From W. H. Murray in The Scottish Himalaya
Expedition, 1951. There the text apparently goes:
'But when I said that nothing had been done I erred in
one important matter. We had definitely committed
ourselves and were halfway out of our ruts. We had put
down our passage money--booked a sailing to Bombay.
This may sound too simple, but is great in
consequence. Until one is committed, there is
hesitancy, the chance to draw back, always
ineffectiveness. Concerning all acts of initiative
(and creation), there is one elementary truth the
ignorance of which kills countless ideas and splendid
plans: that the moment one definitely commits oneself,
the providence moves too. A whole stream of events
issues from the decision, raising in one's favor all
manner of unforeseen incidents, meetings and material
assistance, which no man could have dreamt would have
come his way. I learned a deep respect for one of
Goethe's couplets:
Whatever you can do or dream you can, begin it.
Boldness has genius, power and magic in it!'
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