"Begin by doing what is necessary, then what is possible, and suddenly you are doing the impossible."
Source not yet traced to a specific passage, so treat the exact wording as unverified. See disputed and misattributed quotes.
Not a Stoic. Saint Francis of Assisi is classed as Contemplative & Other: Voices from outside the Greco-Roman tradition, included here for reflection. These are not Stoic in origin.
More from the Contemplative & Other collection
- "He who knows others is wise; he who knows himself is enlightened."
- "Great things are not done by impulse, but by a series of small things brought together."
- "Learning without thinking is wasted labor; thinking without learning is dangerous."
- "It is better to conquer oneself than to win a thousand battles."
- "Success consists of going from failure to failure without losing enthusiasm."