There was a young man in 1940 that dreamed of attending a prestigious university and becoming a doctor. Growing up in a working-class family, he knew that his family could never afford to send him for this type of education. At age 12, he discovered that he had a talent for running, and decided to devote himself to the craft so that he could obtain a scholarship. In 1946 he obtained a full scholarship for his running skills to study medicine at Oxford University.
Even more exciting for him, he made it to the 1948 Olympics running the 1500-meter event and was highly favored to win. He came in 4th. He was discouraged – so much so that he spent the next two months deciding if he was going to quit running. Instead of quitting, he recommitted. He raised his standards and stepped up his training. Specifically, performing intense daily speed workouts that allowed him to trim his overall pace off his run. Getting so close to even beating the world record holder for running the mile. This was literally impossible, in fact it had been stated time and time again even by the best runners that it was impossible.
On May 6, 1954, he stepped onto the Iffley Road Track at Oxford University after finishing his shift at the local teaching hospital where he was working on his studies. The wind was strong, and it was raining. Not ideal for a race. Six men total entered the race, and as this one young man crossed the finish line he collapsed- exhausted. And then the announcement came over the loudspeaker: “Bannister wins the race and breaks the world record running the mile in 3:59.4!” On that day he did it. Roger Bannister broke the mile record, which was previously set at 4 minutes.
He was an ordinary young man. There was no reason why he should have done anything great. Yet Roger decided to change things and he refused to settle for anything less than beating the 4-minute mile. He made history. He’d done what so many believed was impossible.
Over the next few years, more and more runners attempted and broke the 4-minute mile mark, reframing their reference point of success and realizing it was possible. Once Roger Bannister proved to himself and the world that it was possible to run a mile in under 4 minutes, suddenly so many other runners were able to do it as well.
Proving this: Once you stop believing something is impossible, it becomes possible.
So how does something go from impossible to possible?
By shifting the reference point of success.
A reference point of success can be defined as: a baseline value that individuals use as a benchmark for evaluating and comparing potential outcomes, gains, and losses.
When Roger broke the 4-minute mile record, he didn’t break it by much. He squeaked by with less than a second to spare.
3:59.4
0.6 seconds. Not much, but enough to make a dent in the reference point of success.
Over the last 50 years, the mile record has dropped 17 seconds – each record getting slightly faster than the last.
This only continues to happen because the new runners have a reference point that it is possible.
Over the years I’ve shifted my reference points multiple times, resulting in many previously “impossible” tasks to be made possible in my life:
Quiet and shy (super scared of speaking publicly) >>> Keynote speaker
Believing “I am not a runner” >>> to running 3 miles with ease
Making $88k per year, year after year (believing $100k+ was unrealistic) >>> making multiple 6 figures
Dreaming of being fit like the women in fitness magazines >>> Achieving 1st place in a bodybuilding show
Over time, I’ve developed the following system to push bast these reference points and achieve the seemingly impossible:
STEP #1: Listen to that still small voice in your that says, “hey… I want you to do this…”
STEP #2: Prepare to take action. Start small. And tell people about it- believe me accountability is needed to push your limits!
STEP #3: Be disciplined. Celebrate all of your wins, no matter the size- speak them out loud.
STEP #4: When you get stuck, yes, it’s going to happen… ask for help.
STEP #5: Achieve the impossible. Reframe your reference point of success and begin again.
Most people give up, but I know that’s not you. Oh, and one final note: your previous “impossible”…. It has nothing to do with anyone else. Life is always improving you. I will leave you with this quote:
“There is nothing noble in being superior to your fellow man; true nobility is being superior to your former self.” – Ernest Hemmingway
