Chapter One

Everything Is Possible in This World

People often doubt their capabilities and competencies without realizing their hidden potential. When faced with failure, they often limit their minds and rush to the conclusion that they will not be able to achieve anything in future. They often think that most of the successful people are gifted with great traits and that is the reason why they are successful. The truth is that we all have a huge potential, but rarely do we recognize and utilize it. At times, pre-conditioned mindsets and phobias prevent us from achieving success. These are all mental barriers. Great people are not great just because they have extraordinary qualities; they are ordinary people with extraordinary will powers, perseverance and they know what they are good at and explore their passions to achieve the impossible in this world.

Be Leaders Without Limitations

When we look at several great leaders who achieved a lot, it becomes clear that they removed their mental barriers by looking at the positive side of things. They converted their weaknesses into strengths. For instance, Alexander the Great was of average height but he occupied a towering position in the world and showed that height is not a limiting factor for achieving success. Similarly, Abraham Lincoln hit successive lows in his life in various spheres—family life, business, politics and law—but managed to become the first Republican President of America at the age of 52. He was a self-educated man who showed to the world that neither one’s origin nor any physical limitations and failures can prevent one from becoming an achiever.

When we view the life of Helen Keller, we get to know that she was deaf, dumb and blind. However, she came to be known as a great writer. Beethoven was deaf but he composed the finest music in the world. The founder of Hero Honda was often sick and suffered several setbacks initially. However, he learnt to excel as a legendary entrepreneur. The list is endless. All these leaders converted their weaknesses into strengths. Therefore, don’t look at your weaknesses but look at your strengths and utilize them to the hilt. Everything is possible in this world. Never surrender. Face the fight. Life is full of highs and lows. Don’t get dejected with failures and don’t get elated with your success. Above all, never look at the door that is closed. Always look at the door that has been opened. The journey of a thousand miles starts with a single step. Hence, start your journey towards success by thinking that everything is possible in this world.

Size Versus Strength

It is not the size but the strength that counts. It is not the brawn but the brain that counts. When we recall the biblical story of David versus Goliath, we see that David applied his brain powers and used the slingshot to hit the forehead of the overconfident Goliath in the battle. He beheaded Goliath who was a symbol of brawn power. Hence, it is the ideas and attitude that count at the end. When others ran away in fear, David came forward with courage and killed Goliath. The difference between a positive and negative attitude is reflected here—the people with a negative attitude had said that it was tough to fight with Goliath who was a giant while David, with his positive attitude, said that he could not afford to miss Goliath as the latter was big in size. Therefore, always view the situation with a positive attitude rather than with a negative attitude. Remember, it is not the size but the strength that counts at the end of the day.

When we take the example of Yugoslavian leader, Marshal Tito, he broke the back of the Soviet Empire. Former US President Ronald Reagan, Pope John Paul II and former UK Prime Minister Margaret Thatcher came together to bring down the crumbling walls of the Soviet Union, giving hundreds of millions of people the chance to enjoy freedom. They were all driven by positive thoughts. The leader Lee Kuan Yew brought Singapore from nowhere to a number one prosperous country, despite a dearth of natural resources. We will discuss Singapore’s success story in this regard.

Singapore’s Success Story

Singapore is a small island city-state without any natural resources. Several odds were stacked against it. Nevertheless, Singapore is an amazing example of a small country achieving a lot where big countries have failed. Size is only a physical limitation while strength is a mental capability. The path to success is not a cakewalk but ridden with several challenges. Singapore was able to meet these challenges adequately.

Singapore attained independence in 1965. It progressed through collaboration and cooperation. All this happened due to the visionary leadership of Lee Kuan Yew. Moreover, although Singapore is a multi-racial and multi-religious society, people live together in peace and harmony.

This city-state emphasized on the knowledge economy and its knowledge-workers who made it happen in a big way. It successfully fought corruption which became quite impossible for large countries like Russia and India. The government provided safety for the investors who entered with their investments, thus ensuring prosperity. If a tiny country like Singapore could achieve all this in a big way, why could not the large-sized countries do so too?

In some cases, small companies can perform better than big companies in terms of fulfilling customers’ expectations, thus outsmarting them. Although the case of Lilliputs taking over the giants is rare, it proves beyond doubt that size doesn’t matter. At times, the small can take on the mighty in a huge way and be achievers if they break their mental barriers.

China’s Jiaozhou Bay Bridge

The human mind is amazing as there is no limit to it. It can achieve anything and it makes the impossible possible. The evolution of man to the present stage is an indication of human achievement. Similarly, you can achieve whatever you want so long as you can break your mental barriers. China proved it by opening the world’s longest cross-sea bridge on 30 June 2011. This bridge is 42 kilometres (26 miles) long and links China’s eastern port city of Qingdao to an offshore island, Huangdao. The bridge was built in four years and is supported by more than 5,000 pillars. It is an indication of the human mind’s potential to deliver results through creativity and imagination.

Currently, the biggest factory in the world is in China, the largest oil refinery is in India, the tallest building in the world is now in Dubai, the largest investment fund in the world is in Abu Dhabi and the largest Ferris wheel in the world is in Singapore. All these man-made structures show the power of the human mind, limitless imagination and ever-expanding possibilities.

Everything Is Possible in This World

Everything is possible in this world when we remove our mental barriers. At one time, people thought that it was difficult to invent aircrafts, but man made it possible. Once people thought that it was impossible to go to space, but man made it possible. Man can achieve anything and everything when his mental barriers are broken.

An impossible feeling is there only in the minds of people who have mental barriers, not in the minds of those who have creativity and imagination. Impossibility is there only in the minds of the pessimists, not the optimists. The impossible is there in the minds of people who failed but never endeavoured to bounce back. Hence, the word ‘impossible’ is there only in the minds of incapable people.

Whether success or failure and possible or impossible—it all exists in the human mind. When you replace fears and phobias with confidence and competence, the sky is the limit for you. In fact, the battle is won twice; first in your mind and then in reality. Once you can visualize success with possibility, you can achieve everything in this world easily.