’re about to take.
Take it.
