Nothing is impossible to a willing mind.
Meaning: Determination and mental resolve can overcome obstacles that seem insurmountable through sheer commitment.
Origin: Recorded in A Dictionary of English Proverbs and Proverbial Phrases, an undated collection published in London by Whittaker & Co. around 1880 and credited to Thomas Preston. Its earlier history hasn't been traced.
Equivalents in French, Spanish, Japanese, and German
- French: A qui veut rien n’est impossible (literally: Nothing is impossible to a willing mind)
- Spanish: Querer es poder (literally: To want is to be able)
- Japanese: 精神一到何事か成らざらん (Seishin ittō nani goto ka narazaran) (literally: With the spirit concentrated, what thing could not be accomplished?)
- German: Wo ein Wille ist, ist auch ein Weg (literally: Where there is a will, there is also a way)
More proverbs about Challenge
- He that hath many irons in the fire, some of them will cool. — Pursuing too many simultaneous projects reduces focus and causes some efforts to lose mom…
- A fat kitchen, a lean will. — Excessive spending on pleasures leaves little inheritance or resources for one's heirs an…
- Silks and satins put out the fire in the kitchen. — Luxury goods cannot substitute for practical necessities; fine things won't feed your fam…
- He that loves law will get his fill. — Devotion to justice and lawful conduct ensures one receives due rewards and satisfaction…
- A good lawyer, an evil neighbour. — Good legal advocates thrive when disputes arise, making them prosperous through others' c…
- A small leak will sink a great ship. — Neglecting minor problems allows them to compound into catastrophic failures that destroy…
From our idioms
- med glimten i ögat — To say or do something in a joking or cheeky manner, with playful mischief rather than se…
- få bukt med — To overcome, resolve, or take control of a difficult problem or challenging situation.
- få betalt för gammal ost — To be punished or retaliated against for a past wrong, to receive belated payback.