--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: The idea isn't to do the impossible. The…" description: "\"“The idea isn't to do the impossible. The idea is to show the world that if one man can do the impossible, then maybe the rest of the world can do what..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/f32/jonathan-malley-92752_greatness_the-idea-isn-t-to-do-the-impossible-the_378640.jpg" --- # The idea isn't to do the impossible. The idea is to show… ![“The idea isn't to do the impossible. The idea is to show the world that if one man can do the impossible, then maybe the rest of the world can do what's possible.” quote by Jonathan Malley](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/f32/jonathan-malley-92752_greatness_the-idea-isn-t-to-do-the-impossible-the_378640.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/f32/jonathan-malley-92752_greatness_the-idea-isn-t-to-do-the-impossible-the_378640.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/f32/jonathan-malley-92752_greatness_the-idea-isn-t-to-do-the-impossible-the_378640.jpg) > ““The idea isn't to do the impossible. The idea is to show the world that if one man can do the impossible, then maybe the rest of the world can do what's possible.”” Jonathan Malley ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. Inspires belief that individual achievements can unlock collective possibilities **In simple terms:** One person’s success can inspire many Key Takeaway Believe in personal impact to enable collective potential Themes Greatness Possibility Inspiration Collective action Mindset Mood motivational optimistic Type advice philosophical When to use this quote - Team projects - Community initiatives - Personal goal setting Key Concepts Social proof Self‑efficacy Motivational psychology Questions to Reflect On - What impossible goal can you start tackling? - How does one success influence others? A Different Perspective Success stories may be rare and not universally replicable ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Greatness](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/greatness/) ## Related quotes > [About film direction, nothing is impossible. Maybe someday, you will see me donning the director's hat.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rituparna-sengupta/about-film-direction-nothing-is-impossible-maybe-someday-you-will-see/) [Rituparna Sengupta](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rituparna-sengupta/) > [It is impossible, maybe undesirable, to take partisanship out of the political process.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-souter/it-is-impossible-maybe-undesirable-to-take-partisanship-out-of-the/) [David Souter](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-souter/) > [“When the impossible is eliminated, whatever remains, however improbable, is the solution ... unless you're mistaken as to just what is and what isn't impossible.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/thomas-w-knowles/when-the-impossible-is-eliminated-whatever-remains-however-improbable/) Thomas W. Knowles > [“This impossibility has happened and therefore isn't impossible.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/steve-merrick/this-impossibility-has-happened-and-therefore-isn-t-impossible/) [Steve Merrick](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/steve-merrick/) > [It does not make sense. It cannot exist. It's impossible, and if it isn't impossible, it's irrelevant, and if it isn't either of those…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/philip-pullman/it-does-not-make-sense-it-cannot-exist-it-s-impossible-and-if-it-isn/) [Philip Pullman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/philip-pullman/) > [“Perestroika was an impossible idea on the face of it. The Party was setting out to employ its structures of command to make the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/masha-gessen/perestroika-was-an-impossible-idea-on-the-face-of-it-the-party-was/) [Masha Gessen](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/masha-gessen/) > [“Chase said, “It was a crazy idea.” An impossible idea. “Nothing is impossible, Chase, only improbable. And when you can see into the future…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/adrienne-wilder/chase-said-it-was-a-crazy-idea-an-impossible-idea-nothing-is/) [Adrienne Wilder](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/adrienne-wilder/) > [Nothing is impossible. Whatever idea comes up, we always try to make it. Sometimes it doesn't work because it's just not technically achievable. But…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tomas-maier/nothing-is-impossible-whatever-idea-comes-up-we-always-try-to-make-it/) [Tomas Maier](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tomas-maier/) > [When people tell me I'm an artist, I say, 'What?' It's impossible for me to take the idea seriously.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/takeshi-kitano/when-people-tell-me-i-m-an-artist-i-say-what-it-s-impossible-for-me/) [Takeshi Kitano](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/takeshi-kitano/) > [If an idea isn't exciting, you shouldn't do it.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ray-bradbury/if-an-idea-isn-t-exciting-you-shouldn-t-do-it/) [Ray Bradbury](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ray-bradbury/) > [An idea isn't worth that much. It's the execution of the idea that has value. If you can't convince one other person that this…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/joel-spolsky/an-idea-isn-t-worth-that-much-it-s-the-execution-of-the-idea-that-has/) [Joel Spolsky](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/joel-spolsky/) > [Of course, your ideas can be stolen... I used to think it was immoral; now I think of it as a compliment... Ultimately, an…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/peter-wolf/of-course-your-ideas-can-be-stolen-i-used-to-think-it-was-immoral-now/) [Peter Wolf](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/peter-wolf/) > [Crowdfunding as an idea itself isn't new - bands have been doing it since the dawn of time.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/amanda-palmer/crowdfunding-as-an-idea-itself-isn-t-new-bands-have-been-doing-it/) [Amanda Palmer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/amanda-palmer/) > [An idea isn't responsible for the people who believe it.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/don-marquis/an-idea-isn-t-responsible-for-the-people-who-believe-it/) [Don Marquis](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/don-marquis/) > [Most ideas are a bit scary, and if an idea isn't scary, it's not an idea at all.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lee-clow/most-ideas-are-a-bit-scary-and-if-an-idea-isn-t-scary-it-s-not-an/) [Lee Clow](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lee-clow/) ## More by Jonathan Malley > [“Life throws the world at you, those who make a difference are those who catch the world and throw it back at life.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jonathan-malley/life-throws-the-world-at-you-those-who-make-a-difference-are-those/) Jonathan Malley Explore all 2 Jonathan Malley quotes ## More Greatness quotes > [The man who can master his time can master nearly anything.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/winston-churchill/the-man-who-can-master-his-time-can-master-nearly-anything/) [Winston Churchill](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/winston-churchill/) > [Every man who is high up likes to think that he has done it all himself, and the wife smiles and lets it go…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/every-man-who-is-high-up-likes-to-think-that-he-has-done-it-all/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [What we shall need is not geniuses, or cynics, or misanthropes, or clever tacticians, but plain, honest, straghtforward men.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dietrich-bonhoeffer/what-we-shall-need-is-not-geniuses-or-cynics-or-misanthropes-or/) [Dietrich Bonhoeffer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dietrich-bonhoeffer/) > [“The power of imagination is strongest in the place of solitude.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sunday-adelaja/the-power-of-imagination-is-strongest-in-the-place-of-solitude/) [Sunday Adelaja](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sunday-adelaja/) > [“You are destiny for greatness. Your future is in the hands of the Lord.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lailah-gifty-akita/you-are-destiny-for-greatness-your-future-is-in-the-hands-of-the-lord/) [Lailah Gifty Akita](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lailah-gifty-akita/) > [We need to discover all over again that worship is natural to the Christian, as it was to the godly Israelites who wrote the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/j-i-packer/we-need-to-discover-all-over-again-that-worship-is-natural-to-the/) [J. I. Packer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/j-i-packer/) > [Each man is capable of doing one thing well. If he attempts several, he will fail to achieve distinction in any.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/plato/each-man-is-capable-of-doing-one-thing-well-if-he-attempts-several-he/) [Plato](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/plato/) > [Nothing brings out the lower traits of human nature like office-seeking. Men of good character and impulses are betrayed by it into all sorts…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rutherford-b-hayes/nothing-brings-out-the-lower-traits-of-human-nature-like-office/) [Rutherford B. Hayes](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rutherford-b-hayes/) > [Men generally decide upon a middle course, which is most hazardous, for they know neither how to be entirely good nor entirely bad.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/niccolo-machiavelli/men-generally-decide-upon-a-middle-course-which-is-most-hazardous-for/) [Niccolo Machiavelli](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/niccolo-machiavelli/) > [Every man remembers his childhood as a kind of mythical age, just as every nation's childhood is its mythical age.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/giacomo-leopardi/every-man-remembers-his-childhood-as-a-kind-of-mythical-age-just-as/) [Giacomo Leopardi](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/giacomo-leopardi/) > [Greatness is not guarding yourself from people. Greatness is being accepted by the people](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mike-tyson/greatness-is-not-guarding-yourself-from-people-greatness-is-being/) [Mike Tyson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mike-tyson/) > [The superior man is distressed by his want (lack) of ability](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/confucius/the-superior-man-is-distressed-by-his-want-lack-of-ability/) [Confucius](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/confucius/) > [Great men don't 'move to the center' - great men move the center!](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/l-neil-smith/great-men-don-t-move-to-the-center-great-men-move-the-center/) [L. Neil Smith](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/l-neil-smith/) > [Perfection is the enemy of greatness](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/janelle-monae/perfection-is-the-enemy-of-greatness/) [Janelle Monae](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/janelle-monae/) > [Men want a challenge, but they want a challenge they can win.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/whitney-gaskell/men-want-a-challenge-but-they-want-a-challenge-they-can-win/) Whitney Gaskell [Browse all 7,631 Greatness quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/greatness/) ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "“The idea isn't to do the impossible. The idea is to show the world that if one man can do the impossible, then maybe the rest of the world can do what's possible.”", "creator": { "@type": "Person", "name": "Jonathan Malley" }, "isPartOf": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website" }, "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jonathan-malley/the-idea-isn-t-to-do-the-impossible-the-idea-is-to-show-the-world/", "about": { "@type": "Thing", "name": "Greatness" }, "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jonathan-malley/the-idea-isn-t-to-do-the-impossible-the-idea-is-to-show-the-world/#quotation", "image": { "@type": "ImageObject", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/f32/jonathan-malley-92752_greatness_the-idea-isn-t-to-do-the-impossible-the_378640.jpg", "contentUrl": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/f32/jonathan-malley-92752_greatness_the-idea-isn-t-to-do-the-impossible-the_378640.jpg", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/f32/jonathan-malley-92752_greatness_the-idea-isn-t-to-do-the-impossible-the_378640.jpg", "width": 1080, "height": 1080, "caption": "“The idea isn't to do the impossible. The idea is to show the world that if one man can do the impossible…” — Jonathan Malley", "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": "Jonathan Malley", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jonathan-malley/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 4, "name": "“The idea isn't to do the...", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jonathan-malley/the-idea-isn-t-to-do-the-impossible-the-idea-is-to-show-the-world/" } ], "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jonathan-malley/the-idea-isn-t-to-do-the-impossible-the-idea-is-to-show-the-world/#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 } } ] } ```