“You may not know the name but this gentleman did something incredible. What makes it more astounding is that he didn’t know what he was doing was incredible while he was doing it. He was completely clueless. He was just carrying out a typical everyday assignment but he stunned the world. His name is George Dantzig.
You might not recognize the name but it is likely you know about his accomplishment. Arriving late to class one day he jotted down a couple problems from the blackboard. At home he worked on that ‘homework’ which seemed ‘a little harder than usual’ and then turned it in. Later, he received a visit from his excited professor.
It turned out that Dantzig had solved two of the most famous unsolved problems in statistics. He did what no one else had been able to do! Pretty cool, right! He went on to become a mathematical scientist publishing more than a dozen books.
What is important to note about Mr Dantzig is that he was not limited by his beliefs when it came to solving the unsolvable problems. Since Dantzig arrived late to class he hadn’t heard his professor’s remarks when he put the problems on the blackboard.
Since he wasn’t limited by those remarks, and since he assumed the two problems were homework, he went ahead and worked on them as homework. There was nothing very unusual about them so his mind was free to solve them. His thoughts did not stand in his way.
How many others, before him, had tried to solve them is not known. These were famous unsolved problems. Perhaps, many others, tried and failed assuming they could not be solved. Not Dantzig. He assumed he would find the solutions.
Because he was clueless he just went right ahead and succeeded where others could not. He wasn’t stopped or prevented by ‘I can’t’ thinking. He just did what he always did. Because he believed it to be homework he believed it to be solvable.
After all, that is what we come to expect about homework that there is an answer we can find and deliver. It never occurred to him that he couldn’t solve the problems. Our beliefs and expectations set the framework for what we believe is possible or not. These determine our attitude, This is important to note.
Our brains have evolved to solve problems and hit targets. Our brains work to achieve goals. What we think about and speak of matters a great deal. If we THINK something is not possible then it most likely isn’t. Our beliefs and expectations matter! If we think something is impossible we may not even try.
Limitations are set by our thinking. If we think something isn’t possible and if we don’t try then WE will have really made it impossible. If we think something is possible WE open a door for opportunity.Our expectations determine our accomplishments.
We determine how hard something is to accomplish by whether we think something IS possible but difficult or possible and easy. Our expectations determines our success. We are far more likely to reach our goals and dreams when we think the best and have the most powerful positive attitude possible.
Stop thinking you can’t do the things you want to do. You CAN be, do and have anything you desire when you believe you can. You can make anything happen. How you use your thoughts will determine whether you rise or fall. There is a purpose to thinking positive.
When you think positive you think powerfully. Your brain helps you get what you go after more easily. Think ‘I can’, “I am able’, ‘this will be easy’. See, visualize yourself as one who is able to make things happen and you will more readily make things happen.
Pursue your dreams without limiting beliefs and you can accomplish anything. Surprise yourself with amazing results because you don’t limit yourself!
When you are free from limitations, as Dantzig was, you make great things happen. Henry Ford stated, ‘Whether you think you can or you think you can’t, you are right!’ Become a can-do person and make your dreams come true!” Rex Sikes
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