Hard is just a difficulty setting — like normal or easy.

It seems nowadays people use the term “hard” to express impossible. The two are not synonymous, but at times, it feels that way.

What is impossible?

The definition of impossible tells us that it is “not able to exist, occur, or be done.”

As humans, we have done a terrific job of widening the boundaries of what seems impossible. Traveling to space was once thought of as impossible. The way we communicate, share information, create online identities — who would have ever guessed this was going to be our future? Someone, somewhere, once said these things were impossible. And many believed them — until someone challenged it and made a difference.

Think about a story of someone who lost their leg, and in later years after adapting to a prosthetic leg, runs a marathon or hits the gym and wins competitions. These stories are real, and there are many alike.

Think about the times when you told yourself something is impossible. Yes, teleportation or eating as much food as you want without any repercussions, is impossible.

But starting that restaurant? Or writing that book? Or finishing that half-marathon? Traveling to another country? Being a better person?

These are not impossible, yet we have learned to believe it. Someone tells you, “Oh no, the restaurant business is too hard,” are they saying it’s impossible? How many dreams were put on the shelf, on hold, because the thought of impossible devoured them?

The truth about hard

Hard is just a limit that we place on ourselves.

It is, in essence, an excuse for not initiating something. It’s a word that injects fear; it can also be a word that motivates and challenges, but the latter is rare.

When we tell ourselves (or someone tells us) that something is hard, are we saying it’s impossible?

When a parent thinks about going back to school for the first time in a long time, how many of them don’t go because the idea is too hard? Imagine the possibilities of breaking through that comfort zone…

Today and for the rest of our lives, there will be times where we tell ourselves that something is just too hard. We should reevaluate what we are really trying to say. We should take the time to differentiate what’s hard and what’s impossible.

And impossible? Impossible is just another difficulty setting waiting to be pushed back, challenged, and set on fire.

How will you break through this difficultly setting? Have you done anything that felt like it was impossible, but later realized it was just hard — and did you succeed? Share your story in the comments below.