When I first met Tom DeGaetani, the founder of the River Reporter, he explained his way of getting things done.

"If you cannot move the mountain, blow it up. "

 The full idiom is "If the mountain won't come to Muhammad, then Muhammad must go to the mountain." It means that if you cannot change a situation or get your own way, you must adjust to the circumstances and take the initiative yourself. The phrase implies adapting to reality rather than waiting for it to change.

Shirley Chisholm's quote reminds me of that same sentiment.