Determine that the thing can and shall be done, and then we shall find the way.

The line expresses a characteristically pragmatic, will-centered approach to problem-solving: commitment precedes method. By “determine” Lincoln frames success less as a matter of inspiration than of resolve—once the end is fixed (“can and shall be done”), ingenuity and perseverance tend to follow (“we shall find the way”). The quote has become a general maxim about agency, leadership, and morale, often invoked to encourage action in the face of uncertainty. Even if not securely traceable to Lincoln in a primary text, its appeal fits the popular image of Lincoln as a leader who coupled moral purpose with practical persistence.