Impossible is Nothing

My good friend Nancy is in China for the Olympics which start later this week. Fortunately, I am on her email list reporting back on her Chinese adventures. She mentioned in today's email a number of billboards for Adidas in Shanghai with the phrase "Impossible is Nothing." I had to look it up. (How did we live without Google?)

I really like this idea, reversing the common phrase of nothing is impossible. The new order, to me, gives a sense of importance and possibility to attempting the unthinkable. I get the feeling that all is trivial, mind over matter. If I don't mind, it doesn't matter. I'm sure I can throw a few more cliches out there but the idea is pretty clear.

It is a shame however that we, as a public, get our best inspiration for personal or group achievement from marketing companies working to promote sporting goods. I would hope that this type of motivation would come from the social institutions that I would historically look to for guidance, namely, governments & politicians, churches and religious leaders and even in some cases, upper management of the companies we work for. And yet, I haven't seen it. Those organizations that claim to be leaders or want to lead don't do so. Yes, I admit I am burned out from the seemingly endless US presidential election (the process is TOO long) with mind numbing catch phrases that have no or little substance. Change, please. Every 4 years I hear change. How about "Impossible is nothing?" Or "Make Love, Not War." Or "Just Do It." Where is the rally cry?

Say what you want about marketing companies but a few have figured out how to motivate people to push forward. If only our political and religious leaders could do the same. Imagine what kind of world we would have if our leaders actually led. That may be impossible but then again, impossible is nothing.