Author, philanthropist, and entrepreneur Mick Ebeling today outlined the art of overcoming the impossible during the ED (Filene) talk at the Credit Union National Association (CUNA) Governmental Affairs Conference (GAC).
Ebeling recalled how a friend persuaded Ebeling and his wife to go to an exhibition at a local gallery in lieu of dinner and a movie. After learning that the gallery event was a fundraiser for a young artist struggling with ALS, Ebeling wanted to help raise money to pay for his hospital stay. When Ebeling presented the check to the artist’s family, he came up with an idea to help the artist draw again that seemed impossible, but Ebeling worked with a group of programmers to create the EyeWriter.
Ebeling detailed other inventions that were born out of necessity, and as he noted, absurdity. “When you see something that is absurd, and you get kicked in the gut, you commit and then figure it out,” he said.
All too often people are afraid to think beyond what they know to be true, but breaking that barrier is key to innovation.
“Name something that is possible today that wasn’t impossible at first. Everything was impossible until someone made it possible,” said Ebeling. “Impossible is a total fallacy.”
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