What Would You Do If You Didn’t Know It Couldn’t Be Done?

There’s a familiar maxim: “Doing the same thing over and over and expecting different results is the definition of insanity.”

Executives cite it often, usually to justify abandoning a failed initiative or avoiding problems that feel settled. And yes—repeating the exact same process under the exact same conditions rarely produces anything new.

But here’s the danger: that maxim, left unchecked, creates false barriers. Leaders begin to assume that if something didn’t work before, it can’t work at all. They stop looking, stop experimenting, and stop asking what if?

History proves otherwise. Many breakthroughs happened not because someone found a brand-new problem, but because someone had the courage to revisit an old one—with fresh eyes and unburdened curiosity.

When “Impossible” Became Possible

Henry Ford once tasked a group of young engineers with developing shatterproof glass. Experienced engineers had already tried and failed, so the consensus was that it couldn’t be done. The younger team—unburdened by history—succeeded.

The same pattern appeared in athletics. For decades, the 4-minute mile was considered beyond human capability. Doctors and scientists insisted the body couldn’t sustain it. Then Roger Bannister broke the barrier in 1954. Within a year, multiple runners followed. The limit was never physical—it was belief.

These stories reveal an enduring truth: what seems impossible often isn’t—it just needs to be approached differently.

The Invisible Walls Leaders Face

Executives face their own false barriers every day:

• Past failures become assumptions. “We tried that before” becomes shorthand for “it will never work.”
• Habits harden into ruts. The organization defaults to familiar patterns that discourage fresh thinking.
• Inertia takes hold. It feels safer to maintain the status quo than to re-examine a difficult challenge.

The real danger isn’t the problem itself—it’s the belief that the problem cannot be solved.

Trying Again Isn’t Insanity

The “insanity” maxim misses an important truth: not every second attempt is the same attempt.

• Markets shift.
• Technology advances.
• Teams gain new skills.
• Timing opens new possibilities.

A problem that resisted solutions yesterday may be solvable today—with renewed energy, new tools, or a different approach.

That’s why it’s vital to pause and ask:

👉 What if we approached this as if it had never failed before?

👉 What if we looked at it with unburdened curiosity?

The Leadership Challenge

Curiosity—not certainty—is often the spark for progress. Breakthroughs begin when leaders refuse to mistake habit for truth.

That’s why when coaching teams and executives, I often close with this challenge:

What would you do if you didn’t know it couldn’t be done?