Difficult things take a long time, impossible things a little longer.

The aphorism reframes “impossible” as a category error rather than a final verdict: what looks impossible is often simply a problem whose solution requires more time, iteration, or persistence than expected. By pairing “difficult” with “impossible,” it compresses a motivational stance into a wry escalation—acknowledging real obstacles while refusing to grant them absolute status. The humor (“a little longer”) also implies steadiness under pressure: progress is measured in continued effort rather than dramatic breakthroughs. In effect, the line functions as a compact ethic of endurance, encouraging long-horizon thinking and resilience when confronting tasks that exceed current capabilities or resources.