A vision without a task is but a dream

 

A vision without a task is but a dream, a task without a vision is drudgery, a vision and a task are the hope of the world. 

This quote is traditionally attributed to an inscription on a church wall in Sussex, England, dating back to around 1730.

Because it's an anonymous inscription from centuries ago, the specific writer isn't known, but it has been widely quoted by various speakers, authors, and leaders over the years.

Similar modern variations on this idea exist as well:

• Joel A. Barker (an American futurist) popularized a famous variation: "Vision without action is merely a dream.   Action without vision just passes the time. Vision with action can change the world."

• Leonard Ravenhill (an evangelist) used a faith-based spin: "A vision without a task makes a visionary; a task without a vision is drudgery; a vision with a task makes a missionary."