It always seems impossible until it's done
Meaning: Before any achievement, it appears beyond reach; only completion reveals it was always possible.
Origin: Widely credited to Nelson Mandela, but the Nelson Mandela Foundation has no record of him saying it, and it has not been found in his speeches or books. The earliest known link to Mandela is a 2001 Australian newspaper article about a solar-powered boat that displayed the quote.
Equivalents in French, Spanish, Japanese, and German
- French: Cela semble toujours impossible jusqu'à ce que ce soit accompli (literally: It always seems impossible until it is accomplished)
- Spanish: Siempre parece imposible hasta que se hace (literally: It always seems impossible until it's done)
- Japanese: やり遂げるまでは、いつも不可能に見える (Yaritogeru made wa, itsumo fukanō ni mieru) (literally: Until it is accomplished, it always appears impossible)
- German: Es scheint immer unmöglich, bis es getan ist (literally: It always seems impossible until it is done)
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