There is an old saying, “Seeing is Believing.” This saying refers to the reality that people need to see something come to life before believing that it is possible. It affects adoption of new ideas or pursuing of goals. People are more likely to pursue an idea or goal if they have seen someone else accomplish it first.
Here’s a great example. In 1954, Sir Roger Bannister was a student at St. Mary’s Hospital Medical School in London, U.K. The world record for the mile was 4 minutes and 1.3 seconds, held by Gunder Hagg of Sweden. The masses believed that running under a 4 minute mile was impossible, but Bannister believed that with science he could overcome this barrier. On May 6, 1954, Bannister toed the line, demarcating the start on a cinder track. 3 minutes and 59.4 seconds later, he crossed the finish line, becoming the first person in recorded history to achieve this feat.
His world record only last 46 days.
Within less than 2 months, John Landy of Australia and Bannister both ran the Miracle Mile in less than 4 minutes. As of April 2021, 1,664 athletes broke the four-minute barrier, a few of whom are even high schoolers.
For hundreds, if not thousands, of years, runners could not run so fast until Bannister did. Once he proved what was possible, the dominoes fell. People now knew it was possible because they saw it come to life. Until people believed, they weren’t willing or able to take the leap.
Except for Bannister.
Bannister didn’t wait to see what was possible before he believed it could come true. He believed before he could see. And that is the secret of being in the driver’s seat of change.
Change hits us all. It is an inevitable truth that can frustrate and challenge all of us. Most people have ideas on what they would like to see change, but taking these ideas and promoting them and making them come to life starts with believing.
Believing in something leads to dedication and success. And then you become the example that other people see, spurring more belief. Momentum grows and a once impossible idea becomes possible.
Belief before seeing is difficult. Like Bannister, believing before seeing means knowing something to be true before anyone else. It is lonely to step out front when everyone behind you is skeptical. Yet if you believe in an idea that has never been done, the only way to bring it to fruition is to know in your heart that it can be done. The power of believing it in your heart fuels the action needed to see dreams come true.
