As cliche as the phrase may be, it's one that I truly believe. I have always supported the idea of the Renaissance Man, a person who attempts to excel at everything, one who is both logical and artistic, reasoning and passionate, cerebral and athletic. In an age when hyper-specialization has become the way of life, this idea is not always accepted. I often hear from students that they just aren't good at math (or English, or history, etc.) or that they are just like their parent who can't do math (or English, or history, etc.).
I believe that we are capable of succeeding at nearly everything. There are some limitations in physical and mental ability, but I'm not talking about being the best in the world at everything. With training, practice, dedication, and persistence, we humans have a nearly boundless potential. Most of what stands in our way is our own stubborn refusal to try.
We are an amazing species with a grand destiny ahead of us. We should not let nay-sayers keep us from doing the "impossible," even if the nay-sayers are ourselves.