I didn’t own many Barbies growing up. My parents—practical as ever, some might call them “bohemian literature types” – opted for books, movies, and outdoor adventures over plastic dolls with dream mansions. They figured those would be better for me. But of course, I found ways around their well-meaning plans. I’d escape to friends’ apartments in the next stairwells—rebel me—places where Barbie reigned supreme.

In those small apartments, surrounded by tiny shoes and glittery gowns, I stepped into a world that was so wildly unrealistic, it was impossible to resist. Growing up in 90s recession-era Kontula in East Helsinki – full of concrete blocks and well-worn library books – Barbie’s world felt like a breath of fresh air. In her universe, ambition had no limits. On Monday, she was an astronaut. By Tuesday, a surgeon. By Wednesday, she was running a company. And by Friday night, she still had the energy to host a glamorous party with her equally ambitious friends.

The Battle Between Ambition and Realism

“There’s a Finnish proverb: “Joka kuuseen kurkottaa, se katajaan kapsahtaa” – basically, if you reach too high, you’ll end up falling flat. It’s a reminder to aim high but stay grounded.

We’ve also got another saying: “maitojunalla kotiin”—which literally means “by the milk train back home.” It’s used when someone goes off to chase a big dream but ends up coming back home a bit humbled when things don’t go as planned. It’s not meant to be harsh, just a reminder that sometimes things don’t work out—and that’s okay.

And a third interesting thing: in Finnish, the word for entrepreneur is “yrittäjä,” which literally means “tryer”—someone who tries. Not necessarily someone who succeeds, mind you just someone who keeps trying anyway, even if the odds are bleak and failure is practically the default setting. Somehow, despite that rather gloomy undertone, it kind of captures what being an entrepreneur is all about: trying, failing, and trying again.

Somehow, I’ve always had that tryer mentality in me – the kind that sees failing not as something bad but as just part of the process. Trying, failing, succeeding, and then trying again – it’s all part of the same journey. Every failure is just a step forward, a way to gather lessons that success alone could never teach. I personally think it’s not a sign of weakness; it’s a sign of courage. After all, you can’t really fail if you’re still trying – each attempt just brings you closer to getting it right.

I guess that’s what Barbie really is: a tryer. Her world didn’t care about logic or realism – it was all about possibility.

Turning “Ridiculous” Dreams into Reality

The girls who once embraced Barbie’s world of limitless possibilities didn’t leave those dreams behind with their childhood toys. Today, many of them are scientists, presidents, astronauts, CEOs, surgeons, professors, artists, and leaders in various fields.

The real lesson here wasn’t about the sparkly gowns. It was about refusing to let others decide what’s possible. Those who dared to dream big as kids figured out that the first step to breaking real-world barriers is daring to imagine something greater. After all, it’s hard to change reality if you can’t picture something beyond it first.

Maybe your dream isn’t literally a pink convertible (no judgment if it is). But your dream—your version of ambitious and “unrealistic”—probably isn’t as far-fetched as some people think. A lot of women who defied expectations were probably told their dreams were “ridiculous” at some point.

From “Ridiculous” to Revolutionary: Leaders Who Changed the World

History has shown that what seems ‘ridiculous’ today can become revolutionary tomorrow. Visionary leaders—whether Viking kings or software pioneers—share one thing in common: they weren’t afraid to pursue ideas others called “ridiculous.”

Take, for instance, Harald “Bluetooth” Gormsson, the Viking king who united Denmark and Norway in the 10th century. Later the technology we now call Bluetooth was named after him to unite the devices. At the time, his vision must have seemed ridiculous—bringing together rival tribes under one rule. Yet, his legacy lives on every time we connect our devices wirelessly – over a thousand years after his time.

In the same way Tim Berners-Lee (inventor of the World Wide Web, a.k.a. the reason you’re reading this now), Marie Curie (pioneering physicist and chemist who discovered radioactivity and made science cool before it was cool), and Steve Jobs (the guy who convinced the world it needed a touchscreen for everything) – despite living in different times and chasing different dreams—share one thing in common: they didn’t let the fear of sounding ridiculous stop them from chasing big ideas. Their willingness to embrace what seemed unrealistic at the time is exactly what made their breakthroughs possible.

From “Ridiculous” to Revolutionary: Women Who Changed the World

In the 1960s, while most of the world was fixated on the astronauts who would eventually walk on the moon, Margaret Hamilton was leading a team of software engineers at MIT’s Instrumentation Laboratory. Her work laid the foundation for modern software engineering and prevented what could have been a catastrophic failure during the Apollo missions.

Similarly, Ruth Bader Ginsburg (Former Associate Justice of the Supreme Court of the United States and a pioneer for gender equality and civil rights) and Malala Yousafzai (A Pakistani activist for girls’ education and the youngest Nobel Peace Prize laureate) pursued goals that many deemed impossible – or even absurd. Yet, their courage to hold onto those “ridiculous” dreams reshaped laws, inspired movements, and redefined what women can achieve.

Throughout history, visionary leaders—whether Viking kings, software pioneers – have proven that ideas once called ‘ridiculous’ can change the world. This blog isn’t just about empowering women – it’s about the power of dreaming big and breaking boundaries, no matter the gender. The message of defying expectations, embracing failure, and pursuing what others call “ridiculous” is universal.

On this International Women’s Day, let’s celebrate the courage to dream big – without limits. After all, every breakthrough, every innovation, started with an idea that someone probably thought was “ridiculous.” Because if it weren’t for those “ridiculous” dreams, would there even be a need to push boundaries, challenge norms, and create change? Sometimes, the world needs those wild, out-of-the-box ideas to spark the breakthroughs that shape our future.

P.S. I used AI to visualize the idea of ‘ridiculous’ dreams changing the world. The vibrant contrast between the bold pink building and the grey cityscape captures the essence of breaking norms and dreaming big.