Some years ago, one summer evening, we were packing for a long-planned trip to Europe. Well, actually, not packing – that was the plan for the next day, as our flight departed in the afternoon. We were just going over the basics, you know, as a family with two small kids would. Do we have enough medications? Kids supplies? Are all the documents good?
Documents, more specifically, passports. (Imagine blood draining from my face…) As you might’ve guessed – both girls’ passports had expired.
So, obviously, we are not going anywhere. It’s impossible. It’s 9:30 p.m. at this point, our flight is at 2:30p.m. the following day. I’m bracing myself for the inevitable phone call to my mom, having to break the news that I failed in my new role as her grandchildren’s delivery service.
Now, let’s pause for a second. Is it really impossible? There may be one – literally, ONE – way this can happen. We need to be first in line at the passport office downtown (the only one with express service), pay the 24-hours express fee and somehow convince them to give it to us at T-20 – in about 4 hours, so we can make the flight. Of course, that means being ready with EVERYTHING. There is literally only one path with any kind of chance of success.
Where do you get passport photos made at 10p.m.? There is actually a place – only one, as you’d guess – London Drugs (a Canadian convenience store chain, for those in other parts of the world).
“Honey, wake up and dress the kids, we’re going to get photos taken, I’ll start packing.”
Photos done, kids in bed, packing done somewhat haphazardly (for a 2+ weeks trip), it’s 1a.m. and we are off to bed.
Our alarm clock goes off at 5:00 a.m. We arrive at the passport office at 6:00a.m. (doors open at 8:30a.m.). We are about 20th in the line at this point.
Somehow at 8:50a.m. I’m standing in front of the clerk. “I’m sorry, but I’m the stupidest person you’ll have to deal with today” (thank you Chris Voss for that little tip). “Here are my kids passports, forms and photos, and our flight is at 2:30 this afternoon.”
Incredulity: “Why didn’t you come sooner?”
“Because I’m an idiot!” (I thought we covered that already, but apparently she needed to make sure.)
Paper shuffling, some silent grunts.
“Come back at 11:30a.m.”
And yes, the passports were ready in time. We flew without further incident (well, except for the return flight, but that’s another story entirely).
Years later, I had the chance to hear Dr. Benjamin Hardy speak about his new book. Only a few months later did it click with me that this story is a perfect example of an (seemingly) impossible goal on a crazy timeline. How the limits forced focus on the only possible path (not knowing until the last minute whether it will actually work out), and then executing on it, step by step, until it came to a successful conclusion.
In my story, the goal was clear and served to me not by decision, but by stupidity. But you can be the author of your own similar story. Set an (seemingly) impossible goal, with a crazy timeline, and think what would need to be true for it to become reality. Suddenly a path may emerge.
It did for me. And as a result, I didn’t have to call my mom with the bad news.
