The First IMPOSSIBLE Tattoo

I don’t have any tattoos – but I love the story behind other people. I’ll talk to the barista at the coffee shop or the checkout clerk about their tattoos just to find out a little something about them.

Most of them say that you “can’t just get one.” You’ll get hooked. You’ll get a bunch.

And, I’m not known for my ability to deal in moderation, so I’ve stayed away from them for the most part.

But, if there’s one thing I’ve thought about in the past, it’s getting the impossible logo tattooed on my body. It’s been the one thing over the past 7+ years that has actually, meaningfully changed my life and every time I look at it, it challenges me.

So I thought about it, and thought about it, but this week I found out that someone beat me to it!

Josh is a reader that mentioned he might get one before the end of the year. After remembering his email, I reached out to see if he had actually done it and sure enough, he had!

He also shared a little of his story and the reason why he got the tattoo in the first place.

It’s a little long, so grab a beverage, sit down and enjoy.

Why Josh Got The First IMPOSSIBLE Tattoo

I used to just dream about doing things. It sounds easy to just jump on an airplane and go somewhere you’ve never been but then our brains, which have been taught to think a certain way our entire lives, has been programmed to stay cautious. My reasons not to go jump on a plane to anywhere:

• “I’ve never done this before and a lot of people I know haven’t either, so it’s too crazy. Everybody says it’s crazy”
• “Well there’s going to be a cost to do that and I’d have to save cash”
• “Well I need to find the time”
• “I’ve got kids and I can’t just be that spontaneous”
• “I’d have to pack, go through security, and rent a car, and….”

Excuses. All excuses. Barriers that seemed to be covered in barbed wire and guarded by pit bulls but were actually just an unlocked door waiting to be opened.

I got absolutely sick of saying I wanted to do things and letting all these barriers trap me in my own life. And it wasn’t just getting on a plane, it was everything in my life. Nearly everything. I was sick of being scared. Sick of being just motivated and sick of sputtering out after 3 days of whatever new habit or thing I was trying to accomplish. Sick of it. Sick of seeing everybody else do everything I wanted to do and living vicariously through them and actually doing it myself. I was sick of it. I felt like I was never good enough to do anything. It lead me down a very dark path in my life and I was going the opposite direction. I needed a change.

I found IMPOSSIBLE very randomly, stumbling on this Cold Shower Therapy idea that, How You Do Anything is How You Do Everything.

It seemed ridiculous. Take freezing showers? Why? But then I got to thinking…why the hell not?

The tattoo was an idea right off the IMPOSSIBLE HQ website. “Wear your own motivation” Post:

“Be your own motivation. Wear it on your sleeve or chest or wherever the hell you want to wear it. Tattoo it on your body if you have to.”

It seemed like a dare to me. Get a tattoo? No way! I’d always wanted a tattoo but could never think of anything worth putting on my body forever, and it seemed too scary to actually go do. But ordering a shirt seemed like an easy way out. (I ordered one and I love it too!)

So I stopped letting my brain get in the way of doing things I wanted to do, and started actually doing them and then figuring it out from there. So I got it scheduled, and I did the thing. And I love it! I see it every day (especially during a cold shower!)

I booked a plane trip to California for a weekend. I did that and shredded every “barrier” above. They weren’t barriers at all.

Impossible is not a word, it’s just a reason for someone not to try.

So I also:

• Got my IMPOSSIBLE tattoo, one because it helps me stay disciplined, and two because it’s badass
• I booked a trip to go mountain biking and camping for 4 days in the desert of Utah in April (I didn’t even own a bike)
• I booked going skydiving in May
• I started working on my stay at home business again so I can free up my time from my J-O-B.
• I started a daily log of “What are you doing today to make tomorrow better”
• I decided I’d be the best father I can be to my kids, and be a role model.
• I’d gain weight and muscle and actually do it this time.
• I started a website to force myself to do things and record my own journey.
• I’d start some sort of ministry to feed the hungry in my local area

And if I get stuck – and I’m sure I’ll get stuck – well I guess there’s always a cold shower to push through. 🙂

“You are going to die, what other motivation do you need?” – Joel Runyon.

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Thanks to Josh for sharing his story. If you decide to get an IMPOSSIBLE tattoo or want to share your story while wearing some IMPOSSIBLE gear, send me an email, I’d love to hear it.

Keep pushing your limits and do something impossible!