There’s a story about a young math student named George Dantzig that captures something essential about how we limit ourselves — often without even realizing it.
George was a graduate student struggling through a tough time when his professor announced that the top scorer on the final exam would be offered a rare research assistant position. The exam had eight problems, which George tackled confidently. Then, he saw two extra problems written on the board. He assumed they were part of the test and worked hard to solve them, but they seemed impossible.
Days later, he finally solved both and submitted his work just in time. To his surprise, the professor revealed that the two “problems” were actually famous unsolved challenges — problems no one, not even Einstein, had cracked.
Because George didn’t know the problems were “impossible,” he approached them with curiosity instead of fear. He didn’t let the label of “realistic” hold him back.
The Danger of Settling for “Realistic”
Most of us live by what we’ve been taught to accept as realistic — the safe, the probable, the expected.
We’re told to set goals within reach, to avoid disappointment, to not rock the boat. But “realistic” often means settling for less than what our soul quietly knows is possible.
The truth is, you were never meant to settle for the “realistic” version of your life. That quiet ache you feel? It’s your deeper self reminding you that there’s more — more purpose, more joy, more fulfillment — waiting beyond what you thought was possible.
Reclaiming Possibility
George’s story teaches us that labels like “impossible” or “unrealistic” are just stories — stories we can choose to rewrite.
When you release what you’ve been told about what’s realistic, you open yourself to a vast landscape of possibility. You give yourself permission to explore solutions and dreams that once felt out of reach.
You’re connected to an infinite source of creativity and wisdom. You have access to insights and answers that don’t always come from logic or reason, but from the deeper parts of you.
Your Invitation
Whatever feels impossible or out of reach right now — whatever dream you’ve pushed aside because it seemed “unrealistic” — know this:
You don’t have to accept those limits.
You were meant to try, to explore, to fail, and to rise. To ask bigger questions, to believe in answers not yet visible, and to walk a path only you can create.
What would happen if you stopped living within the bounds of “realistic” and stepped boldly into your true potential?
You might surprise yourself — as George did — by solving the unsolvable and living the life you were truly made for.
