Imagination is more important than knowledge

I came across this thought by Einstein that has brought back a modicum of inspiration to me, and it's worth sharing here:

"I am enough of an artist to draw freely upon my imagination. Imagination is more important than knowledge. Knowledge is limited. Imagination encircles the world." - Albert Einstein [from Brainyquote]

If you're feeling a bit drained, uncreative, boxed-in, whatever - just think about this.

Forget old school, we need some new school

We now live in a world where life-long learning has replaced the life-long career. It’s anticipated that people will change jobs four to seven times in their lifetime, and anywhere between 50% and 80% of the jobs that will exist in 10 years time do not exist today.

WOW! The world has changed. Is changing! Rapidly!!

Naturally, this has BIG implications for the future [future leaders included] meaning that we have to think about this sooner rather than later.

Here is an absolutely astounding TED talk - Ken Robinson challenges the level of creativity in schools. Listen to that and you will understand why we need to see significant changes in the way we teach young people… especially since the system we currently have produces results where “many highly talented, brilliant, creative people think they’re not.”

Is there no way we can look at things differently? Perhaps find a way to pull collaboration and creativity into an education system that is increasingly falling short of its primary objective? Look at a whole fresh new set of “outcomes”. Perhaps there is a way to revolutionise our entire approach to education and at the same time better equip young students and future leaders for the world that awaits them [as opposed to the world from several decades/centuries ago].

Forget old school. I think we need a bit of New Scool. What do you think?

*!Watch this space!*

[now that you’re done reading, go back two paragraphs, click on the TED talk link. and listen to it!]

Brilliant and creative initiative by Stormhoek. Well done!

Please read this: Own a vine. Save a job.

What a fantastic initiative by the team down at Stormhoek to address a very real problem. They have taken a suitably creative approach to solving an issue rather than just sitting back and complaining about it. I salute you, gentlemen.

Along with many others, I look forward to seeing the successful fruits of your efforts!

There is a lot that South African business can learn from Stormhoek. Perhaps once they've worked through this issue, they can start the Stormhoek consultancy and help move SA forward!

Love bites [?]

Def Leppard’s song of this title quite unequivocally disagreed with common sentiments of the day that is upon us. Voicing even stronger disagreement was The J. Geils Band [didn’t know that one – thanks Google] with their cool song “Love stinks”, sung so brilliantly by Adam Sandler in “The Wedding Singer”.

However, for today [14th Feb] I couldn’t leave this topic alone as it allows me to quickly slip this one in and still remain in the spirit of the day, so to speak [and please excuse the Google-inspired amateur doodle above, included here just to prove that even a boring business blog can be a little bit creative]. [edit: for those who missed it, you can see the doodle here]

Observation: people who excel at what they do really LOVE what they do. Haven’t you seen that too?

And please note - I’m not talking about what they do. I’m talking about what they DO...

I’m not talking about dentists that love drilling teeth or filling holes... I am talking about dentists that love making people feel good about their teeth. I’m not talking about accountants that love counting beans and preparing pages filled with numbers... I am talking about accountants that love providing useful relevant information so that businesses can grow beyond their wildest dreams. I am not talking about developers that love coding things to death... I am talking about developers that love creating apps that revolutionise the way people work and think forever.

It’s not about what you’re doing but why you’re doing it. And why do I say that? Just look at this:

“Vision is about… wild, passionate, intemperate… LOVE.” – Boyd Clarke and Ron Crossland [as referenced by Tom Peters]

Now read it backwards too… it comes back to the vision. I believe if we have a real vision of why we’re doing something, we’ll really love it [not the task itself necessarily, but everything about it] and therefore we will excel at it [even if just by accident].

So let me ask you… do you love what you’re doing? Not what you’re doing. What you’re DOING!

Thought Leader? Really?

Is it just my imagination, or has Thought Leader lost its edge? It seems that every time the front page opens, we’re bombarded with individual’s views of how much is wrong with our country, and in that respect, there is little to distinguish it from the daily news [both newspaper and television]. During the course of last year, this site was one of my first and favourite stops for good reading, but now I struggle to even open the site without specific cause to do so, merely to avoid the onslaught of pessimism and camouflaged insults that permeate the pages. Judging from the first comment on this recent TL post, it seems I’m not the only one who feels this way.

“Thought Leader” is a truly great name. It conjures up images of inspiring writing, simply overflowing with innovative ideas and contributing towards leadership development amongst its readership. In fact, the Wikipedia entry for “thought leader” says this term is “used to describe a futurist or person who is recognized among their peers and mentors for innovative ideas and demonstrates the confidence to promote or share those ideas as actionable distilled insights.”

Don’t get me wrong, I’ll gladly admit that most of the contributors on TL are highly skilled writers with an excellent knowledge of their subject matter - hence they are most probably considered leaders in their field. And as a social commentary forum, I greatly respect what Matthew, Vincent and company have built here. It’s just sad to see that this social media leader now largely consists primarily of para-journalism and critical political commentary... and too often doesn't continue from there with the thought leadership that its name promises.

At my last count there were 112 signed-up bloggers. With so many contributors, its obvious that new posts fly through the front page faster than you can say “Mail & Guardian”. And what is the prevalent message being put out there? Well, I’m not too sure, because the consistent flow of bitter anger is drowning out even the real thought leaders amongst the arsenal of contributors.

[As an aside, if Vincent’s target of 1,000 contributors ever realises, it will be even more difficult to hear anything amongst all the noise. Perhaps allowing users to “follow” or “block” specific contributors [as used on Twitter] would help keep content relevant to readers individually?]

Surely thought leadership requires the exhibition of at least some of the following characteristics: innovation; constructive writing; inspirational thinking; instigating positive action; either describing or demonstrating leadership qualities; and encouraging readers to make a difference and change the world. In his post referenced above, Vincent even describes the characteristics required of contributors as being the ability to “provide high-quality critical commentary on his or her field of expertise and provide leadership in terms of starting important conversations.”

Okay, perhaps I’m wrong here. I actually hope I am. In the last paragraph of this TL post, Grant Walliser makes a fair argument that Thought Leader is indeed serving its purpose. I’m sorry to say that I still can’t agree with him. Do yourself a favour and just look at the posts on the front page at any given time, and ask yourself whether they are constructive, negative or irrelevant. Sure, this is a subjective assessment, but the best I could come up with was about half of the posts being constructive in any way at any given moment.

Most people would probably believe that the site as it currently stands is social media in all its splendour. I agree that it cannot be censored to weed out the negative commentary, nor can restrictive guidelines be used to ensure a warm and fuzzy tone, as that would defeat the purpose.

However, one thing I would challenge all involved to ask is why you do it. Are you just using it as a platform to vent your own thoughts, regardless of any consequences whatsoever and without thought to the thousands of influential and influence-able people that read these posts?

Or are you truly aiming to be thought leaders in whatever sphere you write about, to understand the world and environment we live in [yes, the good and the bad] and to put forth constructive ideas and solutions that generate real excitement and perhaps, just maybe, instigate change?

Is this really SA thought leadership at its best? Think about it.

A time for breaking down?

“For everything there is a season… a time to break down, and a time to build up”

I have found myself being caught up in focusing on creativity and creating things – my mindset telling me that to do something good, you must create something amazing. Or at least build something up by adding to it creatively.

Now, I look at the extract above and believe that this is a reminder to myself, and possibly others, that although this is often the right approach to life’s opportunities in many circumstances, it is not the full story.

There are times where we need to break things down before we can go forward and build properly. Think of a house being built on poor foundations… that house will never stand the test of time regardless of how well it is has been built or which materials have been used, since it is only as strong as the foundation it is built on.

One person I greatly respect often quotes CS Lewis, who said something along similar lines: “We all want progress, but if you're on the wrong road, progress means doing an about-turn and walking back to the right road; in that case, the man who turns back soonest is the most progressive.”

I have never advocated breaking down, simply because most people I come across believe in a destructive breaking down, regardless of what it is being broken down. Breaking down is also generally a painful and sometimes devastating experience with consequences that need to be dealt with and pushed through. However, in this context, breaking down becomes a positive and progressive act, something moving us toward our goal rather than away from it.

We all face circumstances at times where we sit with poor foundations in some part of our life. Now, before you go ahead and build your house, may I challenge you to carefully assess those foundations, if necessary, break them down [taking care not to be reckless] and rebuild them strongly before continuing. In the short-term, this won’t be easy, and many around you may label you insane for what you are doing – as you will be perceived to be going backwards. Your reward will be in the long-term, where your house will stand stronger and longer than they [or you] could ever imagine.

This is certainly one of the challenges I take forward into the coming year. Should you take it up as well, I trust that you and I will be able to build stronger than ever before.

South Africa – will the last one out please turn off the lights

This is definitely not the first thing I imagined I would be writing here in 2008, and really its just a slight glimpse of the negativity I’ve seen and heard over the past month. Sadly and ironically, with Eskom going at its current rate, you could ask whether there would even be lights to turn off.

I know that, for some, there is a right time and there are right reasons to leave SA, and I would be the first to support someone doing so on this basis. But running just to get away? Doesn't make sense to me.

My guest post on SA Rocks generated the anticipated backlash from disgruntled citizens. Thankfully there were some good points raised inbetween the droning and moaning, the most interesting to me being the fact that many of those who are currently staying here and have a large role to play in the future of building this country have a culture of taking rather than a culture of building. In addition to this, during this time I also happened to come across a large number of people who are less then enthralled by SA’s current leadership, policies, status and [insert your own relevant noun here].

Is all of this negativity warranted? It could be, and there is evidence of these things they describe around us. But again, its about choice – about choosing to ‘see’ something that others probably don’t see. That’s what visionaries are – people who change nations and the future because they can see something that other people don’t see. Let’s face it, when things are going well, its easy to be positive, and when they’re going badly, its very easy to be negative. That’s why there are so many negative people around in SA now – they’re taking the easy way out, choosing not to see or believe for something more.

So negative attitudes versus positive attitudes here have become a bit of a quantity versus quality debate – the sheer volume of negative people trying to outweigh the faith and belief of the positive people.

If we are to build this nation well, we all need to be a part of it, and it's easy to believe that as an individual, I can't make a difference - but I beg to differ! Practically, how can I make a difference? Here are some quick thoughts on a few of the more important elements:

• Believe. Believe you can make a difference. Believe you're here for a reason. Either you believe or you don't, there's no middle road here.
• Attitude. Choose the right attitude, not just for the new year, but for your whole stay here on planet Earth.
• Be who you are. You are unique, and you've been put exactly where you are to do something absolutely amazing. But you can't do what you're supposed to if you're trying to be someone else.
• Invest. I'm not talking about the JSE here. Invest your money in others. Invest your time in others. Invest your belief in others.
• Be generous. When's the last time you gave someone something expecting nothing in return? Perhaps gave something to someone anonymously. Often, giving requires sacrificing something... neither one is fun, but the value you create is always exponentially more than what you give [if it is given with the right heart].
• Encourage. This is how you invest your belief in others. It's so much easier to try your best when someone is cheering you from the sidelines. And how awesome is it to watch someone achieve more than they ever dreamed of... and to be a part of that?

I know that these are difficult to do... that's why I say that being negative is the easy way out. But to me they are the building blocks for, well... building well.

Thankfully I know quite a few of the positive visionaries, and their inspiration and input has been invaluable. They are great people who I am privileged to know, and I would be honoured to work with them in changing this nation. The other important factor that makes a difference – faith. Faith that things do happen for a reason [whether good or bad]. Faith that we are here for a reason. Faith that whatever happens, it is only temporary, for we are only here on Earth briefly – it’s what we take into eternity that really counts!

So to all those who want to stay and build, I say “I’ll stand with you and believe!” And to all those whose greatest aspiration in life is to leave SA, there's nothing more I can say to you, so please don't bring your negative snipes without putting something constructive with it, because I'm just not interested.

The beauty of collaboration

We've all heard of 'collaboration', the current buzzword for teamwork, and a word which stirs visions [in my mind, at least] of exciting partnerships and collective brainpower which unleashes countless volumes of great ideas... and more importantly significant action [through accountability]. You can read more about my thoughts on 'collaborative business model engineering', which explains a bit of where I believe this, combined with free sharing of information, can lead to.

Well, I've always been a big believer in team - that there's more power in you and me, than there is just in me.

But it's only recently that I've realised how incredibly important it is to 'see' mind-to-mind with someone. You can be surrounded by interesting people with a variety of skills all day and yet never be truly challenged within yourself. Don't get me wrong, I think there is GREAT value in all the people that I am surrounded by, and its always invigorating to learn from family, friends and colleagues. But when you can find someone like-minded who shares similar perspectives... it's absolutely awesome to be stretching the limits of my own imagination [in a good way] due to the positive influence of such a person, rather than being stretched [in a bad way] by people with little regard for my abilities, weaknesses and with very little regard for my own well-being or aspirations at all.

The thing is, as wonderful as collaboration is, if you don't find the right people to collaborate with, you'll probably just end up highly frustrated, more confused and certainly doubtful of any ability you [and they] may have to really impact on society in any meaningful way.

For me, conversations I've had over the past few weeks have brought new insight, challenged existing preconceptions and - on the whole, taken me to a new level of thinking. And amongst the madness of day-to-day living, where lifting your sights to see bigger things is difficult at best, its so refreshing.

Sure, most of the challenging thoughts and ideas are inherently long-term, but that to me is the best part - because long-term benefits are almost always much more valuable than short-term ones.

So I'm looking forward to more mind-bending conversations, perhaps a collaboration that can rock the status-quo a bit... and who knows what we could build from there! The possibilities are just stunning!

To the idea magician who has challenged me in this way - THANK YOU! And see ya later, innovator!

Since the real players won't help, how do we put the fun back in funding?

Looking at the response to this latest post on funding, it seems this matter is close to many people's hearts. But while it generated a little bit of textbook debate, the main issue was left largely untouched.

Yes, I do REALLY wish that those guys would step up to the plate and go for a home run [better to swing and miss than never to swing at all]. But that was not the point of my previous post - if it was only to rag the guys who are equipped but are not really bothered, that would be unhelpful. Okay, I admit that was a part of the reason, but not all of it - the main agenda was really to generate some real interesting ideas on how it can be done.

Unfortunately nobody was willing to provide even the slightest hint of a solution as to how we can spur on SA's young rising stars and turn immense upside-potential into real exponential growth. [One late comment was a welcome relief - thanks Grant for your contribution regarding business incubators].

With that in mind, I would like to get the ball rolling here, because leaving people hanging with an unanswerable question is entirely pointless. So here's a starting point.

Most of the people seeking funding have heard the same questions over and over again - such as "Revenue model?", "Sustainability?", "Other funding?" and "Global appeal?". All good questions in their own right, and sometimes the answers are not pretty. But the truth is, more often than not there are definite ways to make something work [admittedly, if you can find the right pieces] - but the funders-in-waiting are often not willing to put in the effort to make it work [sadly they are blind to the real value] and the entrepreneurs simply don't know what pieces to look for.

Can we not get creative with solutions to this? Bridge this divide? When looking for answers to crazy situations, sometimes we need to get crazy too.

And I'm willing to bet that there are solutions that everyone in SA can implement in some way or other. Let me share some of my thoughts quickly here [with their potential implementors]

Campus kings [Government]

Within the university environment, create a research lab where guys are employed to innovate as they research and learn [is it really just coincidence that both Yahoo and Google were birthed in the hallowed halls of Stanford?]

Innovation hubs [Property owners and business people]

Develop multi-purpose communes [ie a place to work and live, equipment, food and basic living amenities included] where all the talented people live, work and build things together. Not living the high life, and not suitable for those that are married, but provides an electric environment where substantial innovation could take place.

Free-to-grow time [Corporates and larger businesses]

'Force' candidate employees to utilise a portion of their paid-for time to develop new ideas that have absolutely nothing to do with the rest of their work [3M implemented their '15% time' very successfully, and Google took it a step further with their '20% time', ie 1 day a week] - and then help them to push winning ideas. What would you do if you had one full day a week to pursue your most outrageous ideas?

Expert advice [Professional service firms]

Dedicate time for a team [doesn't need to be hundreds of people, can be one to start off with] to assist entrepreneurs in developing their businesses, providing free advice on legal matters, support in establishing businesses [registering with all the correct bodies, etc], and most vitally - serious feedback on business models and helping in the development of these. [Yes, various organisations provide mentoring programmes, but feedback I've received is that they don't work like intended - we need 'experts' that entrepreneurs are comfortable to approach to handle specifically the matters they struggle with]

Future fund [Younger generation along with entrepreneurs]

Start a fund where you build a network of young crazy people willing to put in a bit of money [whatever they can or want to - rather than spending it on McDonalds, movies or a GTI] - and make it absolutely plain in the prospectus about the risk : "This investment is HIGH risk. There is very, very little chance that you will ever see any of your money again, and the possibility of becoming a millionaire is slim, to say the least. BUT if this works, you'll be part of something special that will make the world look at SA and gasp. Welcome to the Fund of the Future". [Heck, I'd probably even go for that]

Living fund/honorary seats [Older generation along with entrepreneurs]

Many of today's boomers are sitting in the pound seats, and have much to offer a young up-and-coming company [great article]. After a 'lifetime' of hard work and very little enjoyment, I believe there are some boomers out there who would be willing to pay to be part of a young vibrant company that's doing exciting things and having fun in the process. Set up a company and let them 'buy' a position in this company - CIO [Chief Innovation Observer] or CTO [Chief Tea and coffee Organiser] or whatever - and allow them to find fun and enjoyment in every day they live [I can almost guarantee they will LOVE it]. Have you ever really listened to Sheryl Crow's "All I wanna do [is have some fun]"? Perhaps you can find Billy and give him somewhere better to hang out than the bar - where he would be more than willing to pay for the privelege of being surrounded by young guns [and help fund the ideas at the same time].

Again, these are just ideas to illustrate that we need not be bound by shackles of traditional solutions. Some have been done in some way before elsewhere, some are just strange. But they're ideas - and my intention here is to stimulate some creative solutions. Just because venture funding is traditionally done in specific ways doesn't mean it always has to be done that way.

I realise that these ideas [and many others] are more "big picture" and you may not see it as an immediate solution to your problem. Can I say, all you entrepreneurs with great ideas, there's more than one way to enamour a funding partner, and there are definite practical ways to make your plans and ideas speak, no, SHOUT to these people [in more traditional ways - but still with a business/creative element] - so think about how best you can do that [I'll try touch on this in a bit more detail sometime soon].

So please, if you have ideas or experience with some interesting ways of doing this - put them out there. Lets talk about it, throw it around, beat it to death if we must... and get it to work!

To the non-believers - that's your choice, but remember that those who expect nothing will never be disappointed.

To the believers - open your eyes and lift your head to the horizon - the answers are out there. Allow your creativity to flow and be part of the solution.

The 3D approach to improving your focus

Why is focus such an elusive little thing in today's world?

I've been seriously challenged in terms of focus - and thinking through some thoughts on this from a truly awesome friend of mine recently brought me to the following realisation:

In terms of cause and effect, focus is not a 'cause' as I always mistakenly thought, but rather an 'effect'. A symptom, if you will, that requires a good foundation in place to build on.

Picture a pyramid - 3 corners at the base leading up to 'Focus' on top...

1st corner - Discernment
The ability to take in all that the world throws at you and to wisely discern which things are important [as opposed to urgent] and merit your attention.

2nd corner - Decision
Having sifted through the muck and picking out those things which are truly important, being able to make a conscious decision that these are the things you will devote your attention to.

3rd corner - Discipline
Having the clarity in your heart and mind to stick to your decision, ignoring the costly distractions that fly our way all the time.

Without these three corners at the bottom of the pyramid, Focus cannot exist at the pinnacle. So, seems to me that if I can put these 3 things in place, clear focus will naturally follow.

Visionaries will change the world. But who cares whether you have big vision or not if you can't focus clearly on anything?

... and following on from those wise words, it should also ask this simple question

"Ask yourself this question….if you lost your title, position and power tomorrow, would others still support you and want to work with you" - Donna Karlin

[Read post about this on The Practice of Leadership]



Well?

Don't know about you, but for me that's a big one. Hugely challenging! And all part of the process I think.

Every single business presentation in the world should start with these wise words

...because everyone in business needs to hear it!

[The original post here]

... and we need to hear it
over and over and over,
because it is easily forgotten.

So business leaders - take this to heart. And then teach it to your people. If you need clarification or someone with purpose to drive it in - please contact Beverley.

Seeing a little more clearly now - at long last

My favourite book says it well - "Without vision, the people perish". Experience has taught me how true this is.

The past six [oh wait, seven - how time flies] months have been quite extraordinary to say the least. And there have been times where vision has been... well, lacking. Faith has been tested, the fire has been hot and its been an exhilirating ride [although I can't say I would ever choose it intentionally, but hindset is 20/20].

However, the past few weeks have brought with it a slightly clearer vision. Let me put it this way - I've got some of the puzzle pieces. I have only a slight idea of what a portion of the picture looks like, and no idea how many pieces there are... but I've got some of the puzzle pieces! It's an awesome feeling, so forgive my excitement.

In these few weeks I've met some amazing people [some of those listed alongside, and another of those meetings this morning, which I'll elaborate on another time] and come to understand more clearly how true it is that you need to "go" [to the people, to the nations, to wherever] to really change your perspective. Let's face it: sitting in an office on your own all day will kill your vision. Guaranteed. But seeing the people... talented people, people with MIND-BLOWING potential, people who can impact this country significantly [and probably most importantly, people who's lives you can impact]... it does something to you.

So I'm absolutely psyched to be taking on the challenge. The search is really on... bring it on!

Calling all Nation Builders

My heart has been captivated by this.

Nation building!

One little phrase that seems to make sense of all the madness, and that encompasses so much meaning.

It is wildly comforting to my heart to know that all we're doing is not just for money. Or for comfort. Or for ourselves.

There's more at stake. More to life. A future brimming with potential and hope... despite what the newspapers and the naysayers would have us believe. Sure, life ain't perfect. SA definitely isn't. And neither am I [or you]. Perfect match :-)

If you've never thought much beyond your salary, your car or your next outing to Edgars, may I challenge you to consider that all the talents and abilities you've been dealt in life do actually have a far more significant reason for being.

And to all of you who do believe...

[after all - true faith is believing in what we have not yet seen]

... I would call you a Nation builder! Are you up for the challenge?

Lets watch the growing evidence of that belief unfold before our eyes as we just do what we can do. Nothing more, nothing less.

There's no place like home

Barely a day goes by that you don't hear about someone else who wants to leave SA for the "better opportunities" and safer environment of [insert country name here].

I've watched in agony over the past few years as family, friends and colleagues [including many people absolutely brimming with potential] have packed up and moved to London, Boston, Washington, the Cayman Islands... [you get the picture]. All beautiful places to live, no doubt. Their pictures and stories enthrall me. Their lack of lustre for SA saddens me.

Know what I'm saying?

Thank goodness sanity prevails in this amazing place. Great to see sites like SA Rocks, and many proud SA bloggers still touting SA.

WELL DONE guys and girls!

Now let's make 'em sorry they ever left!!! Rock on SA!

The search for strategies and tools to stimulate economic and social revival in South Africa

That's the best way I can describe where I'm going with this.

With all the talk of why we do things and where we're going, I realised that I haven't made that very clear here. So to give a little more direction at home, so to speak, I've adopted this as the OutThink tagline. Hence the new line under the logo above [inspired by the humble tag cloud].

Each word is significant:

• SEARCH - its a journey, not a destination, and there isn't one right answer [never will be]
• STRATEGIES - the big picture is what really matters [sometimes it is easily lost sight of]
• TOOLS - we still need to action them, it can't happen on its own
• STIMULATE - stir, generate, revitalise, make-happen
• ECONOMIC - finances are not the most important thing in life, but do facilitate many things
• SOCIAL - nothing matters more than people
• REVIVAL - a new thing, complete change required, for such a time as this
• SOUTH AFRICA - there's no place like home [we were put here for a reason]

This is something that's worth getting worked up about! I sure am.

Perhaps this will put my crazy questioning and psychotic ranting into a bit of perspective. I really hope you will enjoy reading [most] of it, and would love to hear from anyone with any comments or thoughts on this.

When £40,000 is just a drop in the ocean...

I was going through an old magazine and came across a fascinating story which really does prove the theory about hindsight. And about how wrong the 'experts' [aka cynics] can be.

Then - From '.net' magazine, December 1995 issue:
"Money made over the Net shocker - Cynics say that the only way to make money out of the Net is to run a seminar telling people how to make money out of the Net, but Virgin has proved them wrong. The Megastore shop on CompuServe has received orders for more than £40,000 of music CDs, games and videos in 23 weeks. It's not nearly in the same league as the high street, but it's getting there."

Now - From Google's Fiscal Year 2006 results:
Revenues for the year $ 10.6 billion
Net income for the year $ 3.1 billion

Well, I wonder what those cynics have to say now. Lesson learned - if you believe in something, don't let the experts, or anybody for that matter, tell you its impossible. You might just be right.