"He can who thinks he can, and he can't who thinks he can't. This is an inexorable, indisputable law"
About this Quote
The line’s blunt symmetry (“can”/“can’t,” mirrored like a cubist face) enacts its message. It doesn’t leave room for nuance because hesitation is the enemy it’s trying to starve. Calling it “inexorable” and “indisputable” is theatrical overreach on purpose: if you let yourself litigate every fear, you’ll never ship the work. The quote weaponizes certainty as a tool, not a truth claim.
Context matters. Picasso lived through modernity’s whiplash - two world wars, the churn of movements, the collapse of old academies. In that world, “talent” isn’t just a gift; it’s a posture. He watched artists become brands, rivals, and myths in real time, and he understood that audacity is often mistaken for genius because audacity produces output. Subtext: confidence is not a mood, it’s a method. The “law” isn’t physics; it’s a studio ethic meant to keep your hand moving when your mind starts negotiating surrender.
Quote Details
| Topic | Motivational |
|---|---|
| Source | Verified source: For the Love of Picasso and the Solar EclipseISBN: 9781465921673 · ID: 3FZ8uDXCLEcC
Evidence: ... He can who thinks he can, and he can't who thinks he can't. This is an inexorable, indisputable law.' I found the statement a little silly but kind of motivational. It's one of her statements I tell others most often." She paused. "Well ... Other candidates (1) Peace, Power, and Plenty (Pablo Picasso, 1909)50.0% He can who thinks he can, and he can’t who thinks he can’t. This is an inexorable, indisputable law. (Chapter X (prin... |
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Citation Formats
APA Style (7th ed.)
Picasso, Pablo. (2026, February 18). He can who thinks he can, and he can't who thinks he can't. This is an inexorable, indisputable law. FixQuotes. https://fixquotes.com/quotes/he-can-who-thinks-he-can-and-he-cant-who-thinks-15922/
Chicago Style
Picasso, Pablo. "He can who thinks he can, and he can't who thinks he can't. This is an inexorable, indisputable law." FixQuotes. February 18, 2026. https://fixquotes.com/quotes/he-can-who-thinks-he-can-and-he-cant-who-thinks-15922/.
MLA Style (9th ed.)
"He can who thinks he can, and he can't who thinks he can't. This is an inexorable, indisputable law." FixQuotes, 18 Feb. 2026, https://fixquotes.com/quotes/he-can-who-thinks-he-can-and-he-cant-who-thinks-15922/. Accessed 19 Feb. 2026.








