One of the things that always appealed to me about Nasa was we

“One of the things that always appealed to me about NASA was we were always doing cool stuff that no one’s done before.” Thus spoke Mark Rober, the engineer, inventor, and dreamer whose hands once helped shape the machines that reached beyond Earth’s skies. His words shine not merely with nostalgia, but with reverence—for they capture the spirit that has driven humankind since the dawn of creation: the eternal hunger to do what has never been done before. In this simple declaration lies a profound truth—the call to innovation, to curiosity, and to courage.

Rober’s origin as a thinker was not in idle comfort, but in wonder. During his years at NASA’s Jet Propulsion Laboratory, he helped design instruments for the Mars Rover—a machine that would traverse the red dust of a distant world. To work at such a place is to walk daily with impossibility, to labor in the company of dreamers who refuse to bow before limits. When Rober speaks of “cool stuff,” he is not talking of novelty or entertainment, but of that divine excitement born from discovery—the exhilaration of reaching into the unknown and returning with light. His words remind us that the greatest work is always work that dares to go beyond.

From the earliest days, this fire has burned within humanity. It is the same fire that pushed the Polynesian sailors across the endless ocean, guided only by stars. It is the spark that led Leonardo da Vinci to sketch the wings of flying machines when men still believed the sky belonged to angels. And it is the flame that burned in the hearts of the Apollo astronauts, who stepped upon the Moon while the world watched in awe. These were not acts of convenience, but of courage; not driven by reward, but by the sheer wonder of possibility. Rober’s words, though modern, echo the ancient calling of the human spirit—to create, to explore, to make the impossible real.

What he teaches us is that greatness does not dwell in repetition. There is safety in the familiar, but there is no glory there. The true joy of life lies in innovation, in stepping into the unlit corridor and daring to strike the first match. To do “stuff that no one’s done before” is to honor the creative force that breathes within every soul. For every advance, every masterpiece, every revolution, began with one person who looked upon the world and said, “There must be more.” This is the heartbeat of progress. Without it, civilization grows stagnant; with it, humanity ascends.

Consider the story of Katherine Johnson, the mathematician whose calculations at NASA made possible the first American spaceflights. She worked in a time when both her race and gender were barriers, yet she pressed on, driven by purpose. In her quiet genius, she embodied Rober’s ideal: not content to walk paths already trodden, but determined to chart new ones. Her courage was not loud, but it was revolutionary. Because of minds like hers, the human race did not merely dream of the stars—it touched them.

Rober’s words also remind us that to build new worlds, one must be willing to fail. For in every daring attempt lies the risk of collapse. Yet the ancients knew that the road to greatness is paved with broken tools and lessons learned. The arrow cannot fly unless it is first drawn back. Innovation is born of resilience, of trying again when others have given up, of finding beauty in the struggle itself. To do “cool stuff” is not always glamorous—it is often lonely, uncertain, and full of toil. But those who persist write their names into eternity.

Therefore, let this be your guiding flame: seek the new, not for vanity, but for growth. Be unafraid of curiosity, unashamed of passion, unbroken by failure. Whether you are an artist, a teacher, a builder, or a dreamer, let your heart lean always toward the uncharted. Ask not, “What is safe?” but, “What is possible?” For each act of courage sends ripples across the centuries.

And when your own work is done—when your hands grow still and your tools rest—may others look upon what you built and say, “They, too, did something that no one had done before.” In that moment, you will have joined the company of explorers, inventors, and creators who dared to expand the frontier of the human spirit. For as Mark Rober teaches us, the greatest joy of life is not in repeating what has been, but in creating what could be—and in lighting the path for those who will follow.