Over Twenty-five years ago, I was in Roseau, Dominica, with my sister, visiting my brother Patrick and his family in Roseau. Patrick had moved there with his family to become the Director of Public Prosecutions. (DPP).
One day, we received a call that my sister-in-law, Yule’s mother, had fallen seriously ill and needed to return to England immediately.
The journey back to London wasn’t straightforward as you had to fly from Dominica to Antigua and catch a Virgin or British Airways flight to the UK.
The problem? LIAT, the airline operating the route, was notorious for delays and cancellations as passengers often miss their international connection if a flight doesn’t arrive on time.
This Sunday, flights were oversubscribed, and there was a real risk that Yule and her daughter, Adele, wouldn’t even be able to leave Dominica that day.
As Yule packed her bags, I nervously thought, what if they couldn’t board? What if they got stranded in Antigua? What if they missed the flight home altogether?
I remember it vividly.
Yule and Adele got into the car, and I asked Patrick, “What if you get to the airport and they can’t board?” He looked at me and said, “That’s not a possibility in my mind.”
And with that, he got into the car and drove off.
I was stunned by his abrupt answer and went back inside, half expecting them to return.
Twenty minutes later, he returned – alone. They had boarded without issue.
I learned a powerful lesson that day: what you expect, you often get.
While I had been thinking of how things could go wrong, Patrick had only considered the outcome he wanted. He refused to entertain doubt, and in doing so, he acted with certainty.
I remembered this story recently, and it made me think—who are we listening to in our own lives? Are we paying attention to the voices that plant doubt and fear or those that encourage possibilities?
People will always tell you why something won’t work, why you should be worried, and why failure is likely. You will always have one on your team or as a close acquaintance or family member.
But equally, there are those who remind you of what’s possible and believe in solutions, not obstacles. Surround yourself with these positive influences, and you’ll find your own belief in possibilities growing stronger.
