May 6, 1954, Roger Bannister proved to the world that a sub-four minute mile was possible. Prior to this unbelievable feat the notion of running a mile in less than four minutes was considered impossible to overcome. Runners tried in vain to disprove this belief, but it took one man with vision, power, and a little help from a few teammates to show the world that impossible is not the end of the road, but a beginning of new possibilities.
Since Bannister's declaration of will thousands of athletes have broken the four minute mile, some shattering the record by ten seconds or more. All it took was someone to pave the way and the crowd followed. This can be said for other examples like breaking the sound barrier, landing a man on the moon, or sending a rover to Mars. All it takes is a vision and the will to see that vision through.
Now, most visionaries are part of a lonesome crowd. The majority of people fall into two distinct categories. There are those who believe that limitations and barriers are present for a purpose... they can't be broken. These are the pessimists. The other group are those who assess their own beliefs in terms of successes and failures. They are called pragmatics. Visionaries believe that limitations and boundaries exist to be shattered, overcome, and discarded. It is within this small and powerful minority that the most amazing innovations have transformed the impossible into the possible.
In today's world we are witnessing changes occur at break neck speeds. Advances in technology, communications, and innovation have ushered in an era of constant and rapid change. Donald Brown, author of An Experiential Approach to Organization Development, believes that there are two types of companies in this Brave New World: those that are changing, and those who are going out of business. There is no room for those pessimists and pragmatics who can't or won't make the necessary leaps to find new and creative ways to move forward. It takes visionaries, believers, and power players to bridge the gap between the present and future, proving to the world what is and isn't possible.
In my organization, the United States Navy, we have overcome many barriers to earn us the title of "The World's Finest Navy". When FDR sent the Great White Fleet around the world to demonstrate our global reach and capabilities he was sending a message to our allies and enemies alike that the United States is willing and able to span the globe as a dominant naval adversary. Organizationally we have crashed through race, gender, religious, and even sexual preference barriers to maximize our strengths and diversity. None of these feats could have been possible without the visionaries paving the way. Today, our Navy can respond to any threat or call anywhere in the world in 48 hours. I wonder what John Paul Jones would think of that.
There will always be those who doubt what is possible. Thankfully, there will also be those few who view the impossible as a taunt or challenge and kick open the doors of opportunity for others to follow, just as Roger Bannister did back in 1954. No matter where the line is drawn there will always be someone figuring out a way to step through and continue on the path of discovery, advancement, and embracing our inevitable world of change.
jody powell
Since Bannister's declaration of will thousands of athletes have broken the four minute mile, some shattering the record by ten seconds or more. All it took was someone to pave the way and the crowd followed. This can be said for other examples like breaking the sound barrier, landing a man on the moon, or sending a rover to Mars. All it takes is a vision and the will to see that vision through.
Now, most visionaries are part of a lonesome crowd. The majority of people fall into two distinct categories. There are those who believe that limitations and barriers are present for a purpose... they can't be broken. These are the pessimists. The other group are those who assess their own beliefs in terms of successes and failures. They are called pragmatics. Visionaries believe that limitations and boundaries exist to be shattered, overcome, and discarded. It is within this small and powerful minority that the most amazing innovations have transformed the impossible into the possible.
In today's world we are witnessing changes occur at break neck speeds. Advances in technology, communications, and innovation have ushered in an era of constant and rapid change. Donald Brown, author of An Experiential Approach to Organization Development, believes that there are two types of companies in this Brave New World: those that are changing, and those who are going out of business. There is no room for those pessimists and pragmatics who can't or won't make the necessary leaps to find new and creative ways to move forward. It takes visionaries, believers, and power players to bridge the gap between the present and future, proving to the world what is and isn't possible.
In my organization, the United States Navy, we have overcome many barriers to earn us the title of "The World's Finest Navy". When FDR sent the Great White Fleet around the world to demonstrate our global reach and capabilities he was sending a message to our allies and enemies alike that the United States is willing and able to span the globe as a dominant naval adversary. Organizationally we have crashed through race, gender, religious, and even sexual preference barriers to maximize our strengths and diversity. None of these feats could have been possible without the visionaries paving the way. Today, our Navy can respond to any threat or call anywhere in the world in 48 hours. I wonder what John Paul Jones would think of that.
There will always be those who doubt what is possible. Thankfully, there will also be those few who view the impossible as a taunt or challenge and kick open the doors of opportunity for others to follow, just as Roger Bannister did back in 1954. No matter where the line is drawn there will always be someone figuring out a way to step through and continue on the path of discovery, advancement, and embracing our inevitable world of change.
jody powell
No comments:
Post a Comment