--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: Whatever you can do or dream, begin it." description: "\"Whatever you can do or dream, begin it.\" — Johann Wolfgang von Goethe" image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/314/johann-wolfgang-von-goethe-36_begin_whatever-you-can-do-or-dream-begin-it-22_2287674.jpg" --- # Whatever you can do or dream, begin it. ![“Whatever you can do or dream, begin it.” quote by Johann Wolfgang von Goethe](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/314/johann-wolfgang-von-goethe-36_begin_whatever-you-can-do-or-dream-begin-it-22_2287674.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/314/johann-wolfgang-von-goethe-36_begin_whatever-you-can-do-or-dream-begin-it-22_2287674.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/314/johann-wolfgang-von-goethe-36_begin_whatever-you-can-do-or-dream-begin-it-22_2287674.jpg) > “Whatever you can do or dream, begin it.” [Johann Wolfgang von Goethe](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/johann-wolfgang-von-goethe/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. Encourages taking immediate action on any ambition or dream, no matter how large **In simple terms:** Start your dreams now Key Takeaway Act on aspirations promptly Themes motivation initiative dreams Mood inspirational determined Type advice philosophical When to use this quote - career planning - personal projects - creative pursuits Key Concepts goal setting psychology of action Questions to Reflect On - What small step can you take today? - How do you overcome fear of starting? A Different Perspective Dreams may be unrealistic without resources ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Begin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/begin/) [Can do](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/can-do/) [Dream](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/dream/) [Dream Begin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/dream-begin-766520/) [Dreams](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/dreams/) [Funny](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/funny/) [Inspirational](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/inspirational/) [Love](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/love/) ## Related quotes > [Seize this very minute. What you can do or dream you can do, begin it. Begin it and the work will be completed](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/johann-wolfgang-von-goethe/seize-this-very-minute-what-you-can-do-or-dream-you-can-do-begin-it/) [Johann Wolfgang von Goethe](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/johann-wolfgang-von-goethe/) > [When you wake up from a dream you have only a few precious moments before the details of the dream begin to dissipate and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/vera-nazarian/when-you-wake-up-from-a-dream-you-have-only-a-few-precious-moments/) [Vera Nazarian](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/vera-nazarian/) > [“Whatever you can do, or dream you can, begin it." Goethe”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/paul-alan-fahey/whatever-you-can-do-or-dream-you-can-begin-it-goethe/) [Paul Alan Fahey](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/paul-alan-fahey/) > [“THE MAGIC OF MAKING A START Concerning all acts of initiative (and creation) there is one elementary truth, the ignorance of which kills countless…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/steven-pressfield/the-magic-of-making-a-start-concerning-all-acts-of-initiative-and/) [Steven Pressfield](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/steven-pressfield/) > [“Whatever you can do, or dream you can, begin it.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/goethe/whatever-you-can-do-or-dream-you-can-begin-it/) [Goethe](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/goethe/) > [“Whatever you can do, or dream you can, begin it. Boldness has genius, magic, and power in it. Begin it now.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/whatever-you-can-do-or-dream-you-can-begin-it-boldness-has-genius-5/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [Whatever you can do, or dream you can do, begin it. Boldness has genius, power and magic in it.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/whatever-you-can-do-or-dream-you-can-do-begin-it-boldness-has-genius-2/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [“Difficulties we don’t deserve happen to all of us. Yet, when we dream, we begin to make meaning of these challenges. We give ourselves…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/whitney-johnson/difficulties-we-don-t-deserve-happen-to-all-of-us-yet-when-we-dream/) [Whitney Johnson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/whitney-johnson/) > [“As you see the patterns and meaning emerge in your own personal experience of the world dream, you begin to realize that everything is…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/carolyn-elliott/as-you-see-the-patterns-and-meaning-emerge-in-your-own-personal/) [Carolyn Elliott](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/carolyn-elliott/) > [“Memory is a dream to begin with.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tobias-wolff/memory-is-a-dream-to-begin-with/) [Tobias Wolff](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tobias-wolff/) > [“Whatever you can do, or dream you can, begin it. Boldness has genius, magic, and power in it. Begin it now." — W. H. Murray,”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/steven-pressfield/whatever-you-can-do-or-dream-you-can-begin-it-boldness-has-genius-3/) [Steven Pressfield](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/steven-pressfield/) > [Whatever you do, or dream you can, begin it. Boldness has genius and power and magic in it.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/goethe/whatever-you-do-or-dream-you-can-begin-it-boldness-has-genius-and/) [Goethe](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/goethe/) > [“Whatever you can do, or dream you can do, begin it. Boldness has genius, power, and magic in it. Begin it now.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dave-crumby/whatever-you-can-do-or-dream-you-can-do-begin-it-boldness-has-genius/) [Dave Crumby](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dave-crumby/) > [There's a quote I love, the full version is a bastardisation of quotes from William Hutchison Murray and Johann Wolfgang von Goethe, but it's…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-robins/there-s-a-quote-i-love-the-full-version-is-a-bastardisation-of-quotes/) [John Robins](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-robins/) > [Beginning is hard, pressing forward harder, not trying... Not an option! To live your dream begin now!](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/beginning-is-hard-pressing-forward-harder-not-trying-not-an-option-to/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) ## More by Johann Wolfgang von Goethe > [True works of art contain their own theory and give us the measurement according to which we should judge them.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/johann-wolfgang-von-goethe/true-works-of-art-contain-their-own-theory-and-give-us-the/) [Johann Wolfgang von Goethe](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/johann-wolfgang-von-goethe/) > [I never believed in trying to do anything. Whatever I set out to do I found I had already accomplished.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/johann-wolfgang-von-goethe/i-never-believed-in-trying-to-do-anything-whatever-i-set-out-to-do-i/) [Johann Wolfgang von Goethe](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/johann-wolfgang-von-goethe/) > [All lyrical work must, as a whole, be perfectly intelligible, but in some particulars a little unintelligible.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/johann-wolfgang-von-goethe/all-lyrical-work-must-as-a-whole-be-perfectly-intelligible-but-in/) [Johann Wolfgang von Goethe](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/johann-wolfgang-von-goethe/) > [We know accurately only when we know little, with knowledge doubt increases.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/johann-wolfgang-von-goethe/we-know-accurately-only-when-we-know-little-with-knowledge-doubt/) [Johann Wolfgang von Goethe](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/johann-wolfgang-von-goethe/) > [It is easier to perceive error than to find truth, for the former lies on the surface and is easily seen, while the latter…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/johann-wolfgang-von-goethe/it-is-easier-to-perceive-error-than-to-find-truth-for-the-former-lies/) [Johann Wolfgang von Goethe](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/johann-wolfgang-von-goethe/) > [There is no patriotic art and no patriotic science.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/johann-wolfgang-von-goethe/there-is-no-patriotic-art-and-no-patriotic-science/) [Johann Wolfgang von Goethe](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/johann-wolfgang-von-goethe/) > [The connoisseur of art must be able to appreciate what is simply beautiful, but the common run of people is satisfied with ornament](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/johann-wolfgang-von-goethe/the-connoisseur-of-art-must-be-able-to-appreciate-what-is-simply/) [Johann Wolfgang Von Goethe](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/johann-wolfgang-von-goethe/) > [Nothing is worse than active ignorance.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/johann-wolfgang-von-goethe/nothing-is-worse-than-active-ignorance/) [Johann Wolfgang von Goethe](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/johann-wolfgang-von-goethe/) > [Let us not dream that reason can ever be popular. Passions, emotions, may be made popular; but reason remains ever the property of an…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/johann-wolfgang-von-goethe/let-us-not-dream-that-reason-can-ever-be-popular-passions-emotions/) [Johann Wolfgang von Goethe](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/johann-wolfgang-von-goethe/) > [Our foibles are really what make us lovable.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/johann-wolfgang-von-goethe/our-foibles-are-really-what-make-us-lovable/) [Johann Wolfgang von Goethe](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/johann-wolfgang-von-goethe/) > [Instruction does much, but encouragement everything.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/johann-wolfgang-von-goethe/instruction-does-much-but-encouragement-everything/) [Johann Wolfgang Von Goethe](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/johann-wolfgang-von-goethe/) > [Giving is the business of the rich.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/johann-wolfgang-von-goethe/giving-is-the-business-of-the-rich/) [Johann Wolfgang von Goethe](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/johann-wolfgang-von-goethe/) > [Just begin and the mind grows heated; continue, and the task will be completed!](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/johann-wolfgang-von-goethe/just-begin-and-the-mind-grows-heated-continue-and-the-task-will-be/) [Johann Wolfgang von Goethe](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/johann-wolfgang-von-goethe/) > [I look upon all four Gospels as thoroughly genuine, for there shines forth from them the reflected splendor of a sublimity proceeding from Jesus…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/johann-wolfgang-von-goethe/i-look-upon-all-four-gospels-as-thoroughly-genuine-for-there-shines/) [Johann Wolfgang von Goethe](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/johann-wolfgang-von-goethe/) > [Whatever we may say against collections, which present authors in a disjointed form, they nevertheless bring about many excellent results. We are not always…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/johann-wolfgang-von-goethe/whatever-we-may-say-against-collections-which-present-authors-in-a/) [Johann Wolfgang von Goethe](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/johann-wolfgang-von-goethe/) [Explore all 2,052 Johann Wolfgang von Goethe quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/johann-wolfgang-von-goethe/) ## More Begin quotes > [If you wanted to put the world to rights, who should you begin with: yourself or others?](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/aleksandr-solzhenitsyn/if-you-wanted-to-put-the-world-to-rights-who-should-you-begin-with/) [Aleksandr Solzhenitsyn](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/aleksandr-solzhenitsyn/) > [“Let the motherfucking games begin.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gail-mchugh/let-the-motherfucking-games-begin/) [Gail McHugh](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gail-mchugh/) > [“Begin as you mean to go on, and go on as you began, and let the Lord be all in all to you.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/charles-h-spurgeon/begin-as-you-mean-to-go-on-and-go-on-as-you-began-and-let-the-lord-be/) [Charles H. Spurgeon](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/charles-h-spurgeon/) > [The world will only begin to have faith in you when you do too.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ritu-ghatourey/the-world-will-only-begin-to-have-faith-in-you-when-you-do-too/) [Ritu Ghatourey](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ritu-ghatourey/) > [The idea with a collection is sort of to begin with a kind of bang.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/robert-christgau/the-idea-with-a-collection-is-sort-of-to-begin-with-a-kind-of-bang/) [Robert Christgau](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/robert-christgau/) > [“Humble yourself before the Lord and he will lift you high. People who are gentle, humble and able always have a great ending no…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/israelmore-ayivor/humble-yourself-before-the-lord-and-he-will-lift-you-high-people-who/) [israelmore ayivor](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/israelmore-ayivor/) > [Just begin and the mind grows heated; continue, and the task will be completed!](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/johann-wolfgang-von-goethe/just-begin-and-the-mind-grows-heated-continue-and-the-task-will-be/) [Johann Wolfgang von Goethe](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/johann-wolfgang-von-goethe/) > [“Quitters don’t gain what they have started working on; waiters don’t start what they could have gained. What is common there is failure.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/israelmore-ayivor/quitters-don-t-gain-what-they-have-started-working-on-waiters-don-t/) [Israelmore Ayivor](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/israelmore-ayivor/) > [I don't know the future. I didn't come here to tell you how this is going to end. I came here to tell you…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/todd-akin/i-don-t-know-the-future-i-didn-t-come-here-to-tell-you-how-this-is/) [Todd Akin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/todd-akin/) > [The public should begin to understand that there's nothing that comes out of this campaign, or this Obama White House, that they can believe.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-sununu/the-public-should-begin-to-understand-that-there-s-nothing-that-comes/) [John Sununu](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-sununu/) > [“A mother is always the beginning. She is how things begin.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/amy-tan/a-mother-is-always-the-beginning-she-is-how-things-begin/) [Amy Tan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/amy-tan/) > [I look forward to the day that a lot of the folks that you all talk about and cover on this network will begin…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/i-look-forward-to-the-day-that-a-lot-of-the-folks-that-you-all-talk/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [“...I'd be interested in any tips you have for somebody starting out.” “Uh-huh,” I said, looking out the window. I decided, as we drove…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/taylor-jenkins-reid/i-d-be-interested-in-any-tips-you-have-for-somebody-starting-out-uh/) [Taylor Jenkins Reid](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/taylor-jenkins-reid/) > [I'm Irish and always will be, but America has taught me so much. Maybe it's here in the U.S. that we find a healing,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/fionnula-flanagan/i-m-irish-and-always-will-be-but-america-has-taught-me-so-much-maybe/) [Fionnula Flanagan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/fionnula-flanagan/) > [Begin where you are. Read every word, every phrase, every paragraph of the mind, as it operates through thought.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jiddu-krishnamurti/begin-where-you-are-read-every-word-every-phrase-every-paragraph-of/) [Jiddu Krishnamurti](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jiddu-krishnamurti/) [Browse all 1,199 Begin quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/begin/) ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "Whatever you can do or dream, begin it.", "creator": { "@type": "Person", "name": "Johann Wolfgang von Goethe" }, "isPartOf": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website" }, "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/johann-wolfgang-von-goethe/whatever-you-can-do-or-dream-begin-it/", "about": { "@type": "Thing", "name": "Begin" }, "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/johann-wolfgang-von-goethe/whatever-you-can-do-or-dream-begin-it/#quotation", "image": { "@type": "ImageObject", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/314/johann-wolfgang-von-goethe-36_begin_whatever-you-can-do-or-dream-begin-it-22_2287674.jpg", "contentUrl": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/314/johann-wolfgang-von-goethe-36_begin_whatever-you-can-do-or-dream-begin-it-22_2287674.jpg", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/314/johann-wolfgang-von-goethe-36_begin_whatever-you-can-do-or-dream-begin-it-22_2287674.jpg", "width": 1080, "height": 1080, "caption": "“Whatever you can do or dream, begin it.” — Johann Wolfgang von Goethe", "creditText": "SMS4Smile Quotes", "creator": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#organization" } } }, { "@type": "BreadcrumbList", "itemListElement": [ { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 1, "name": "Home", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 2, "name": "Quotes", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 3, "name": "Johann Wolfgang von Goethe", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/johann-wolfgang-von-goethe/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 4, "name": "Whatever you can do or dream,...", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/johann-wolfgang-von-goethe/whatever-you-can-do-or-dream-begin-it/" } ], "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/johann-wolfgang-von-goethe/whatever-you-can-do-or-dream-begin-it/#breadcrumb" }, { "@type": "WebSite", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website", "name": "SMS4Smile Quotes", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/", "publisher": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#organization" } }, { "@type": "Organization", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#organization", "name": "SMS4Smile Quotes", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/", "logo": { "@type": "ImageObject", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/wp-content/themes/sq/assets/icons/icon-512.png", "width": 512, "height": 512 } } ] } ```