A lot of people don’t realize how hard it is to pull off the amazing, the spectacular and the otherworldly; they just assume the performers are lucky enough to possess the natural ability and athleticism needed to attempt something incredibly dangerous and to succeed despite the risk; to achieve the unthinkable and give all us mere mortals a break from the mundane with their sublime moment. But even the daredevils that populate the Adrenalist need to practice. The impossible often takes a lot of hard work, and more than that, a lot of gruesome spills before they finally nail it. The best things in life aren’t simply handed to us. They take time and patience, and the distinct possibility that what we’re trying to accomplish might be impossible.

Perhaps you’ve already heard about Adam Miller, the Adrenalist whose amazing skateboard backflip video has gone viral since Tony Hawk uploaded it to his RideChannel back on Feb. 8th. Previously, Adam was a little-known EduSkate team member from a Grand Rapids, Iowa skate shop owned by former pro, Nate Sherwood. He’s not so anonymous now.

The video shows Miller skating towards six steps leading down to a waiting skateboard. Once he gets to the edge of the steps, Miller backflips, and lands on an awaiting skateboard at the bottom of the steps. It’s an other-worldly skateboard trick, and after Hawk uploaded the video tweeted about it, Miller became a bit of a star. It’s believed to be the only successful skateboard to skateboard backflip in history.

That’s why the New York Daily News picked it up, and so did the UK’s Guardian. Even TMZ got in on the awe-inspiring stunt. What many curious web watchers didn’t see, however, were the two days Miller practiced the trick on a sleepy sidewalk in San Diego, California. Watch as Miller tries to pull off the backflip and lands long or short, barely hitting the waiting board. Again and again he slams on the hard concrete, wearing little more than a t-shirt and jeans. He tried for two straight days without pulling it off, and on the third and final day of his trip to San Diego, it hailed, so Adam wasn’t able to pull it off.

Adam finally landed the trick at Hawk’s skate park after dozens of attempts. The next time you see something this spectacular, remember all the solid work, patience and steadfast trust needed to complete something so audacious. EduSkate’s Adam Miller did something many thought impossible. But it only happened after the countless scraps, bumps and bruises (as well as the risk of far more serious injuries).

Natural talent and body sense will take you far, but even the most talented Adrenalists still need to always push to do more to accomplish stunning feats. Just like all of us.