proverb · Words worth keeping
Where there's a will there's a way.
Where there's a will there's a way.
Historical period not yet established
Understand the thought
Meaning in plain English
Determination can help you find practical ways around obstacles. Wanting a result strongly enough may encourage persistence, experimentation and asking for help instead of giving up immediately.
What the words are saying
The will is commitment to a goal, and the way is a workable course of action. The saying encourages resourcefulness when an initial plan fails. A determined person may try another method, break the task into smaller steps or seek support. That does not make determination a substitute for resources, skill or cooperation. Some obstacles cannot be overcome by an individual, and treating every failure as a lack of will can be unfair. Used carefully, the proverb encourages exploration of available options rather than a promise that effort always guarantees success.
Everyday example
When a learner cannot attend an evening class, they arrange a weekly study group and use borrowed course materials to continue practising.
When to use it
Use it to encourage a realistic search for alternatives after a setback.
What it does not mean
Avoid using it to blame people facing barriers beyond their control.
Agent-assisted editorial interpretation. This explains the words; it does not by itself verify their author or earliest origin.
Attribution & collection notes
- Author or tradition
- Traditional
Attribution: traditional - Country attributed
- Not established
A country attribution does not establish the earliest origin. - Historical period
- Historical period not yet established
No sufficiently supported historical placement has been established. Import and download dates are not treated as composition dates. - Recorded source
- A Dictionary of English Proverbs and Proverbial Phrases
Entry 1731 · Way
A collection's publication date can be later than the words it records.
- Culture
- English