Last month, she celebrated a birthday she wasn’t expected to have.

On August 11, 2014, Sarah Murnaghan turned twelve years old. Sarah was the little girl who was dying from the effects of cystic fibrosis last year, at least that’s what the doctors thought. They didn’t know what a fighter she was, nor were they able to estimate the lengths to which a mother will go to give her child a chance to live.

And so they fought together for a cause beyond themselves. You know that old saying, “You can’t fight City Hall?” Well…they did. And they won.

In an interview a few months ago, I was touched by something Sarah said. In response to the news of the impending transplant, she said:

“I’m not going for easy…I’m just going for possible.”  – Sarah Murnaghan

There is wisdom beyond her years in that one statement. Breaking it down, here’s what she was saying.

I’m not going for easy.

Sarah knew it would be hard. She knew the odds, was well aware of the risk, and decided the outcome was worth the risk. And she knew that even if it worked, there would be a long road ahead. But she also knew something else…if she fought through this, it would help others who followed after her. She realized that even if she lost, they would win. And so, she fought.

The reality is, it was hard – really hard. The first transplant didn’t take. But the second one did, and this year, she had enough breath to blow out her birthday candles.

I’m just going for possible. 

Sarah was a realist. She didn’t expect perfection. She just decided to go for what was possible…to go as far as she could see at that stage.

I have to say this is pretty solid advice when you find yourself in one of life’s inevitable battles. Can you say, like Sarah, “I’m not going for easy…I’m just going for possible?”

PERSEVERANCE – Go for hard. Take the risk, fight the fight, do the work, and don’t give up. Win…for yourself and for those who follow.

POSSIBILITIES – Go for possible. Set the goals high – high enough to get beyond your comfort zone – but stop short of perfection. Perfection is a setup for failure and self-defeat. Just go for possible.

PEOPLE – Go for help. You’ll need others in your corner every step of the way. Where your strengths end, others will be there to offer the support you need.

Perseverance – Possibilities – People – not a bad formula for success.

Thank you, Sarah