Every vision is a joke until the first man accomplishes it; once realized, it becomes commonplace.
Interpretation
Innovative ideas are often dismissed until someone proves them possible.
This quote emphasizes that visionary ideas may initially seem unrealistic or humorous until someone has the courage to bring them to fruition. Once these ideas are demonstrated successfully, they shift from being viewed as peculiar or unattainable to being accepted as ordinary or conventional, underscoring the importance of perseverance and innovation in human progress.
In practice
In a motivational speech about entrepreneurship, one might say, 'As Robert H. Goddard remarked, every vision is a joke until realized.'
How many more years I shall be able to work on the problem I do not know; I hope, as long as I live. There can be no thought of finishing, for 'aiming at the stars' both literally and figuratively, is a problem to occupy generations, so that no matter how much progress one makes, there is always the thrill of just beginning.
It is difficult to say what is impossible, for the dream of yesterday is the hope of today and the reality of tomorrow.
The only barrier to human development is ignorance, and this is not insurmountable.
It is not a simple matter to differentiate unsuccessful from successful experiments. . . .[Most] work that is finally successful is the result of a series of unsuccessful tests in which difficulties are gradually eliminated.
We work day after day, not to finish things; but to make the future better ... because we will spend the rest of our lives there.
When you once get an idea in which you believe with all your heart, work it out.
I think the questions on the grit scale about not letting setbacks disappoint you, finishing what you begin, doing things with focus, I think that those are things I would aspire to or hope for for all our children.
There is far more opportunity than there is ability.
Take off your bedroom slippers, put on your marching shoes. Shake it off. Stop complaining, stop grumbling, stop crying. We are going to press on. Weβve got work to do.
A horse never runs so fast as when he has other horses to catch up and outpace.
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