Getting Past the No to Reach the Know

I've been reading Brian Greene's book The Elegant Universe in which he discusses superstrings, hidden dimensions and the quest for the ultimate theory.  He provides a very good explanation of some very heady theories and hard science in a manner that is easily digestible by the layman.  If you are interested in this type of information, I highly recommend the book.  However, that is not the point of this post.

What struck me early on in my reading was how scientists do not let the seemingly impossible stop them from moving forward.  In fact, finding something in the universe that doesn't appear possible actually increases their desire to move forward.

When Einstein realized that Newton's laws were incompatible with his new theory, he didn't give up and say, "Well, Newton was really smart and figured this out long ago, he must be right I must be wrong." He pushed past the "no" that came from Newton until he knew what was really going on in the universe (then he continued to push past his own theories as well). Furthermore, as modern scientists run up against theories that are seemingly incompatible with Einstein's, they do the same thing.

How many of us can say in our lives that when we encounter a "no" we push past it and keep moving forward?

Many times we hold on to old theories of the way things are just because it's what someone "older and wiser" told us. We have to understand that what they are telling us is what was true for them, but not necessarily what has to be true for us.  For each of us, reality is shaped by what we believe, and holding on to someone else's theory is holding on to their reality. 

I'm not suggesting that you ignore the "no" but instead look at it as a sign to reconsider what you are thinking and not let the "no" stop you in your tracks. Take a deeper look at it to find the truth for yourself.  Break apart the argument for "no", look at its components and study what would happen if you rearranged them.

Yes, sometimes reaching the "know" takes work, but it's worth it.