Boldness

If you dream you can do it, begin it.
There is power and magic within it.
For the genius of Man
Is his boldness — he can
Bring to life such a dream and then win it!

In his 1951 book, The Scottish Himalayan Expedition, William Hutchinson Murray (1913–1996) said, "Until one is committed, there is hesitancy, the chance to draw back. Concerning all acts of initiative (and creation), there is one elementary truth, the ignorance of which kills countless ideas and splendid plans: that the moment one definitely commits oneself, then Providence moves too. All sorts of things occur to help one that would never otherwise have occurred. A whole stream of events issues from the decision, raising in one's favor all manner of unforeseen incidents and meetings and material assistance, which no man could have dreamed would have come his way. I learned a deep respect for one of Goethe's couplets: 'Whatever you can do, or dream you can do, begin it. Boldness has genius, power, and magic in it. Begin it now.'"

Johann Wolfgang von Goethe (1749–1832) is often quoted as saying this final couplet, as a loose paraphrase of some words that Goethe did write in Faust : "Der Worte sind genug gewechselt, lasst mich auch endlich Taten sehn!", i.e., "Enough words have been exchanged; now at last let me see some deeds!" Nevertheless, if you're bold enough to believe it, perhaps the spirit of the phrase is Goethean!