Realm of Possibility
While I was in high school, my mom found an ad in my local newspaper about a new Youth Toastmasters program at my local library. She signed me up and I reluctantly went. There I met someone that changed my life.
I came from a fairly normal high school. My high school wasn’t bad but it wasn’t amazing either. It didn’t have any of those fancy high school programs like Advanced Placement (AP) or International Baccalaureate (IB). There weren’t many people doing anything exceptional, myself included. My realm of possibility wasn’t high. While I scored higher than most of my classmates in most subjects, I was a big fish in a small pond.
Then I went to Toastmasters and I met A. A was a captivating speaker and he was incredibly kind. He was the most brilliant person I met and he was also my age. A inspired me to work hard, to dream, and to treat everyone with kindness. A expanded my realm of possibility.
Especially as kids, our realms of possibility are influenced by the people around us and our immediate environments. Some of us are blessed to be in environments that inspire us. I was blessed with opportunities that allowed me to meet these sort of people.
Eventually, I learned that I can expand my realm of possibility through reading. Through books, I can read about people that succeeded despite their circumstances. Nonetheless, I always find it energizing to meet people that expand my realm of what’s possible.