You're sitting there, maybe staring at a blank screen or a pile of bills, and the word pops up. We use it constantly. We say "it’s a possibility" when we don't want to commit to dinner plans, or we talk about "limitless possibilities" when we’re trying to sound inspiring at a graduation ceremony. But if you actually stop and ask what does possibility mean, the answer gets messy fast. It isn't just a synonym for "maybe."
Possibility is the gap between what is happening right now and what could happen next. It’s the friction between logic and imagination. Honestly, most people treat it like a coin flip, but it's more like a spectrum.
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In the world of philosophy and even quantum physics, possibility isn't just a "feeling." It’s a state of existence. Think about it. Before you chose to click on this article, there was a version of the universe where you didn't. That second version was a possibility. Once you clicked, it became reality, and the other one died off. Or did it? Depending on who you ask—a mathematician, a life coach, or a physicist—the definition shifts entirely.
The Three Flavors of Possibility You Use Every Day
Most of us mix up three very different things: logical possibility, epistemic possibility, and physical possibility. It sounds like academic jargon, but you use these distinctions every time you decide whether to buy a lottery ticket or cross the street.
Logical possibility is the broadest bucket. Basically, if it doesn't involve a contradiction, it's logically possible. A square circle? Not possible. A purple cow that speaks French? Totally possible. It doesn't mean it exists, but the idea of it doesn't break the rules of logic.
Then you have physical possibility. This is governed by the laws of our universe. Gravity. Thermodynamics. The speed of light. It’s logically possible for me to fly by flapping my arms, but it isn't physically possible. We spend a lot of our lives frustrated because we confuse the two. We want things that aren't physically or socially "possible" given our current constraints, and we call it "dreaming."
Finally, there's epistemic possibility. This is the one that actually runs your life. It refers to what is possible given what we currently know. If you lose your keys, it is epistemically possible they are in the fridge, even if they are actually in the car. Because you don't know where they are, the fridge remains a possibility in your mind. This is where most of our anxiety lives—in the "what ifs" of things we haven't confirmed yet.
Why We Get It Wrong: The Probability Trap
The biggest mistake people make when asking what does possibility mean is confusing it with probability. These are not the same thing. Not even close.
Probability is a measurement. It’s math. It’s the $P(A)$ in an equation. It tells you the likelihood of an event based on data. Possibility is binary. Either something can happen, or it can't.
Imagine you’re starting a business. Is it possible you’ll become a billionaire? Yes. The laws of physics allow for it. The laws of the market allow for it. But what is the probability? That’s where the cold water hits you. When people say "anything is possible," they are technically right in a logical sense, but they are often lying in a practical sense. If you don't have the skills, the capital, or the timing, the probability might be 0.00001%.
Still, that tiny sliver of "possible" is what keeps humanity moving. David Lewis, a famous philosopher known for his work on "Modal Realism," took this to the extreme. He argued that all possible worlds are as real as our own. To Lewis, saying "it’s possible that I won the lottery" means there is a literal world out there where a version of you did. It's a trippy way to look at your regrets.
The Psychology of the Possible
Why do we care so much about this word? Because humans are "prospective" creatures. Unlike a dog that mostly lives in the "now," we live in the "next."
Dr. Martin Seligman, the father of Positive Psychology, co-authored a book called Homo Prospectus. He argues that our brains are essentially "prospecting" machines. We spend the majority of our conscious thought-time simulating possibilities. We aren't just reacting to the present; we are constantly evaluating potential futures.
When you feel "stuck," it’s usually because your perception of possibility has narrowed. Clinical depression, for instance, often manifests as a "loss of future." The sufferer can't see any possibility of change. On the flip side, "manic" states often involve an explosion of perceived possibilities where the person loses the ability to filter out the improbable.
Real-world constraints that define your "Possible"
- Biological limits: Your DNA sets a floor and a ceiling for certain physical traits.
- Socio-economic context: Your starting point affects which doors are unlocked.
- Knowledge gaps: You can't pursue a possibility you don't know exists.
- Temporal constraints: You can't go back and make a different choice yesterday.
The Quantum Side of the Story
If you want to get really weird, look at how science defines what does possibility mean. In quantum mechanics, things exist in a "superposition" of states. A particle isn't in one place; it’s in a cloud of probability. It’s everywhere it could be at once until it’s measured.
This suggests that at the very foundation of reality, "possibility" is more fundamental than "actuality." The universe is built on a menu of options, and reality is just the one that gets picked. While this doesn't mean you can "manifest" a Ferrari by thinking about it, it does suggest that the rigid, "this is how things are" view of the world is a bit of an illusion.
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How to Expand Your Personal Possibility Space
So, if possibility is the gap between now and next, how do you actually use that? You have to stop looking at it as a vague cloud and start looking at it as a map.
Knowledge is the primary way we expand what is possible for us. If you don't know that a certain career exists, it isn't a possibility for you. If you don't know a certain technology can solve your problem, you’re stuck in a smaller world. This is why education and travel are so transformative; they literally add "tiles" to the map of your possible world.
But there’s a catch. Having too many possibilities is paralyzing. Psychologists call this the "Paradox of Choice." When everything is possible, nothing is actionable. You end up in a state of "analysis paralysis," where you're so busy weighing the $50$ different paths you could take that you stay standing in the exact same spot.
Real Actionable Steps to Redefine Your "Possible"
If you feel like your life is lacking "possibility," you don't need a motivational poster. You need a strategy.
Audit your "Musts" vs. "Cans." Take a piece of paper. Write down three things you say are "impossible" for you right now. Now, ask yourself: Is this logically impossible (breaks the laws of math), physically impossible (breaks the laws of gravity), or just highly improbable? Most of the time, we label "hard things" as "impossible things" to protect our egos.
Increase your surface area. This is a term used in business. To find more possibilities, you have to be in the way of more "accidents." Go to the event. Read the weird book. Talk to the person who disagrees with you. You’re essentially "sampling" more of the world to see what might be possible.
Shrink the timeline. Big possibilities are scary. "It’s possible I could write a book" is a huge, heavy thought. "It’s possible I could write 200 words before lunch" is manageable. By shrinking the scope, you move a possibility into the realm of high probability.
Accept the trade-off. Every time you turn a possibility into a reality, you kill off a thousand other possibilities. If you marry one person, you lose the possibility of marrying everyone else. That’s not a bad thing. It's called commitment. Meaning comes from the "actual," not the "possible."
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At the end of the day, what does possibility mean? It means you aren't finished yet. It means the script hasn't been fully written. It’s a reminder that while you can't control every outcome, you are the one holding the pen for the next sentence. Don't let the probability of failure talk you out of the possibility of trying.
Practical Next Steps
- Identify one "impossible" goal and break it down into its logical components to see where the actual "block" is.
- Spend 15 minutes researching a field you know nothing about to expand your epistemic possibility.
- Commit to one path today. Stop weighing options for a minor decision and just turn a "maybe" into a "did."