Friday, July 8, 2016

Going Beyond "Impossible"

Today, I was required to do user testing for a new system at work.  The process has been a long one, with a lot of glitches along the way as well as unpredictability. I started to realize lately, however, that there really is no such thing as an 'impossible' challenge. Even the very word 'impossible' refers to an experience that is actually happening in that very moment when one utters, 'this is impossible'.  When you think of it, consider: if something is 'impossible', then why is one experiencing the 'impossible' in that moment? Could it be that the impossible is indeed possible, and even 'passable' in the sense that it too passes?
   To extend this analogy a little bit further: is there anything that is so impenetrable that it cannot be surmounted, even given a bit of time? So far, I cannot think of any situation that has lasted so long that it would be considered insurmountable. There is a wonderful story by H.G. Wells, "War of the |Worlds", in which these seemingly indestructible beings invade the earth in giant metal pods, only to later find that they could not adapt to the viruses in the earth's atmosphere. While these beings seemed impassible, they later also proved to be subject to numerous conditions that humans have only recently been able to surmount. In a sense, it is only the mind that imagines that there are 'impossible' situations, simply because in that moment, possibilities seem to have exhausted in some way.
   So when I think about the challenges I face at work, I wonder, what is the best approach? Well, the first thing is to let go of the fear of failing. This seems to be a paradox, in a way, because striving tends to be driven by some kind of fear of a negative consequence or failure. But I have found that when I allow myself the breadth to make mistakes, my thinking becomes somewhat more flexible, and I am able to breathe more freely into the new situations. I start to see the task less as a linear series of steps, and more as an improvised connecting of body and movement. After all,, in all of this, there is no real 'inevitable' conclusion, as things naturally are going to come up that are unexpected. In this way, what seems impossible is revealed to be just another thought which is based on a fear of failing or getting stuck. Really, is there any point in life where things are so stuck that they don't move? Even thoughts are constantly moving and changing.
    The second approach is to see  that the process is really a series of flowing movements and steps. As long as I am maintaining a present awareness of the body and am relaxed, there is no need to lump all the moments together into one conceptual judgment: this is 'terrible' and 'impossible' are just labels that are being assigned to very complex processes which are really always changing. When one is able to contemplate the process with awareness, then it starts to look simpler and more flowing, rather than conceptually imposing. I think this is why the practice of meditative awareness can break down these barriers that seem real but actually are concepts that are changing.
   When one is feeling overwhelmed by sudden changes in schedule and work, is it possible to try this practice: let go of the fear of failure, as well as the concept of the impossible?

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