Doing the Impossible

Life presents challenges to us along our journey. Sometimes these challenges are unexpected, but often they are ones we choose. This is how we set goals of varying degrees.

La Cloche Silhouette trail map and description.

Source: Nauman Naeem

What is the purpose of goals? They are not just there to achieve a certain aim. Their greater purpose is to help us grow and evolve. To this end, the types of goals we set truly matter. We can set goals in various areas, such as health, fitness, relationships, careers, and finances.

We often set goals that we are almost certain that we will be able to achieve because we are afraid to venture too far out of our comfort zones, and these more easily attainable goals do serve our personal evolution to a certain degree.

However, imagine what you could achieve by setting an impossible goal. Even if you were not able to achieve it, the knowledge you would gain about yourself, and the growth alone, would be well worth it.

This is why we need to set impossible goals from time to time. What do I mean by an impossible goal? An impossible goal is one that you are not sure you will be able to achieve, even if you are fully prepared and give it 110 percent focus and effort. Setting such a goal may seem a futile pursuit, but it matters because, even if you do not achieve the goal, working toward it raises the bar of what you are able to accomplish.

Don't read the fine print!

Source: Nauman Naeem

I can illustrate this through an example from my own life. I live in Ontario, Canada, and in the near north of Ontario is a provincial park called Killarney, located within the La Cloche Mountains. It has a very rugged and strenuous hiking trail called La Cloche Silhouette, with a challenging elevation gain. It is estimated to be somewhere more than 80 kilometers in length. The sign at the trailhead even claims that the trail may be 100 kilometers long and recommends that it be attempted over seven to nine days.

It has been my dream to hike this trail in much less time. A young trail runner is reported to have completed it in less than 10 hours. Now, I am not that ambitious, at least not yet. My goal was to complete it in three days.

I made the intention to do this earlier this summer and asked one of my friends, an avid long-distance cyclist and an adventurer like me, to accompany me. Without hesitation, he agreed, as he also seeks challenges to push himself.

So, this month we set out to complete this hike in three days. I did a deep dive into ultralight backpacking so I could carry as little as possible and decided that I would eat little more than energy bars for the duration of this hike.

One of the lookouts on the trail.

Source: Nauman Naeem

We were a little anxious as we set out on our drive to Killarney, which is four hours north of where I live, but we were determined to give it our best effort. On the first day, as we set out on the trail, we encountered other hikers doing the same hike in no fewer than seven days. When we told them that we were attempting this in three days, they would pause for a moment and wish us the best of luck. I know that they were thinking that we were crazy and would probably not succeed, even though they did not say it, but this did not deter us.

Needless to say, we both agreed that this endeavour was the hardest physical thing we have ever done. It pushed us, not only physically but mentally and emotionally as well. The days were long and we hiked up to 12 to 13 hours a day. One day, we even had to hike for two hours at night using our headlamps to get to our next campsite.

We pushed on, step after grueling step, and did not waver from the goal we had set for ourselves, and in the end, we succeeded without any injury. We felt exhausted but elated at our accomplishment and celebrated with some real food: burgers, fries, and soda.

Now, my purpose for sharing this story is not to brag but to highlight the importance of setting impossible goals. Completing this hike in three days was an impossible goal for us as there was no guarantee we would be able to complete it in such a short time based on the park’s recommendations.

This experience has not only pushed the boundaries of my comfort zone but has shown me what I am capable of if I just put my mind to it with discipline and determination. It also showed me that the limits we set for ourselves are usually self-imposed based on other people’s experiences and exist only in our minds.

Now ask yourself, what is your impossible goal? What, if you were able to pull it off, would smash your preconceived limits and catapult you out of your comfort zone? If you can answer these questions and act on them, you have the potential to manifest what most people only dream of.

All it takes to make the impossible real is a choice and disciplined action to overcome any obstacles in your way. The impossible is within your reach, so don’t let anyone convince you otherwise. Go for it with every fibre of your being, and watch your life transform.