Choosing Possibility Over Probability

As you know, on Tuesday, the US will (thankfully) conclude the 2024 election cycle. For better or worse, this election season has been full of surprises and timely reminders that apply to politics and our daily lives. Recently, I was reminded of the importance of choosing what's possible over what's probable.

I was speaking with a sistah friend who asked what I thought the outcome of the presidential election would be, whether Harris or Trump would be the US's next president. As I've shared with you before, while I think elections are critical, I don't think there is such a thing as a perfect candidate or that the election of any one individual is enough to fully address systemic inequality, human rights violations, or the many challenges that plague us in the 21st century; but who our leaders are shape the conditions under which we live, work, and organize for change at home and abroad.

As my friend and I spoke about why I'm voting for Kamala Harris and why I think she may win, despite the realities of misogynoir, she shared that she didn't vote for Barack Obama in the 2008 primary; she voted for Hilary Clinton. When I asked out of genuine curiosity why Clinton was her preferred candidate, she shared that she really wanted Obama to be president, but didn't think his victory was probable, so she cast her vote for Hilary.

While my friend was not alone in her belief that a Black man was not going to be elected to the White House in our lifetimes, fortunately, the majority of people voted for the future they thought was possible, not the future they thought was probable.

Possible Future Over Probable Future

I'm not gonna lie, my first instinct when my friend was sharing was to be judgey, not because she voted for Clinton over Obama—after all we are all entitled to our opinions. I was perplexed as to why anyone would opt for the smallest version of their vision instead of their biggest dreams. But then I thought about how often I, and I suspect sometimes you, have been tempted to play small, reaching for what's readily within grasp instead of pursuing what we truly desire.

For you, the big dream may be the promotion you want but think you'll never get, so you don't apply. Or it may be your willingness to accept a below-market salary instead of negotiating for compensation that is reflective of the value you add. It could be re-entering the job market when what you really want is to start your own business.

Or perhaps in your personal life, choosing what's probable over what's possible may mean watching your imaginary boo from afar instead of striking up a conversation and asking them out. Or it could be failing to have that hard conversation with a loved one because you assume "they'll never listen."

The truth is, you may fall short of your goal, but you may also achieve it, the only way you'll know is if you try. And by not trying, you guarantee that your big dream remains just that: a dream.

Now, this isn't to say that you should approach your vision with nothing but blind hope. Like Obama's campaign in 2008 and the organizing Harris's team has rolled out over the last 95 days, you need a plan and partners to help you make your dreams reality. You may not be running for a president, but if you'd like some support in making your possibilities probabilities, consider coaching. Book a discovery call today.