"Where There's a Will, There's a Way" Proverb Meaning, Origin & History | Poignant Proverbs
Channel: Poignant Proverbs
Date: 22/08/2021

0:00 - How to say “Where there’s a will, there’s a way.”
0:04 - Meaning of the proverb, “Where there’s a will, there’s a way.”
1:02 - Advice from the proverb, “Where there’s a will, there’s a way.”
1:16 - Famous examples of the proverb, “Where there’s a will, there’s a way.”
2:32 - Proverbs related to the proverb, “Where there’s a will, there’s a way.”
4:14 - Origin of the proverb, “Where there’s a will, there’s a way.”
4:31 - Conclusion

Transcript:

“Where there’s a will, there’s a way.”

This proverb means that if you have the conviction to do something, you’ll find out how to do it no matter the obstacles.

In other words, if you have your heart set on some goal and never give up, you keep trying no matter the difficulty, you will eventually achieve success.

People often have dreams or goals that they want to achieve, but even before giving it a go or taking the first step, they make excuses and give up.

Have you ever daydreamed about something that you would really like to do, only to make excuses as to why you would never be able to do it? To come to the conclusion that it would be impossible?

This is why you should remember, “Where there’s a will, there’s a way”! If you have the will, the conviction to start doing something and stick to it, you will find a way to realize your dreams.

There are countless stories, told again and again, of people who didn’t give up, who didn’t give in and eventually achieved success, triumphed beyond their wildest imaginations.

Some of the most celebrated examples of never giving up include: Thomas Edison trying over 2,000 different filaments for his light bulb invention, before finding the perfect one;

Mahatma Gandhi, who lead India to independence from British rule, dedicating over 30 years of his life to the cause;

and Amelia Earhart, who became the first female aviator to fly solo across the Atlantic Ocean in 1932, despite ongoing health problems due to catching the Spanish flu in 1918 and her family losing their fortune in the financial crisis of the 1920s.

The very act of deciding that you will try, instead of making excuses and giving up before you even start, will set you on a path toward realizing your goals.

Deciding that you will give it a go is only your first step, however, and so you must have the conviction, the grit, the determination to continue until your goal is a reality.

In companion to “where there’s a will, there’s a way,” are one of the many proverbs akin to “a dream not written down will remain a dream, but on paper it becomes a goal.” So, your second step after deciding you will do it is to write it down.

Dr. Greg Reid, an author, filmmaker and motivational speaker, says “A dream written down with a date becomes a goal. A goal broken down into steps becomes a plan. A plan backed by action makes your dreams come true.”

It is obvious that you must sit down, take some time to plan your goal. Once you do that, however, the main thing is to never give up! Never give up!

If you keep trying, despite countless failures, immeasurable disappointment, you will eventually find a path toward your goal, you’ll find “the way”.

You need to think about your goal daily, you need to do something every day toward the fulfillment of your goal. You need to be patient.

In his book and TED talk, “Where Good Ideas Come From”, Steven Johnson posits that good ideas are developed over time, over long periods and not overnight…

… and though Johnson says he’s talking about ideas, in many ways he is actually talking about goals; after all, to come up with an idea that explains or solves a problem is also a goal.

This proverb is first found in writing in a 1640 book, “Darts of the Wise”, a collection of almost 1,200 proverbs by British poet, George Herbert, “To him that will, ways are not wanting.”

So, the next time you or someone else wants to achieve something but thinks it to be impossible, start by saying, “Where there’s a will, there’s a way.” And then get up and go!

#poignantproverbs #proverbs #wisdom

References: https://www.goodreads.com/quotes/7119798-a-dream-written-down-with-a-date-becomes-a-goal

https://www.psychologytoday.com/ca/blog/the-search-meaning/201309/really-where-there-s-will-there-s-way

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0af00UcTO-c

https://grammarist.com/proverb/where-theres-a-will-theres-a-way/

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/George_Herbert

https://books.google.ca/books/about/Jacula_Prudentum_Outlandish_Proverbs_Sen.html?id=_u7cswEACAAJ&source=kp_book_description&redir_esc=y