The real story

No substantive evidence links this quote to Mark Twain. Quote Investigator found no connection to Twain's writings or verified speeches. The earliest strong match is a January 1970 sermon by Reverend Ernest T. Campbell at The Riverside Church in New York, where Campbell prefaced the saying with "it has been said" — indicating he was citing existing wisdom, not his own words. The true origin is anonymous. Over subsequent decades the attribution migrated through Tim Elmore, David Wood, Dave Martin, and others before landing on Mark Twain around 2011, following the common pattern by which pithy sayings accumulate famous names to gain authority online.