Annuit Coeptis: God Favors Bold Undertakings
Take a dollar bill out of your wallet and turn it over.
Above the pyramid and the Eye of Providence appear the Latin words Annuit Coeptis.
Translated, they mean: “He [God] has favored our undertakings.”
While researching my book The Great Seal: The Symbolic Guide for Happy and Successful Living, this phrase is one that continues to inspire and motivate me.
To the leaders of the American Revolution, it was far more than decorative Latin. Many believed that Providence had helped guide the colonies through the nearly impossible task of winning independence from the most powerful empire in the world. Against staggering odds, they succeeded—and they credited that success to divine favor upon a bold undertaking.
Embedded in that symbol is a principle that still applies today: God favors bold enterprises.
Small plans rarely stir the imagination. They don’t ignite enthusiasm or inspire others to rally around them. But big ideas—bold desires and lofty goals—carry a different kind of energy. They awaken something within us and seem to draw the right people and opportunities into our lives.
Life has a curious way of responding to the size of our vision.
When we commit ourselves to a meaningful goal, people and circumstances often begin aligning in unexpected ways. A helpful idea appears. A supportive person shows up. An opportunity arrives just when it’s needed. It can feel as though the world begins cooperating with our purpose. By contrast, “playing small” weakens desire and dissipates results.
Many people quietly shrink their dreams out of fear, modesty, or the mistaken belief that wanting something great is unrealistic. But the founders who chose Annuit Coeptis seemed to understand something important: bold undertakings are often the very things that move history—and our lives—forward.
So if there is something you truly want to accomplish, don’t minimize it.
Accept the desire. Honor it. Act on it.
Because one of the most inspiring messages in American symbolism has been quietly printed on the back of every dollar bill for generations.
Take a look.
Above the pyramid it reads: Annuit Coeptis — God favors bold undertakings.
Aim high.
Above the pyramid and the Eye of Providence appear the Latin words Annuit Coeptis.
Translated, they mean: “He [God] has favored our undertakings.”
While researching my book The Great Seal: The Symbolic Guide for Happy and Successful Living, this phrase is one that continues to inspire and motivate me.
To the leaders of the American Revolution, it was far more than decorative Latin. Many believed that Providence had helped guide the colonies through the nearly impossible task of winning independence from the most powerful empire in the world. Against staggering odds, they succeeded—and they credited that success to divine favor upon a bold undertaking.
Embedded in that symbol is a principle that still applies today: God favors bold enterprises.
Small plans rarely stir the imagination. They don’t ignite enthusiasm or inspire others to rally around them. But big ideas—bold desires and lofty goals—carry a different kind of energy. They awaken something within us and seem to draw the right people and opportunities into our lives.
Life has a curious way of responding to the size of our vision.
When we commit ourselves to a meaningful goal, people and circumstances often begin aligning in unexpected ways. A helpful idea appears. A supportive person shows up. An opportunity arrives just when it’s needed. It can feel as though the world begins cooperating with our purpose. By contrast, “playing small” weakens desire and dissipates results.
Many people quietly shrink their dreams out of fear, modesty, or the mistaken belief that wanting something great is unrealistic. But the founders who chose Annuit Coeptis seemed to understand something important: bold undertakings are often the very things that move history—and our lives—forward.
So if there is something you truly want to accomplish, don’t minimize it.
Accept the desire. Honor it. Act on it.
Because one of the most inspiring messages in American symbolism has been quietly printed on the back of every dollar bill for generations.
Take a look.
Above the pyramid it reads: Annuit Coeptis — God favors bold undertakings.
Aim high.
Darrell Fusaro is a Los Angeles–based artist and author. He is the creator of The Great Seal: The Symbolic Guide for Happy and Successful Living, a concise illustrated exploration of meaning hidden in America’s most overlooked symbols. His work blends creativity, intuition, and practical philosophy to make big ideas feel simple and usable.
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