No reliable Francis source has been established. Franciscan writer George Corrigan explicitly calls this saying misassigned; its actual author remains unknown.
“Start by doing what's necessary; then do what's possible; and suddenly you are doing the impossible” — Author unknown; attribution to Francis of Assisi is unsupported.
⚠ The slide-ready mistake: crediting this to Francis of Assisi. Use the credit shown above instead.
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In context
Evoking the themes of growth and hope. Theme: "Start by doing what's necessary; then do what's possible; and suddenly you are doing the impossible". Atmospheric and restrained, cinematic directional light, a muted period-appropriate palette, fine grain and texture. Compose with generous empty space for the quote and a small credit line. No lettering in the image itself.
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Minimalist editorial slide for the quote "Start by doing what's necessary; then do what's possible; and suddenly you are doing the impossible". Clean background, a single muted accent color, generous negative space, subtle paper or linen texture, no literal illustration — let the words carry it. Reserve clear space for a serif quote and a small credit line. No lettering in the image itself.
Provenance
The source
Claimed speaker
Francis of Assisi
Source status
No documented Francis text established
Origin
Unknown
Start by doing what's necessary; then do what's possible; and suddenly you are doing the impossible.
Wikiquote's discussion ↗ is evidence of an unresolved source problem, not a sourced Francis quotation.
The exact source or English translator has not been established; no public-domain status is asserted.
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✓No reliable Francis source has been established. Franciscan writer George Corrigan explicitly calls this saying misassigned; its actual author remains unknown.
Context
Why it mattered
Francis is often recast as an agreeable voice for modern inspirational advice. Corrigan's article ↗ uses this exact saying among its examples of that reinvention, reminding readers that an appealing message still needs a document before it can become a quotation.
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The author
About Unknown
U
Unknown
Identity unconfirmed · Author of a modern motivational maxim
The author of this maxim has not been established. Its circulation under a famous saint's name supplies no primary source.
For writers & researchers
Cite this
The primary source (Chicago)
Unidentified author. Maxim beginning “Start by doing what's necessary.” Attribution rejected by George Corrigan, “Getting To Know the Real St. Francis of Assisi,” Franciscan Mission Service, October 4, 2012.
This verification page
Quotle.info. “Who really said ‘Start by doing what's necessary; then do what's possible; and suddenly you are doing the impossible’?” Last verified 9 Nov 2026. https://quotle.info/who-said/start-by-doing-whats-necessary-then-do-whats-possible-and/