If that's there, I believe that technology will probably step up

Hear now the words of Neil Armstrong, the first mortal to set foot upon the moon, a man who gazed not only upon Earth’s horizon but beyond it. He declared: “If that’s there, I believe that technology will probably step up to their part of it.” These words are cloaked in humility, yet they carry the weight of eternal truth. For Armstrong was not praising machines as gods, but reminding mankind that technology, though mighty, only rises when human vision, resolve, and imagination lay the foundation first.

This saying was born from the great venture of the Apollo program, a time when the impossible was dared. Men dreamed of walking on the moon, and many scoffed, for the obstacles were vast. Yet, Armstrong’s insight was clear: if the will and purpose of humankind are present—if that’s there—then technology will rise to answer the call. It is not the machine that leads the human spirit, but the human spirit that commands the machine to follow. Technology is the servant, but the dream is the master.

History bears this out. When President John F. Kennedy declared that man would go to the moon within a decade, the technology to do so did not yet exist. Rockets of such power, computers of such precision, suits of such resilience—all these were still in the shadows of possibility. Yet, because the vision was planted, the engineers, scientists, and dreamers rose in strength. The tools were forged, the engines built, the algorithms written. Armstrong’s words echo this very truth: technology will step forward when men and women summon it with their courage and purpose.

Consider too the age of the great voyages of discovery. When Columbus, Magellan, or Zheng He dreamed of crossing unknown seas, the ships of their time were not yet ready for such vast undertakings. But when the vision burned bright, sails were strengthened, compasses refined, and ships transformed to brave the endless horizon. Again and again, history whispers the same refrain: where there is vision, technology will follow.

The lesson, O seekers of wisdom, is that we must never wait idly for technology to deliver us miracles. Instead, we must first set forth the dream, the purpose, the direction. It is the call of human spirit that awakens invention. Without the spark of imagination, machines lie dormant, their potential untapped. But when men and women dare to ask, “Can we not go farther? Can we not reach higher?”—then technology finds its wings.

Armstrong’s words remind us that faith in human possibility must come before reliance on tools. A hammer lies still until a builder lifts it. A rocket rests silent until a dreamer commands it to rise. So too in life: it is not enough to wait for conditions to be perfect. Begin with vision and determination, and the tools will gather to your side.

Therefore, let your actions be shaped by this truth: dream first, act with courage, and trust that the means will come. Do not say, “I cannot, for the tools are not yet here.” Instead, declare, “I will, for my heart is ready,” and the tools will rise to meet you. Just as Armstrong set foot upon the moon because others dared to dream before the tools existed, so too can you conquer the moons of your own life if you let vision lead and let technology follow.

Thus, remember this teaching: the path begins not with machines, but with the spirit. Technology will step up—but only if you first step forward.