Quote of the day by Elon Musk: The first step is to establish that something is possible, then...

“The first step is to establish that something is possible; then probability will occur.”This quote, attributed to Elon Musk in a 2012 Esquire profile titled Elon Musk: Triumph of His Will, reflects his approach to challenging ideas. Rather than dismissing a goal because it seems unlikely, the statement suggests first examining whether it can be achieved at all.The distinction matters because something being possible does not automatically make success certain. It means there is a basis for attempting it, testing the idea and understanding what it would take to make it work.FROM PRETORIA TO THE WORLD OF TECHNOLOGYBorn on June 28, 1971, in Pretoria, South Africa, Musk is an entrepreneur known for his work in electric vehicles, space exploration and technology. He co-founded and leads companies including Tesla and SpaceX, which have pursued projects ranging from electric cars to reusable rockets. His interest in space travel led him to establish SpaceX in 2002. The company set out to reduce the cost of space transportation and develop technologies that could eventually support human settlement beyond Earth. Tesla, meanwhile, became a major player in the electric vehicle industry.WHAT DOES THE QUOTE MEAN?The first part of the quote focusses on possibility. Before deciding whether a difficult goal is worth pursuing, it helps to establish whether it is technically or practically achievable. The second part turns to probability. Once an idea has been shown to be possible, the next questions concern the resources, time, expertise and effort needed to achieve it.The statement does not mean that every possible idea will succeed. Instead, it encourages people to distinguish between an idea that cannot work and one that has not yet been demonstrated.For students, researchers and entrepreneurs, this approach can mean testing an idea, learning from early attempts and improving a plan rather than abandoning it simply because success appears unlikely.MORE QUOTES BY ELON MUSK“When something is important enough, you do it even if the odds are not in your favour.” Musk said this in a 2012 60 Minutes interview with CBS News while explaining why he started SpaceX despite the risks.“Failure is an option here. If things are not failing, you are not innovating enough.” This statement is widely documented in reporting on Musk's approach to experimentation and innovation.“I think it's possible for ordinary people to choose to be extraordinary.” Musk said this during a 2012 interview with Kevin Rose for the Foundation series.“I think that's the best single piece of advice: constantly think about how you could be doing things better and questioning yourself.” Musk shared this advice in his 2013 interview with Kevin Rose.The central idea behind the quote is to examine what is possible before deciding what is likely. Establishing feasibility may be only the beginning, but it gives a challenging idea a starting point.- Ends