It is a fact that humans have a natural ability to improvise and innovate. It is natural for us and ingrained into our system. We will, consciously or unconsciously, seek to do that. We constantly seek small to large changes in our lives. Take examples of general life – we go from being a single into a marriage and rear a family. We go from smaller towns to bigger cities for livelihood. We move houses – small to big and between locations. Every change we make is seemingly for the good. As a natural phenomenon, our body cells too die every moment and new cells are born. This is what nature is doing – teaching us to deal with change/unknown.
However, there is a certain level of anxiety at every change we make – albeit for good. We do not like change when we process it in our minds. Specifically, when we think it is being forced upon us. We probably would be more appreciative / comfortable with change, if we were given choices. It is easy for us to choose “the change” – although the choice we make may still be the one being “forced” on us.
Now – let us define “Possibility” – simply put – Possibility means “A thing that may happen”. As humans we evaluate possibilities before we make our decisions (changes) in life. Many-a-time it is our experience/knowledge and some times it is ‘hope’ that pushes us to take an action. We do not decide on things that are unknown to us. In my opinion, in such situations we try to over analyze the unknown. If it is an unknown, be conscious, why over analyze?
Common people, like me, evaluate the possibilities and try and limit “the change”. This is more because – I fear failure. This “fear of failure” lets me look only at possibilities that are known to me. The inability to challenge the unknown surfaces. In many ways this is contributed by the environment I grew up in – the nature around me and the way I was nurtured.
And then there are some amongst us who do not fear the unknown. They do not evaluate all possibilities. They just start digging in. Some examples are the Greek king Alexander, Christopher Columbus, Mahatma Gandhi, Jamshedji Tata, Steve Jobs or Jeff Bezos and I can go on with the list. There are many more to add to the list. I think these people lived outside the “Prison of Possibility”. I believe that at times when people do not challenge the unknown – they go against the human grain – i.e. to explore and improvise.
Applying this thought… as adults, we own the responsibility to push the envelope for our children. They have the natural instincts to explore and improvise. Let’s teach our children to not get caught in the “Prisons of Possibility”. Let’s motivate them to seek the unknown – unknown to us and unknown to them. As parents – think about what you are doing with your child! Are you pushing them to try the impossible?
If we could do this as a society, we could accomplish greater things.
Vish
Vish Sivaswamy is a Director and founder of TATVA Global School.
Good one Vish. Appreciate it.
Very true. Children by their very nature explore because of their curiosity. It is a very essential trait, that have to be nurtured, encouraged and appreciated irrespective of the outcome. Steppping outside the comfort zone is inherently a feature of the children. This, as Vish termed it “pushing the envelope”, is the responsibility of us, as parents. I believe that Tatva is moving in the right direction for the benefit of children and indirectly contributing to a better tomorrow.
Curiosity is the reason of all inventions..When Children are curious they explore, they learn, and in the process find themselves. The senseless competition curtails the imagination and limits their thinking. When your own thinking is limited you are in the “Prison of Possibility”. That prison is the one of the major reasons for all the Social Maladies. When children can judge Right from Wrong by themselves with indirect guidance they develop a sense of responsibility and do the right thing for the society.