--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: What’s-his-name had started out with all…" description: "\"“What’s-his-name had started out with all the promise of a wild stallion gallop, but he’d ended up more of a gentle trot. I didn’t know if the fault la..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/54f/deborah-wilde-27600_action_what-s-his-name-had-started-out-with-all_1609507.jpg" --- # What’s-his-name had started out with all the promise of a… ![“What’s-his-name had started out with all the promise of a wild stallion gallop, but he’d ended up more of a gentle trot. I didn’t know if the fault lay with the jockey or the ride, but it had been a long time since I’d seen a finish line.” quote by Deborah Wilde](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/54f/deborah-wilde-27600_action_what-s-his-name-had-started-out-with-all_1609507.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/54f/deborah-wilde-27600_action_what-s-his-name-had-started-out-with-all_1609507.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/54f/deborah-wilde-27600_action_what-s-his-name-had-started-out-with-all_1609507.jpg) > ““What’s-his-name had started out with all the promise of a wild stallion gallop, but he’d ended up more of a gentle trot. I didn’t know if the fault lay with the jockey or the ride, but it had been a long time since I’d seen a finish line.”” [Deborah Wilde](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/deborah-wilde/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. The speaker reflects on a once-promising endeavor that has lost its vigor, questioning whether the decline is due to the leader or the circumstances, and notes the long absence of a clear goal. **In simple terms:** A promising start has faded, unclear who’s at fault, and goals are missing. Key Takeaway Identify what’s truly stalled and reset clear objectives. Themes disappointment reflection leadership Mood melancholic contemplative Type literary reflective When to use this quote - career stagnation - creative projects - personal relationships Key Concepts motivation decline goal-setting Questions to Reflect On - Who or what is truly responsible for the loss of momentum? - What concrete step could restore a sense of direction? A Different Perspective The metaphor may over‑simplify complex issues, ignoring external factors. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Action](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/action/) [Demon-hunter](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/demon-hunter-44852/) [Demons](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/demons/) [Finish line](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/finish-line/) [Gallop](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/gallop/) [Gallop Ended](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/gallop-ended-6135906/) [Long time](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/long-time/) [Stallion](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/stallion/) [Stallion Gallop](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/stallion-gallop-6135907/) [Time](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/time/) [Wild Stallion](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/wild-stallion-4054032/) ## Related quotes > [“My cheeks still bulging with wine, I properly scoped out the room. Mom? Check. Dad? Check. Ari? Check? Rabbi Abrams, here to perform the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/deborah-wilde/my-cheeks-still-bulging-with-wine-i-properly-scoped-out-the-room-mom/) [Deborah Wilde](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/deborah-wilde/) > [“there grew up around the campfires stories of a great silver stallion seen galloping over wind-packed snow way up on the Ramshead Range; of…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/elyne-mitchell/there-grew-up-around-the-campfires-stories-of-a-great-silver-stallion/) [Elyne Mitchell](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/elyne-mitchell/) > [“Even with all the lights off, the room was as bright and insistent as Martha Stewart’s smile.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/deborah-wilde/even-with-all-the-lights-off-the-room-was-as-bright-and-insistent-as/) [Deborah Wilde](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/deborah-wilde/) > [“Mornings after sucked. Walks of shame were a necessary evil, but that didn’t mean I enjoyed shimmying back into the same trollop togs twice.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/deborah-wilde/mornings-after-sucked-walks-of-shame-were-a-necessary-evil-but-that/) [Deborah Wilde](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/deborah-wilde/) > [“Nothing so bad you need to be cruel. Tough, yes. You’ll have to kill, yes. But there’s a difference in the heart. One makes…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/marjorie-m-liu/nothing-so-bad-you-need-to-be-cruel-tough-yes-you-ll-have-to-kill-yes/) [Marjorie M. Liu](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/marjorie-m-liu/) > [“After finishing my breakfast, I puttered around for the next hour and tried not to think about Daniel. I glared at the chair in…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/patricia-leever/after-finishing-my-breakfast-i-puttered-around-for-the-next-hour-and/) [Patricia Leever](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/patricia-leever/) > [“Count me amongst the enemies to demons. Except for one.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/helen-boswell/count-me-amongst-the-enemies-to-demons-except-for-one/) [Helen Boswell](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/helen-boswell/) > [The rush of a herd of bellowing yaks at a wild gallop, waving their huge tails, is a grand sight.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/isabella-bird/the-rush-of-a-herd-of-bellowing-yaks-at-a-wild-gallop-waving-their/) [Isabella Bird](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/isabella-bird/) > [I gallop and jump and ride young horses with intense pleasure.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jane-smiley/i-gallop-and-jump-and-ride-young-horses-with-intense-pleasure/) [Jane Smiley](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jane-smiley/) > [The death I should prefer would be to break my neck off the back of a good horse at a full gallop on a…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/fanny-kemble/the-death-i-should-prefer-would-be-to-break-my-neck-off-the-back-of-a/) [Fanny Kemble](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/fanny-kemble/) > [Go Sir, gallop and don't forget that the world was made in six days. You can ask me for anything but not time.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/napoleon-bonaparte/go-sir-gallop-and-don-t-forget-that-the-world-was-made-in-six-days/) [Napoleon Bonaparte](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/napoleon-bonaparte/) > [“If you were called to gallop like the horse, never end up hopping like the frog. Rise up for greatness.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/israelmore-ayivor/if-you-were-called-to-gallop-like-the-horse-never-end-up-hopping-like/) [Israelmore Ayivor](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/israelmore-ayivor/) > [At the end of your days, you will be judged by your gallop, not by your stumble.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bradley-whitford/at-the-end-of-your-days-you-will-be-judged-by-your-gallop-not-by-your/) [Bradley Whitford](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bradley-whitford/) > [I still hung onto the hope that my broken knight would gallop back into my life and sweep me off my feet.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/a-meredith-walters/i-still-hung-onto-the-hope-that-my-broken-knight-would-gallop-back/) [A. Meredith Walters](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/a-meredith-walters/) > [“You don’t see someone flying and you begin to bite yourself for not being able to do that. You do what you can.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/israelmore-ayivor/you-don-t-see-someone-flying-and-you-begin-to-bite-yourself-for-not/) [Israelmore Ayivor](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/israelmore-ayivor/) ## More by Deborah Wilde > [“An icy slither ran up my core as I stared at my right hand, its tremors Richter scale violent. Was this my demon-killing ability?…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/deborah-wilde/an-icy-slither-ran-up-my-core-as-i-stared-at-my-right-hand-its/) [Deborah Wilde](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/deborah-wilde/) > [“The twin desires to both smack the smug off his face and rip off his pants to see for myself should have negated each…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/deborah-wilde/the-twin-desires-to-both-smack-the-smug-off-his-face-and-rip-off-his/) [Deborah Wilde](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/deborah-wilde/) > [“Even when I beat the odds and did well, somehow things overwhelmingly sucked. Thanks for nothing, universe.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/deborah-wilde/even-when-i-beat-the-odds-and-did-well-somehow-things-overwhelmingly/) [Deborah Wilde](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/deborah-wilde/) > [“What better way to lose that hangover headache than get drunk again? Oh, the joys of being Canadian with socialized health care and legal…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/deborah-wilde/what-better-way-to-lose-that-hangover-headache-than-get-drunk-again/) [Deborah Wilde](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/deborah-wilde/) > [“Even though his ass extended past the seat, it was so rock hard that it didn’t droop over the sides. I checked twice to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/deborah-wilde/even-though-his-ass-extended-past-the-seat-it-was-so-rock-hard-that/) [Deborah Wilde](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/deborah-wilde/) > [“The waitress arrived with Leo’s Coke and my water, asking for our orders– pulled pork poutine for me because, bad Jew, and a mushroom…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/deborah-wilde/the-waitress-arrived-with-leo-s-coke-and-my-water-asking-for-our/) [Deborah Wilde](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/deborah-wilde/) > [“Sports and musicals, the seventh level of Hell.” I gasped, hand to my heart. Ari facepalmed. “Now you’ve done it.” “Grease is the seminal…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/deborah-wilde/sports-and-musicals-the-seventh-level-of-hell-i-gasped-hand-to-my/) [Deborah Wilde](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/deborah-wilde/) > [“Mornings after sucked. Walks of shame were a necessary evil, but that didn’t mean I enjoyed shimmying back into the same trollop togs twice.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/deborah-wilde/mornings-after-sucked-walks-of-shame-were-a-necessary-evil-but-that/) [Deborah Wilde](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/deborah-wilde/) > [“Is this what you want, Nava? Rough and messy where anyone could see?” He’d asked me that same question the first time we’d had…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/deborah-wilde/is-this-what-you-want-nava-rough-and-messy-where-anyone-could-see-he/) [Deborah Wilde](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/deborah-wilde/) > [“I was a moth to his flame. And that always worked out so well for the moth.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/deborah-wilde/i-was-a-moth-to-his-flame-and-that-always-worked-out-so-well-for-the/) [Deborah Wilde](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/deborah-wilde/) > [“Breathing is an addiction. But once you’ve stopped for an hour, it’s reasonably easy to quit forever.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/deborah-wilde/breathing-is-an-addiction-but-once-you-ve-stopped-for-an-hour-it-s/) [Deborah Wilde](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/deborah-wilde/) > [“Even with all the lights off, the room was as bright and insistent as Martha Stewart’s smile.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/deborah-wilde/even-with-all-the-lights-off-the-room-was-as-bright-and-insistent-as/) [Deborah Wilde](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/deborah-wilde/) > [“We all sought affirmation. That’s why, as a species, we were such hypercritical assholes. We wanted proof we’d picked the right career or married…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/deborah-wilde/we-all-sought-affirmation-that-s-why-as-a-species-we-were-such/) [Deborah Wilde](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/deborah-wilde/) > [“I was living in a CW teen soap as the sassy best friend without any foreseeable love interest in my storyline. It was time…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/deborah-wilde/i-was-living-in-a-cw-teen-soap-as-the-sassy-best-friend-without-any/) [Deborah Wilde](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/deborah-wilde/) > [“He probably practiced that pose in the mirror, aiming for maximum bicep bulge under his fitted charcoal gray T-shirt. Rohan”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/deborah-wilde/he-probably-practiced-that-pose-in-the-mirror-aiming-for-maximum/) [Deborah Wilde](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/deborah-wilde/) [Explore all 20 Deborah Wilde quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/deborah-wilde/) ## More Action quotes > [I always say there are two things to be successful. The first is decide exactly what you want - set your goals - and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/brian-tracy/i-always-say-there-are-two-things-to-be-successful-the-first-is/) [Brian Tracy](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/brian-tracy/) > [You'd be surprised how hard it can often be to translate an action into an idea.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/karl-kraus/you-d-be-surprised-how-hard-it-can-often-be-to-translate-an-action/) [Karl Kraus](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/karl-kraus/) > [Gratitude isn't just a feeling, it's an action. Expressing gratitude by writing in a journal, taking a photo, or shooting a video creates a…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/janice-kaplan/gratitude-isn-t-just-a-feeling-it-s-an-action-expressing-gratitude-by/) [Janice Kaplan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/janice-kaplan/) > [Nothing is so powerful as an insight into human nature... what compulsions drive a man, what instincts dominate his action. If you know these…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/william-bernbach/nothing-is-so-powerful-as-an-insight-into-human-nature-what/) [William Bernbach](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/william-bernbach/) > [Every thought I have imprisioned in expression I must free by my deeds](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kahlil-gibran/every-thought-i-have-imprisioned-in-expression-i-must-free-by-my-deeds/) [Kahlil Gibran](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kahlil-gibran/) > [It took me 20 years to buy an electric typewriter, because I was afraid it would be too sensitive. I like to bang the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/elmore-leonard/it-took-me-20-years-to-buy-an-electric-typewriter-because-i-was/) [Elmore Leonard](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/elmore-leonard/) > [Every action that helps us manifest our divine nature more and more is good; every action that retards it is evil.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/swami-vivekananda/every-action-that-helps-us-manifest-our-divine-nature-more-and-more/) [Swami Vivekananda](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/swami-vivekananda/) > [As you begin changing your thinking, start immediately to change your behaviour. Begin to act the part of the person you would like to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/as-you-begin-changing-your-thinking-start-immediately-to-change-your/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [It's easy to say, let's go in and get the bad guys. But you have a divided country of Sunnis and Shias. 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Smile :) Now hold onto…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/leticia-rae/action-is-a-powerful-thing-when-you-smile-through-your-sadness-it-can/) [Leticia Rae](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/leticia-rae/) > [I reject criticism because the last thing I wanted was to sit there and look at people talking. 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