Exploring Boundaries

Nicola Tesla invented the electricity that you are using in your

house now because his teacher told him that it cannot be done. He was

studying at the Polytechnic in Gratz with the objective of becoming a

professor of mathematics and physics. His instructor showed him the

Gramme dynamo and proved that no motor could operate without a

commutator and brushes. He failed to accept this and despite attempts to

be convinced otherwise by among others Thomas Edison (the father of the

General Electric corporation) – he persisted with his ideas. The

consequence of this is that you and I can today benefit from alternate

current.

I was standing in a store over this end of year period and reflected

how the inventions of these people profoundly affected our lives.

My thoughts started dwelling around boundaries. Human nature is

somehow designed to explore and overcome boundaries. It is in seeing a

boundary that we start organising the details and start cognitively

addressing these issues. Somehow – when we do not have boundaries – it

does not motivate us to achieve. When we do we achieve profound things.

In fact the hardest boundaries seems to date to have shaped our society

most fundamentally.

Anything that we out our minds to – in time, breaks under the laws of

observation, logic and truth.

The paradox comes in asking if we should be creating boundaries and

challenges for ourselves – or wait till nature or circumstance presents

them to us. Somehow – I believe that you are either pro or reactive and

that if you do not challenge yourself – then nature will challenge

you.

One of the major causes of failure is an inability to organise

details – for which boundaries and limitations are a key enabler.

Courage does not require fear for it to be activated. Courage only

requires a boundary and you will overcome it. I think as I look ahead at

this year I am going to ask myself more often what the boundaries are,

what needs to be done to overcome them and what should the next frontier

be after this boundary has been overcome.

Some barriers are inside – and will be the hardest to overcome – but

only in each one of seeing the challenges I front of us – will there be

a better tomorrow.