Quick answer“What would life be if we had no courage to attempt anything?” is a famous quote by Vincent van Gogh. It comes from Letter 194 to Theo van Gogh (29 December 1881). It is widely quoted on courage and motivation and life.
Writing to his brother Theo from The Hague on 29 December 1881, Vincent van Gogh asked what life would be if we had no courage to attempt anything. He had just left home to become an artist, and the letter is full of his resolve to keep going despite the risks.
Origin: Written by Vincent van Gogh in Dutch in letter 194 to his brother Theo, from The Hague on 29 December 1881 (Vincent van Gogh: The Letters, Van Gogh Museum / Huygens Institute). The scholarly edition translates the sentence as 'What would life be if we didn't dare to take things in hand?'; the familiar wording 'no courage to attempt anything' is an older published translation of the same Dutch sentence, used for example in Dear Theo (1995).
Translated from Dutch.
Key facts
| Quote | “What would life be if we had no courage to attempt anything?” |
|---|---|
| Author | Vincent van Gogh |
| Source | Letter 194 to Theo van Gogh (29 December 1881) |
| Themes | courage, motivation, life |
| Language | Dutch (translation) |
| Original | “Wat zou het leven zijn als we niet wat durfden aanpakken.” |
Overview
Van Gogh was twenty-eight and had only just decided to become an artist, after failing at the art trade, teaching and the church. He had left his parents' home after a quarrel and moved to The Hague, where he was setting up a studio with money sent by Theo. The letter opens with the words 'I feel a certain calm. There is safety in the midst of danger. What would life be if we didn't dare to take things in hand?' — the sentence in its current scholarly translation — and goes on: 'It will be a hard pull for me... But I shall fight my battle, and sell my life dearly.' The Dutch sentence is the same one behind the popular English wording; the two translations differ in style, not in meaning.
Frequently asked questions
When did Van Gogh write 'what would life be if we had no courage to attempt anything'?
On 29 December 1881, in letter 194 to his brother Theo, written from The Hague. Van Gogh was twenty-eight, had just left his parents' home, and was setting up his first studio as an artist. Theo, an art dealer in Paris, supported him with a monthly allowance.
Is the popular wording the exact translation?
Not word for word. The scholarly edition of the letters translates the Dutch as 'What would life be if we didn't dare to take things in hand?' The popular sentence is an older published translation of the same Dutch words, and it keeps the meaning.
What did Van Gogh mean by the line?
That a life without daring is no life at all. He had just risked everything on becoming an artist at twenty-eight, with no income of his own, and the letter goes on to say he will fight his battle and sell his life dearly.
Who was Theo van Gogh?
Vincent's younger brother, an art dealer in Paris and his closest friend. Theo sent Vincent a monthly allowance for ten years, received more than 650 letters from him, and kept them all; they are the main record of Vincent's thoughts.
Related quotes
- “All the world's a stage, and all the men and women merely players.” — William Shakespeare
- “Genius is one percent inspiration and ninety-nine percent perspiration.” — Thomas Edison
- “I will seize fate by the throat; it shall certainly never wholly overcome me.” — Ludwig van Beethoven
- “Let the future tell the truth and evaluate each one according to his work and accomplishments. The present is theirs; the future, for which I really worked, is mine.” — Nikola Tesla
- “Life is like riding a bicycle. To keep your balance, you must keep moving.” — Albert Einstein
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- All quotes — the full list
- More quotes on courage
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- Vincent van Gogh — the author's life and facts
Sources & last updated
- Vincent van Gogh: The Letters (Van Gogh Museum / Huygens Institute) — Letter 194
- Note-en — What would life be if we had no courage to attempt anything?
Last updated: . Figures are shown with their year; where sources disagree, the value is left out rather than estimated.