"Dwell in possibility "

Imagine for a second that you're standing in front of a door. This door isn't just any door. It's the entrance to a world where anything can happen. "Dwell in possibility" essentially means living your life in a way that sees this door as always open. It's the idea that instead of shutting down ideas because they seem too ambitious or unrealistic, you let them breathe. You give them space to grow.

The phrase "dwell in possibility" comes from a poem by Emily Dickinson. Now, Dickinson was known for her reclusive nature and for her poetry that often explored the inner life. In her time, the 19th century, societal expectations for women were rigid. Dickinson, through her poetry, suggested that the imagination could break these confines. Her world was full of possibilities, even if she rarely left her home. For her, poetry itself was a house of possibility, a place where she could explore ideas, emotions, and realities beyond the physical limitations of her life.

Think about someone like Elon Musk. Love him or hate him, you can't deny that he dwells in possibility. SpaceX, Tesla, Neuralink—these are companies built on ideas that once seemed like science fiction. When Musk started talking about reusable rockets, many thought he was crazy. But he didn’t shut the door on that possibility. He lived in it, invested in it, and made it real. SpaceX now regularly lands rockets that can be used again, drastically reducing the cost of space travel.

So, how do you apply this wisdom in your life? Start by allowing yourself to dream without immediately shutting it down with "but that's not realistic." Give your ideas some room. Write them down. Talk about them with friends who get it. Don't worry if they seem too big or too out there. When you're faced with a decision, think about the best possible outcome instead of the worst. What if it actually works? What if you actually succeed?

Let me tell you a story. Picture a guy named Jake. Jake works a regular 9-to-5, but he's always had this idea for a novel. He’s passionate about it, but every time he starts, he talks himself out of it. "Who am I kidding? I’m not a writer. I don't have the time." But what if Jake decided to dwell in possibility? What if he allowed himself to believe that he could actually write this book? He starts by setting aside just 15 minutes a day to write. Those 15 minutes grow to an hour. A year later, he's got a first draft. The book might not be a bestseller, but it’s real. It exists because he allowed himself to believe in the possibility.

So, next time you're tempted to shut a door on an idea, take a moment. Think about what could happen if you let it breathe. Sure, not all ideas will pan out, but some will—and they might just change your life.