"Una profecía es una conjetura tonta aún no teñida de incredulidad."

A prophecy is something that might seem a bit foolish because it's predicting the future without any solid evidence. But at the same time, it's a guess that hasn't yet been proven wrong, so there's still a chance it could come true. It's like when you predict that someday you'll be rich and famous—it's not based on anything concrete, but you can't completely dismiss it either.

Imagine the context. Picture ancient times when seers and prophets were a big deal. People would gather around them, eager to hear about what the future held. These prophets didn’t have crystal balls, though. They were more like expert guessers, combining intuition with a bit of wisdom. Their prophecies were often vague, like, “A great leader will rise,” which could mean almost anything. Folks back then didn’t see these predictions as absolute truths, but they weren’t ready to rule them out, either. They floated in this space of possibility, half-believed, half-doubted.

Take, for instance, the story of the Oracle of Delphi in ancient Greece. People traveled miles to consult the oracle, seeking insights into their futures. The advice and predictions given were often ambiguous. When King Croesus of Lydia asked if he should go to war with Persia, the oracle replied that if he did, a great empire would be destroyed. Croesus went to war, assuming the prophecy meant victory for him. Instead, his own empire was the one that fell. The prophecy wasn’t entirely wrong—just not in the way he expected.

Now, how can you take this idea and run with it in your own life? Think about your dreams and goals. Maybe you want to launch a startup, write a bestseller, or travel the world. These ambitions might seem like prophecies—grand predictions about what you hope will happen. They might feel a bit foolish because they're not guaranteed. But as long as you haven't given up on them, there's a sliver of belief keeping them alive.

Here’s some advice: Don't let the fear of looking foolish stop you from making your own prophecies. Dream big, and then back up those dreams with action. Start planning, take small steps, and keep that spark of possibility alive. Sure, you might face setbacks, but remember—every successful venture started with someone’s bold, unproven idea.

Let’s bring this down to a more relatable level. Picture Sarah, a graphic designer at a modest firm. She has a wild dream of starting her own design agency. People might scoff—how can she do that with just a few years of experience? But Sarah doesn’t let that deter her. She begins by freelancing on the side, building a client base. There are moments of doubt, times when it feels like a foolish dream. Yet, as she lands more clients and her portfolio grows, her once “foolish” prophecy starts looking a lot more believable.

So, next time you’re sipping coffee and sharing dreams with a friend, remember that every big idea starts off as a prophecy—something that might sound a bit silly but isn’t yet disproven. Embrace that. Nurture your predictions with hard work and a dash of hope. Who knows? Your foolish conjecture might just turn into reality. And wouldn’t that be something special?