How to achieve the impossible

3 simple steps

Shout out to my old buddy Mike G. for the reminder.

I had to do a factory reset on my phone a few months back and lost a few things in the process. In classic, out-of-sight, out-of-mind fashion, one of the things I lost was a daily dose of positive vibes from my man Mike Gonçalves, aka: Mike G.

You know what I like most about Mike G.? His attitude. When I first found him a few years ago, he was just getting started with his Wellness Bucket brand. I printed off a simple, 15-minute daily exercise routine he created and taped it to the inside of my front door.

Since then, Mike—and his business—have evolved, from the Wellness Bucket to an entrepreneur fitness academy program to now a robust, web-based, personalized health/wellness/fitness coaching service and community. He’s built a life around being healthy, happy, and positive about helping others.

Simply put, Mike’s a guy who decided to put his knowledge and experience to use by sharing it with others. He focused on making a difference in the lives of the people he works with by delivering results.

It’s taken him far.

In any case, as is often the case these days in our quantity-over-quality social media lives, Facebook randomly starting showing me Mike’s stuff in my feed. I dunno; maybe I finally blocked enough negative BS that Facebook realized I need to see more positivity. Whatever the case, Mike G’s Mornings With Mike podcast is back in my life.

Maybe this time I’ll be able to keep up.

In a recent episode titled, “Only Those Who Can See the Invisible Can Do the Impossible”, Mike reminded me of three simple steps to achieving the impossible. It’s such simple—and powerful—advice, I knew I needed to share it with the TGP tribe. So here it is (adapted to our gearhead life).

3 Simple Steps to Achieve the Impossible

1. Visualize the Win – If you aren’t happy with where you are in life—for whatever reason—remember to avoid the trap of focusing more on what you don’t want more than what you DO want. The trick is focusing on the most detailed visualization you can of what success or happiness feels like by using all your senses.

So, like, if your dream is one day owning a Porsche 911, close your eyes and imagine going for a drive in your 911. What color is it? What’s it smell like when you get in? Listen to that flat six bark to life and settle into a low, rumbling idle. Imagine the satisfying clunk of the shifter in your hand as you grab fourth gear, and the lateral acceleration pulling you to the side as you apex the curve on that winding, forest road and accelerate into the straightaway. Are the tires talking to you? Can you smell the sweet scent of the pine on the breeze blowing in the window?

Speaking as someone who’s known this trick for years, tried it more than a few times—and still struggles with fully visualizing the win—I’ll be the first to admit it’s not as easy at it seems. But here’s the good news: Trying it a couple times is all it takes to put this tool in your toolbox forever. You’ll come back to it when you need it most, I promise you.

2. Keep the Faith – There’s a massive, powerful difference between thinking, “I don’t want to drive this old POS anymore” and “I want to drive a 911.” I mean, if we’re sticking with above example, are you visualizing a modern 911 GT3 or a $300,000, air-cooled Singer? Either way, we’re talking about one hell of a jump, even while we’re just dreaming, right?

Here’s the thing. If you can see yourself doing it in your mind’s eye, you can do it in real life. It’s only a matter of how dedicated you are to the dream. And, again, speaking as someone who’s known this trick for years and has tried it more than a few times—it’s hard to hold on to the belief you can close that gap—but it’s far better, if not easier, to chase the things we want than change the current status quo.

3. Build the Team – It’s a lot harder to win the race without a team. A quick google tells me the average F1 team is 500, 600 or more people. And personal experience volunteering in clubman level stage rally in the American southwest tells me even grassroots motorsport takes a village.

Similar to #1, above, the easiest way to avoid the negative, depressing downers in your life is to actively seek out good people with a positive mindset. A lifelong 311 fan, I call these people “positive vibe merchants” or “excitables”.

Whether or not you believe we’re all the average of the five people we spend the most time with or not, you probably agree that attitudes are contagious. Hang out with sad sack, hopeless losers, and their pessimism is going to rub off on you. Compare that to hanging out with dynamic people excitedly building their best possible lives. Everything else being equal, which would you prefer, right?

(It might, and probably should, be said that this last one extends to social media. If nothing else, unfollowing those people you don’t really know who always seem to be screaming bloody murder about everything under the sun can only do you right.)

Summing up

Let’s put that 911 up there back in its climate controlled garage (next to the E24 M635CSi) and wrap this up (because it went WAY longer than I thought it would).

If you want that 911 one day, you gotta make sure every corner of your brain wants it too; you’ve got recognize that it IS possible, however challenging it might be; and you’ve got spend more time talking to people more focused on building the future than hating the present (and crying about the past).

Man. Can you imagine if there as a forum for people like that?

Oh wait. We’re building it. #soon

Thanks for the positive vibes this morning, Mike.