Today, I was watching an interview of Elon Musk (as I often do when I am in need of some inspiration), and I got to know that the very people Elon looked up to as heroes were highly skeptic of the path he was on, in regards to his space exploration endeavors.
When asked by the interviewer, an emotional Elon said that, that was quite painful for him but still he would never give up. That really struck a chord in me because I too have never quite understood this particular line of thinking where people are just skeptical about things and ideas without even considering the possibilities.
I have always had a progressive mindset, as I believe that the human race is capable of doing things that are considered impossible. This actually excites me more than anything else and that’s the reason why I love the world of technology so much.
So, it can be really painful and frustrating to see many people, in even today’s world, being skeptical about things or future prospects of a technology, when history is laden with examples of us achieving ever greater heights.
Why Be Skeptical In A World of Possibilities?
One of the things that I like telling people is that, if something is not breaking the laws of physics or won’t in the future, why would you be skeptical about it? Yes, it might take longer to achieve said thing, but unless it’s within the laws of nature, why say something is just impossible.
The past century is proof of the fact that there are so many possibilities (almost infinite if you are really feeling it) in the world that you could choose your own path and contribute to advancing the world instead of trying to bring the other person down who is merrily walking his own path.
Let me use Elon’s example to reiterate. He is single handedly trying to push the human race forward in so many different avenues that will change the world many times over and yet, instead of supporting his ideas or even letting him be, several people (even highly credible) have been ridiculing his vision.
What I’m trying to say is, if you don’t believe in something, why go out of your way, to make a person seem like a fool? Visionaries are always misunderstood and they are the ones who end up achieving what everyone else said couldn’t be done and they have the last laugh anyways.
The Art of Asking “What If”
You know what today’s world was built on? Ideas! Yes, ideas that were just thoughts in someone’s head, who worked tirelessly to bring them to existence. They are the ones who asked “what if”.
They are the ones who asked things like…. What if this works out? What if we are able to do this or that? What if this will change the world? The journey of changing the world begins with this question.
Instead of trying to come up with reasons why something won’t work, why not spend your energy to look for ways that it will! Isn’t innovation and progress things that we all want? Why no support these visionaries then or better yet be one yourself?
The world we live in is full of possibilities and as humans we have the gift of intelligence to achieve those possibilities for the betterment of our entire race. Why be a skeptic in such a world?
Oh yeah I remember that interview. Elon is my favourite. Not only a smart person but he is the one who is thinking about humanity and trying to achieve big.
People are always skeptical about big and different ideas until you prove them.Musk has done and just doing that.
You are absolutely right. One of the greatest visionaries right now on the planet. Hope he achieves all that he has set out for :)
Yeah, exactly. I would pray for him if I have to because what he is thinking right now and trying to do, we don't know exactly what impact it will have on our future lives that's why sometimes we underestimates him.
You know what? It is on my bucket list to see earth from Mars so he has to survive.
Well said. The world would indeed be a far better place if people really looked at it with glasses of possibilities and solutions rather than of scepticism and fear-mongering.
Exactly. It's all about using your energies in the right place :)
Skepticism is weapon with double effect, and using it must be to protect our interest not to avoid our success, the matter deserves more reflection.
Thank you for pushing up the question in my head :)
Very wisely said man!! Very wisely said!!! We shouldn't use our own intellect against us but for us :)
WOW! If this is your own quote, I want to follow you. An incredibly wise thought, indeed! Can I save this for reference?
And I fully agree with the latest on pushing the question in my head too. ;)
Very nic post.
When you copy/paste or repeatedly type the same comments you could be mistaken for a bot.
Tips to avoid being flagged
Thank You! ⚜
Thanks.
Nice post
Thanks
your post is very helpful for me to cultivate a new spirit to move more daring in creating change. success for all of us.👌
Thank you :)
Next time you are looking for inspiration, just remember how I went dancing to the hospital :P
Truth is scepticism is put in us by birth by our own elders. that's why we sometimes we fail to see that there are a lot more possibilities in life.. very few see that..
I normally don't read up the entire write ups, but ur posts are beginning to make me read the whole thing :)
Haha, yeah, I will surely replay that image of you dancing there LOL
You are absolutely right. Since childhood we are always shown why something won't work instead of showing us why it will work. We are always presented with the concept of limitations instead of abundance.
Thanks for the kind words :D :D Means more to me coming from a friend :)
True..
Nothing impossible if we believed, we have to be focus and belief skeptical about issue creating step back.
Yeah!
No matter how anyone looks at it, Elon is an inspiration to those that dare to dream. he's making headway in space travel, and has to be admired. His latest launch is prove of his innovative spirit, and I'm sure we can expect bigger and better things from him in the future.
He has proved the skeptics wrong time and again and that just puts a huge smile on my face. Hope he shuts them down completely in the future. :D
The simple truth is people are complicating their lives instead of seeing the real possibilities in order to move forward. Every day is a wonderful opportunity to start a new chapter.
I notice that quite a few times as well. People are making their own lives difficult and it is all because of their narrow mindset. Quite sad really.
A lot of truth innit. Takes bravery to step up and be the change we want to see in the world. It is said that graves are rich with ideas...let's not die with ours. Make a positive step today!
It's the brave who keep going despite the loud group of cowardly. And I love that quote "graves are rich with ideas." Kudos :)
99% of visionaries fail their vision because everything is perfect in their mind. Those who apply their vision become geniuses, but just a few people can do it.
Oh yes, some form of practicality is absolutely needed which I think, Elon has showed time and again.
Yepp that's for sure. Inventions like the mouse at the time was absolutely ridiculous, in fact a lot of companies like Xerox refused the idea. Now using the mouse it's the standard :D
Anything is possible these days. We have many resources at hand that we do not realize... for example we basically have portable mini computers (cell phones), smaller than laptops and most tablets, that contain so much information in the palms of our hands. Cheers.
Exactly!! That's why I always tell people that unless it breaks the laws of physics, it is possible!
Your post is so beautiful. I'll follow you. If you want we can have a team of follow.
@ashikurrahman
Thanks!
I also can't forget that moment when the interviewer asks that question to him, and he takes a pause with teary eyes. That moment gives me goosebumps. To most people, he might look like a businessman but someone who put almost all his money into two projects with near 100% chances of failure can't be just a businessman. He is out there to help humanity and he has proven it.
What we can learn from him is that at least we should not suppress our ideas, because the pain of not doing something important is far greater than giving it at least a try.
I always feel emotional during that point of the interview as well. Really shows how much he cares about his vision and the betterment of humanity. It's sad that people still don't hold him in high regards. Really shows you the state of humanity these days.
Pessimism even tho thought of as cool can seriously damage ones soul. It was only through optimism that i started to live again
True that brother :)
Like your content, bro please also share your insight on my work sometime
Very good motto, make the impossible possible, have a large number of opportunities and not give up
Exactly :)
Totally
Yes.
Hmm, I believe there's a good reason why we have both skeptics and progressive thinkers. I'm an enthusiast embracer of visions such as the ones of Elon Musk, and I'm sure he will most definitely succeed, knowing the obstacles he faced before his vision started to shape up and produce visible results.
But in domains which involve prevention of various dangers, calamities, diseases, for example, do you think a question like "What if this works out?" is appropriate without the opposite "What if this doesn't work out?" view skeptics usually bring to the table. I'd say the skeptical view prevails for prevention.
About supporting the visionaries, I'm all up for it! Unless every other person thinks he or she is a visionary.
Thought-provoking post, thank you for that!
Everything has its place and skepticism used in the right place certainly has! I like your example about the prevention of things were you just have to consider both sides of the coin. Nice!! :)
well i really like your post it was amazing i am new here just leanring thing
Thanks!
You have wise words there.
Our current technological level makes almost everything possible, not only that, since the innovation is exponential, more and more incredible things will become true. Technology is our way forward as a species, and thanks to it millions of lives are changed for the better each year.
Blockchain technology is the latest example, and the best part its only starting! Good things are coming!
Cheers!
You're totally right. We are entering into a time where science fiction is quickly becoming reality and that only tells you the kind of things we will achieve by 2100 alone. :D
The reason why so many "experts" are critical of pioneers and ground breaking technology is due to their ego. The ego exists through separation so the more the person criticizes and ridicules, the more they are separate and the stronger ego becomes.
The ego believes that through negativity it can manipulate reality and get what it wants. Of course, spiritually speaking, this process is unconscious.
To criticize and try and bring down Elon Musk is insane when his businesses have the potential to combat climate change and put us on a different trajectory.
Ego sure has a large role here. And that is what is sad. Instead of lending their brainpower to support his cause and contribute in any manner possible, they are using it to bring him down which will only ultimately bring humanity down.
Elon is an inspirational icon. How many people can say they followed their dreams, risking everything or that they sent their own rocket or sports car into space?
Exactly!!! I always like to give the example of reusable rockets and vertical landing that the Falcon 9s are capable of. To achieve such a feat for a relatively new company (compared to NASA) should be proof alone of their capability.
An excellent article that rises some deep thoughts.
I really hate to see visionaries being ridiculed by some smart-arses. Visionaries seek big improvements and fuel the progress of entire population.
Why Be Skeptical In A World of Possibilities?
I’d like to add my thoughts on skeptics, as I’m often called one, not really being able to discern between those that doubts every new idea, and those that doubtfully seek potential faults in order to try to eliminate them beforehand.
I have a tendency to spot minor details that people around me usually miss, or neglect. These details often make things appear worse or less feasible (than to others). I am constantly being told to be awfully skeptic or negativistic. But I really don’t see myself that way. I sense small details others usually miss. Warn others about details that have the potential to drive things south. Wanting to help them with their projects, problems, etc., but I’m often stopped as too skeptic, pessimistic, negativistic. Does wishing well for some project make one skeptic? Does wanting to spot and eliminate potential obstacles so that project can succeed make one negativistic?
The Art of Asking “What If”
– LOL, I just wrote an article yesterday titled “What If”. You’re welcome to check and comment.
“When something is not breaking the laws of physics or won’t in the future, why would you be sceptical about it?” In your context – absolutely, we need to support visionaries, not ridicule them. But in my context, when it comes to ‘things taking longer to achieve’ than necessary, I see it slightly different. What if the planned vision missed some minor details? Visionaries tend to miss a detail now and then. What if you had an opportunity to identify these and eliminate potential setbacks? Would you not want to do all that it takes to make it right? Or better, less consuming? I’m a big fan of optimizing, innovating and consequently not too fond of ‘things taking longer to achieve’ than necessary. Especially when it comes to all kinds of waste (time, by-products, defects, processing,...). I do like to believe that nothing is impossible. Visionaries share the same beliefs, but they don’t make things work by themselves. What they do have, are brilliant ideas that change the world. But these ideas need more people to be put into matter. Perhaps someone (skeptic?) who can help steer those ideas through 'muddy waters'.
Here’s to the crazy ones - people who are crazy enough to think they can change the world are the ones who do! ;)
I think what you do (finding faults in the system and stuff like that) cannot be called skepticism. I think it is called "having an eye for detail" and using that to make sure things work right. Skepticism (for me at least) is being dismissive of an idea, mostly without even going through all aspects of it (which is what usually happens).
Even if the what ifs are being asked in a somewhat negative context, I say, we should still ask the what ifs. Because, only after that do we begin looking for further answers.
'Having an eye for details' and 'finding faults in the system' are well described, but unfortunately majority of people generalize that (wrongly) as one being skeptic - with a specifically negative tone. While also cultivating negative tendencies towards that for various reasons:
-they don't have an open mind and can't stand criticism (especially over their own ideas);
-they don't see the details and the path to where those details potentially lead (it takes one to know one - it's hard to explain to someone that doesn't see or understand it);
-majority aspires towards putting in least possible effort as possible to some idea, especially some product;
-...
I fully agree, 'what ifs' and 'whys' are one of most important questions, often eye-opening and leading to invention, innovation, development, progress. It's all about stepping out of one's comfort zone and taking life (and future) in own hands.
https://steemit.com/steemit/@jesusj1/power-down-or-will-2018-be-a-whale-up-vote-in-a-post-on-my-blog-or-motivo-direct-to-chile-with-steemit
Thank you :)
all depend dear @sauravrungta, excellent post because we can to see or remember that the possibilities are there, but we need to change our form of to see the thinks, is important for to strike the balance between that I want, I feel and I think. thanks for share, I follow you because is interesting to find people that with their creativity show us the differents point of view.
Thank you for your kind words :)
This is good one to start the day with..... as my late Mum would say every time I had doubts "Why cannot?"... because she believed anything you thought of was possible.
That is so true :)
I feel this is all that goes
True :)
I firmly believe that one should never give up no matter what. Things get worse when one is willing to give up. There is nothing in today's times that a person cannot do. The essential part is the set mindset which should not fluctuate.
I totally agree with you. No matter what, we shouldn't give up and thanks to the visionaries who never give up and push the world forward always!
Everything is possible with ideas and no possibilities in the place of ideas
True :)
If Mr. Musk told me that there is a bowling alley in the far end of the galaxy where aliens had fun bowling and eating brunch, I would believe him.
haha! Why believe him when you can ask for a photo first ;)
I love to watch inspiring videos as well! Thank you for sharing your thoughts with us. I really liked how you put the fact that there are no boundaries and we can achieve whatever we want. Because I think if one is working hard for what he wants he always will achieve whatever he must most people just quit to fast 💪🏼
Thanks for the kind words :) Yeah, I always like to look towards what is possible and I believe we humans can do whatever we set our minds to.
sauravrungta , you came out of nowhere and you are killing it in Steem with stunning content. This truly shows that when one is dedicated success does not take long to follow.
sauravrungta is a straight shooter and I am glad to see that he continues to give solid advice.
Thanks!