Do The Impossible

I recently had a conversation with a friend of mine about the word can’t. And the word impossible. It’s so easy to believe we can’t do something. To believe we aren’t smart enough, or talented enough. Or we don’t have time.

Recently, I’m starting to realize that it has nothing to do with talent. It has everything to do with time and practice. No matter what we want to do, if we’re dedicated, and if we put in the time and effort, we can achieve it.

Case in point?

Last November, I started listening to the Peter Hollens Radio on Pandora when I wrote. I feel like he’s my sweet spot. He does YouTube Acapella covers. I love Acapella, I love covers, and I like YouTube artists. By December, I was listening to it all the time. I was hanging out with my brother, and happened to mention that I wished I could beatbox. It looks like so much fun. I’m pretty good at singing the harmonies, picking up the different vocal parts, but I couldn’t beatbox. I tried, and it was a pretty pathetic attempt.

My brother pointed out a few things, the basic sounds, and told me that it’s pretty simple.

Right. Simple. I couldn’t beatbox. It was one of those talents I just didn’t have.

A few months later, as I was driving to work, I started focusing on the acapella songs, trying to imitate the beatboxing. It was terrible. I understood the rhythm, but getting my mouth to move in that way didn’t work. But I kept going because I needed something to keep me awake on my half hour drive home after working a night shift. It’s been two months since I started trying. I get about three hours a week, half an hour to work and half an hour home.

I’m not fantastic, and I’m definitely not going to quit my day job. But the thing is… I can do it. It’s easier than I thought, once I actually put the time and practice in.

Anything is possible, as long as we are willing to do the work.