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What you need to know about calling something “impossible” is that it will remain impossible as long as you consider it impossible. As long as something is impossible, it won’t happen. It can’t happen. You won’t even consider moving toward it because you don’t believe in it. But once you begin to consider that something is possible, even if it’s improbable, only then will you consider attempting it. There is a vast difference between impossible and improbable.
The difference between impossible and improbable lies in belief and action. Impossible means something cannot happen—it blocks even the attempt. Improbable means something is unlikely but achievable if you’re willing to try. History shows that many “impossible” barriers—like the four-minute mile—became routine once someone proved them merely improbable.
There are a number of historic examples of impossible feats that some audacious person successfully challenged.
At one time it was believed that a human being could not break the sound barrier. People thought that it was not possible to reach such a speed— hence the name sound barrier. This was the commonly held belief for a long time until Chuck Yeager broke the barrier in 1947. After this “barrier” was dismantled, others achieved identical speeds.
A similar event took place when the first person flew an airplane in a loop. It was believed that it could not be done— that an airplane could not successful fly like that— until it someone did it. Shortly thereafter, many others succeeded as well.
Yet another example: the four minute mile. It was called “the four minute barrier”. No person had been able to run a mile in less than four minutes. The first known breakthrough happened in May of 1954 by Roger Bannister. Though this “barrier” had been a known and talked about part of the sport for years, after one person broke it, it only took two months before others were breaking it as well.
You cannot do what you believe to be impossible.
Yet, once it moves from impossible to the realm of possibility— anything can happen.
The difference between the people who broke these barriers for the first time and those who never could, was that they believed it was possible, even if improbable. If something is improbable, you may as well roll the dice and hope you can make it happen. When something is impossible, there’s no point in even trying. These trailblazers understood that every setback was a learning opportunity, a chance to recalibrate their strategies. They not only embraced their fears but also recognized how to fail effectively, using each misstep as a stepping stone toward success. This mindset transformed their improbable dreams into achievable realities, proving that persistence and belief can turn the odds in their favor.
When you hope to make an impact and create something meaningful — the kind of thing that you most deeply desire, you are choosing to believe that it is in the realm of possibility. When you give up hope in it, it slides back to the realm of impossibility.
As long as you can hold on to hope, there’s a possibility of realizing your desire. As soon as it is considered impossible, it becomes impossible for you.
May you hope courageously, audaciously, and defiantly.
What is the main difference between impossible and improbable?
Impossible means something cannot happen and will never be attempted because belief blocks action. Improbable means something is unlikely but can still be achieved if you believe it’s possible and take action toward it.
What are examples of impossible becoming possible?
Historic examples include breaking the sound barrier (Chuck Yeager, 1947), the four-minute mile (Roger Bannister, 1954), and the first airplane loop. Each was considered impossible until someone proved it merely improbable.
Why does calling something impossible matter?
When you label something impossible, you create a mental barrier that prevents you from even attempting it. This belief becomes self-fulfilling because you won’t take action toward what you don’t believe can happen.
How do you shift from impossible to improbable thinking?
Start by questioning absolute statements about impossibility. Look for examples of others who achieved similar goals. Reframe the challenge as difficult or unlikely rather than impossible, which opens the door to attempting it.
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