Your Invitation

to Your Impossible First

Aidan Weinmann
August 10, 2022

Good afternoon and welcome back.

Last week, I didn’t send out a newsletter thanks to a gnarly case of food poisoning.

Part of me was bummed to break the consistency cycle, but I chose to give myself grace.

This week, we’re back with a short & sweet invitation.

The Best Podcast I Heard Last Week:

Was this episode of Modern Wisdom— an interview with Colin O’Brady, hosted by English philosopher & podcaster Chris Williamson.

Colin is one of my favorite & most admired humans on the planet right now.

A 10-time World Record holder, Colin burst into popularity back in 2018, when he became the first person to cross Antarctica solo, unsupported and fully human-powered.

In short, this means he pushed a 300 pound sled for 932 miles in some of the coldest climates known to man.

The feat took him 54 days and he captures the story beautifully in his New York Times’ best selling book, “The Impossible First.”

Here’s the really crazy thing through… at the age of 22, Colin was told he’d never walk again, after suffering a devastating burn injury in Thailand.

Nonetheless, he’s gone on to summit Mount Everest twice, win numerous triathlons, and row a boat across the treacherous Drake Passage.

All because of what he calls the Possible Mindset.

The Possible Mindset:

Following his horrific burn accident, Colin was bedridden in a Thai hospital and told my doctors that he’d never walk again.

Nonetheless, his mother encouraged him to set a goal. The goal that popped into Colin’s head was “run a triathlon.”

Just 18 months later, he not only ended up completing the Chicago marathon, but actually won the whole thing.

It’s an incredible story that he recounts in his TedTalk: “Change Your Mindset and Achieve Anything” that I’d highly encourage you to watch.

Since then, he’s become passionate about helping others overcome the mental obstacles and limiting beliefs that hold them back.

As he describes in his book, “Too often, answers or assumptions are thrust on us by others who say what our limits are, what our frontiers & boundaries should be, what we can accomplish or not. And then we come to believe those limits and boundaries to be true, and the more we believe them the truer they become.”

Beliefs can always be rewritten. Reoriented. Reimagined.

At any point in time, we can write a new story of what is possible.

And that’s what I hope to do by taking part in his challenge next month.

His Challenge:

One month from today, Colin is hosting the “12 Hour Walk,” an event that involves simply that— walking, in solitude and without technology, for 12 hours.

I recently committed to taking part and the beautiful thing is— it doesn’t have to be on that specific day or in a special area.

He invites anyone to participate, wherever they are in the world, whenever they have a day open. There are no speed or distance recommendations, just the commitment to solitude and the outdoors.

Recently, I have felt a bit stuck and, paradoxically, a little too comfortable with the way life has been moving. I’ve been craving a change of pace and that’s exactly what this challenge feels like.

I’d encourage you to take a look at this quick 90 second video and if it resonates, also listening to the podcast mentioned above.

Obviously, I haven’t taken part in the challenge yet, so I can’t give a full review (yet).

But, in general, it seems like a brilliant & accessible vehicle to growth & self-discovery.

Here’s a picture, from his website, that beautifully summarizes the transformative process that doing challenging things, like this, offers.

Your Invitation:

So, I’d invite you to join me in embarking on the 12 Hour Walk.

I’ll (most likely) be completing mine on Saturday September, 10, 2022, but feel free to pick any day that works for you.

Remember, what is possible or impossible is entirely self-determined.

Often, the excuses we give are simply limiting beliefs in disguise— that simultaneously & subtly affect all the results in our lives.

And, when we pursue the things we consider impossible, our boxes of what’s possible expand.

As Henry Ford once said, “Whether you think you can, or you think you can't—you're right.”

2 More Quotes I’m Meditating On:

“If we want to think better, we need to seize these moments of quiet. If we want more revelations - more insights or breakthroughs or new, big ideas - we have to create more room for them. We have to step away from the comfort of noisy distractions and simulations. We have to start listening.” Ryan Holiday

“Creativity is a crucial human function. It imbues every incident we experience in life - every sight, sound, and texture - which profound meaning. Without acknowledging and exercising our creativity in small consistent ways, we’re undermining our natural capacity to imagine, design, execute, and amplify the life we’re meant to be living.” Chase Jarvis