--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: People can do great things. However…" description: "\"People can do great things. However, there are somethings they just can't do. I, for instance, have not been able to transform myself into a Popsicle, ..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/71c/brandon-sanderson-112_able_people-can-do-great-things-however-there_295227.jpg" --- # People can do great things. However, there are somethings… ![“People can do great things. However, there are somethings they just can't do. I, for instance, have not been able to transform myself into a Popsicle, despite years of effort. I could, however, make myself insane, if I wished. (Though if I achieved the second, I might be able to make myself think…” quote by Brandon Sanderson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/71c/brandon-sanderson-112_able_people-can-do-great-things-however-there_295227.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/71c/brandon-sanderson-112_able_people-can-do-great-things-however-there_295227.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/71c/brandon-sanderson-112_able_people-can-do-great-things-however-there_295227.jpg) > “People can do great things. However, there are somethings they just can't do. I, for instance, have not been able to transform myself into a Popsicle, despite years of effort. I could, however, make myself insane, if I wished. (Though if I achieved the second, I might be able to make myself think I'd achieved the first…) Anyway, if there's a lesson to be learned, it's this: great success often depends on being able to distinguish between the impossible and the improbable. Or, in easier terms, distinguishing between Popsicles and insanity. Any questions?” [Brandon Sanderson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/brandon-sanderson/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. Success requires recognizing what is truly impossible versus merely unlikely, and focusing effort accordingly. **In simple terms:** Know the difference between impossible and unlikely. Key Takeaway Identify realistic goals and avoid futile pursuits. Themes goal setting realism self-awareness risk assessment Mood reflective analytical Type philosophical motivational When to use this quote - career planning - personal development - creative projects - risk management Key Concepts probability theory cognitive bias goal alignment Questions to Reflect On - What criteria do you use to label something impossible? - How can you test the improbability of a goal? A Different Perspective Impossible tasks waste resources; distinguishing them can be subjective. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Able](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/able/) [Distinguish Impossible](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/distinguish-impossible-2831534/) [Easier](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/easier/) [Effort](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/effort/) [Firsts](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/firsts/) [Great success](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/great-success/) [Great things](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/great-things/) [Impossible](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/impossible/) [Impossible Improbable](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/impossible-improbable-2032259/) [Improbable](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/improbable/) [Insane](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/insane/) [Insanity](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/insanity/) [Insanity Questions](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/insanity-questions-2831535/) [Instance](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/instance/) [Lessons](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/lessons/) [Might](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/might/) [People](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/people/) [Popsicles](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/popsicles/) [Success](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/success/) [Term](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/term/) [Thinking](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/thinking/) [Years](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/years/) ## Related quotes > [I reject your impossible. Most of what others tell me is impossible I know to be improbable. If it is impossible you have nothing…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gary-holder-winfield/i-reject-your-impossible-most-of-what-others-tell-me-is-impossible-i/) [Gary Holder-Winfield](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gary-holder-winfield/) > [“It's easier to accept the impossible then the improbable”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/melissa-jensen/it-s-easier-to-accept-the-impossible-then-the-improbable/) [Melissa Jensen](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/melissa-jensen/) > [So many of our dreams at first seem impossible, then they seem improbable, and then, when we summon the will, they soon become inevitable.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/christopher-reeve/so-many-of-our-dreams-at-first-seem-impossible-then-they-seem/) [Christopher Reeve](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/christopher-reeve/) > [“My motto is "Impossible, improbable, inadvisable.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/reki-kawahara/my-motto-is-impossible-improbable-inadvisable/) [Reki Kawahara](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/reki-kawahara/) > [It's impossible that the improbable will never happen.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/emil-julius-gumbel/it-s-impossible-that-the-improbable-will-never-happen/) [Emil Julius Gumbel](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/emil-julius-gumbel/) > [In Sea affairs, nothing is impossible, and nothing is improbable.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/horatio-nelson/in-sea-affairs-nothing-is-impossible-and-nothing-is-improbable/) [Horatio Nelson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/horatio-nelson/) > [Never let someone tell you that you or your dreams are impossible, improbable, or not ‘good enough’ for their liking, especially when they have…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/brendon-burchard/never-let-someone-tell-you-that-you-or-your-dreams-are-impossible/) [Brendon Burchard](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/brendon-burchard/) > [People can do great things. However, there are some things they just CAN'T do. I, for instance, have not been able to transform myself…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/brandon-sanderson/people-can-do-great-things-however-there-are-some-things-they-just/) [Brandon Sanderson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/brandon-sanderson/) > [At first, dreams seem impossible, then improbable, and eventually inevitable.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/christopher-reeve/at-first-dreams-seem-impossible-then-improbable-and-eventually/) [Christopher Reeve](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/christopher-reeve/) > [Dreams at first seem impossible, then seem improbable, and finally, when we commit ourselves, become inevitable.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/dreams-at-first-seem-impossible-then-seem-improbable-and-finally-when/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [“In quantum physics, nothing is impossible – only more or less improbable. The observer influences the manifestation of the observed with his thoughts”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ivan-figueroa-otero/in-quantum-physics-nothing-is-impossible-only-more-or-less-improbable/) [Ivan Figueroa-Otero](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ivan-figueroa-otero/) > [Okay, well, let's do a little reenactment. I'm the gay-looking DiCaprio and you're Rose. You have to keep your eyes open and on my…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/okay-well-let-s-do-a-little-reenactment-i-m-the-gay-looking-dicaprio/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [Her hair was strawberry blond, and she had the shape of a popsicle stick: turn her sideways and she practically disappeared.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/becca-fitzpatrick/her-hair-was-strawberry-blond-and-she-had-the-shape-of-a-popsicle/) [Becca Fitzpatrick](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/becca-fitzpatrick/) > [“If I only ate popsicles, I wonder if I’d rather freeze or starve to death. 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You're like some strange mixture of a noblewoman, a street urchin,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/brandon-sanderson/elend-smiled-oh-come-on-you-have-to-admit-that-you-re-unusual-vin-you/) [Brandon Sanderson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/brandon-sanderson/) > [“That is always how it is, though, isn't it?” Shuden asked. “Those who can least afford extravagance seem to be the ones most determined…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/brandon-sanderson/that-is-always-how-it-is-though-isn-t-it-shuden-asked-those-who-can/) [Brandon Sanderson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/brandon-sanderson/) > [“He says he’s letting the Stormfather judge you,” Moash added. “Jezerezeh, king of Heralds. 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