Things that aren’t supposed to happen are happening all the time.
One such happening was the construction of the Gateway Arch in St. Louis, which my family had the chance to visit this summer. Its very existence was considered an impossibility by some very smart people.
The Arch was dreamed up by architect Eero Saarinen in 1947 as part of a design competition to build a monument to the westward expansion of the United States. Although his design won unanimously, construction did not begin until 16 years later, in 1963.
There were many reasons for the delay, including funding challenges and lawsuits. Based on the political gridlock alone, one could hardly have been blamed for doubting the success of the project. However many experts even doubted whether the design itself was feasible.
The use of stainless steel as the primary material for the arch was a novel concept at the time. Concerns were raised about the durability and construction methods required to use it to build such a large structure. The idea of building such a tall and slender free-standing arch had never been attempted before, leading to doubts about its structural integrity and stability. The arch’s height and shape meant that precise engineering and construction techniques were essential to prevent collapse during and after construction.
These significant challenges caused many people to believe that although Saarinen had a beautiful design, it was not going to work in the real world.
There were many hurdles in the construction of the Gateway Arch, but the biggest obstacles may have been the ones in people’s minds.
Keep in mind that the doubters were not just random citizens. They were smart, well-educated engineers with very good reasons for their skepticism. They most certainly believed they were right. And yet…
…they were wrong.
Educated guesses can only take you so far. Even the very educated ones.
Sometimes the meteorologist forecasts it will rain and it doesn’t.
Sometimes the polls and pundits are spectacularly wrong about the outcome of an election.
Sometimes the team that sportswriters unanimously agree is far superior ends up losing the game.
Sometimes the medical expert who gives a patient two months to live is off by decades.
It was predicted that 13 people would lose their lives in the process of building The Arch. No doubt, at 630 feet tall, it was a perilous undertaking. But in the end, not one life was lost.
On any given day, it seems self-evident that current events are pointing to an inevitable outcome. It’s worth remembering that when the Soviet Union was at the height of its power, World War III looked inevitable. And yet the empire ultimately crumbled without a single missile being fired.
The only thing we can be sure of is that the future will be filled with things we never saw coming.
So what is there for us to learn from the experts Eero Saarinen and his construction team proved wrong?
First, don’t get too cocky about your own educated guesses. You think you know what the future holds? Your life could change forever in a heartbeat.
And secondly, don’t let the educated guesses of others thwart your plans or rob you of hope. Parents, politicians, pundits, pop stars, and well-educated professionals of all stripes are more than willing to opine on your future. They might well be experts.
But they might also be wrong.
Things that aren’t supposed to happen are happening all the time.