---
title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: In that moment Bastian made a profound…"
description: "\"“In that moment Bastian made a profound discovery. You wish for something, you've wanted it for years, and you're sure you want it, as long as you know..."
image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/083/michael-ende-2862_time_in-that-moment-bastian-made-a-profound-d_1362003.jpg"
---

#  In that moment Bastian made a profound discovery. You wish…

![“In that moment Bastian made a profound discovery. You wish for something, you've wanted it for years, and you're sure you want it, as long as you know you can't have it. But if all at once it looks as though your wish might come true, you suddenly find yourself wishing you had never wished for any…” quote by Michael Ende](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/083/michael-ende-2862_time_in-that-moment-bastian-made-a-profound-d_1362003.jpg)   [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/083/michael-ende-2862_time_in-that-moment-bastian-made-a-profound-d_1362003.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/083/michael-ende-2862_time_in-that-moment-bastian-made-a-profound-d_1362003.jpg)

> ““In that moment Bastian made a profound discovery. You wish for something, you've wanted it for years, and you're sure you want it, as long as you know you can't have it. But if all at once it looks as though your wish might come true, you suddenly find yourself wishing you had never wished for any such thing.””

[Michael Ende](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/michael-ende/)

## About This Quote

This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation.

Desire can become burdensome when fulfillment seems near, leading to regret over the wish itself.

**In simple terms:** Wishes can become painful when nearly granted.

Key Takeaway

Reflect before desiring.

Themes

desire regret expectation

Mood

contemplative philosophical

Type

literary inspirational

When to use this quote

- goal setting
- relationship expectations
- creative projects

Key Concepts

psychology of longing storytelling personal growth

Questions to Reflect On

- What do you truly want?
- How do you handle near‑fulfillment?

A Different Perspective

Unrealized wishes may cause disappointment.

★ ★ ★ ★ ★   No ratings yet

[Bastian Profound](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/bastian-profound-4664249/) [Moment Bastian](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/moment-bastian-4664250/) [Suddenly Wishing](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/suddenly-wishing-1898688/) [Time](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/time/) [Wanted Years](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/wanted-years-864901/) [Wish](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/wish/) [Wishing](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/wishing/)

## Related quotes

> [You wish for something, you've wanted it for years, and you're sure you want it, as long as you know you can't have it.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/michael-ende/you-wish-for-something-you-ve-wanted-it-for-years-and-you-re-sure-you/)

[Michael Ende](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/michael-ende/)

> [The sound of the sea, the curve of a horizon, wind in leaves, the cry of a bird leave manifold impression in us. And…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/claude-debussy/the-sound-of-the-sea-the-curve-of-a-horizon-wind-in-leaves-the-cry-of/)

[Claude Debussy](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/claude-debussy/)

> [I've known I wanted to do this ever since I was four years old and watched 'Star Search' for the first time. I mean,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/joey-lawrence/i-ve-known-i-wanted-to-do-this-ever-since-i-was-four-years-old-and/)

[Joey Lawrence](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/joey-lawrence/)

> [When we were first doing kids' shows with the BBC they asked us where we wanted to be in a few years' time and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/declan-donnelly/when-we-were-first-doing-kids-shows-with-the-bbc-they-asked-us-where/)

[Declan Donnelly](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/declan-donnelly/)

> [“Why do yo keep doing this?" "Because I've wanted to be with you for three years, okay? That's why.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mandy-hubbard/why-do-yo-keep-doing-this-because-i-ve-wanted-to-be-with-you-for/)

[Mandy Hubbard](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mandy-hubbard/)

> [I was enjoying life at West Ham; I really was. I wanted to do the whole five years there, become a favourite with the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/craig-bellamy/i-was-enjoying-life-at-west-ham-i-really-was-i-wanted-to-do-the-whole/)

[Craig Bellamy](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/craig-bellamy/)

> [The Bisping fight is a fight I've wanted for years now - years and years.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/brad-tavares/the-bisping-fight-is-a-fight-i-ve-wanted-for-years-now-years-and-years/)

[Brad Tavares](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/brad-tavares/)

> [In the band Semi-Precious Weapons, I got to sing, wear, and say exactly what I wanted for ten years.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/justin-tranter/in-the-band-semi-precious-weapons-i-got-to-sing-wear-and-say-exactly/)

[Justin Tranter](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/justin-tranter/)

> [I've wanted to be an actor since I was eight years old and I did TV commercials when I was a kid. When I…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mike-myers/i-ve-wanted-to-be-an-actor-since-i-was-eight-years-old-and-i-did-tv/)

[Mike Myers](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mike-myers/)

> [“...but she never knew what it was like to walk away from the thing she had most wanted. Years later she would say, "Photography…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/whitney-otto/but-she-never-knew-what-it-was-like-to-walk-away-from-the-thing-she/)

[Whitney Otto](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/whitney-otto/)

> [I want the same thing I've wanted since I was 7 years old. I want to be No. 1.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/novak-djokovic/i-want-the-same-thing-i-ve-wanted-since-i-was-7-years-old-i-want-to/)

[Novak Djokovic](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/novak-djokovic/)

> [I think, like for me 'Strictly' was a big thing that I'd wanted to do for years and I've done that now and now…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/frankie-bridge/i-think-like-for-me-strictly-was-a-big-thing-that-i-d-wanted-to-do/)

[Frankie Bridge](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/frankie-bridge/)

> [I knew what I wanted to be at 8 years old - an actor!](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lea-michele/i-knew-what-i-wanted-to-be-at-8-years-old-an-actor/)

[Lea Michele](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lea-michele/)

> [0 Years ago I met her and thought wow.. 9 years ago I was so happy to be with her… 8 Years ago She…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/unkown/0-years-ago-i-met-her-and-thought-wow-9-years-ago-i-was-so-happy-to/)

[Unkown](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/unkown/)

> [“Be careful that you do not wait too long. Unspent wishes can be dangerous things.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ethan-m-aldridge/be-careful-that-you-do-not-wait-too-long-unspent-wishes-can-be/)

[Ethan M. Aldridge](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ethan-m-aldridge/)

## More by Michael Ende

> [Just as the setting sun turned the clouds to liquid gold.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/michael-ende/just-as-the-setting-sun-turned-the-clouds-to-liquid-gold/)

[Michael Ende](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/michael-ende/)

> [To be wise was to be above joy and sorrow, fear and pity, ambition and humiliation. It was to hate nothing and to love…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/michael-ende/to-be-wise-was-to-be-above-joy-and-sorrow-fear-and-pity-ambition-and/)

[Michael Ende](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/michael-ende/)

> [He had been through a good deal in the course of the Great Quest — he had seen beautiful things and horrible things —…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/michael-ende/he-had-been-through-a-good-deal-in-the-course-of-the-great-quest-he/)

[Michael Ende](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/michael-ende/)

> [There were doors that looked like large keyholes, others that resembled the entrances to caves, there were golden doors, some were padded and some…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/michael-ende/there-were-doors-that-looked-like-large-keyholes-others-that/)

[Michael Ende](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/michael-ende/)

> [“Hasta entonces, todo había sido para él como un gran juego. Se lo había tomado tan en serio como se tomaba cualquier juego y…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/michael-ende/hasta-entonces-todo-habi-a-sido-para-e-l-como-un-gran-juego-se-lo/)

[Michael Ende](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/michael-ende/)

> [Once someone dreams a dream, it can't just drop out of existence. But if the dreamer can't remember it, what becomes of it? It…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/michael-ende/once-someone-dreams-a-dream-it-can-t-just-drop-out-of-existence-but/)

[Michael Ende](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/michael-ende/)

> [“And there in the snow lay the pictures, like jewels bedded in white silk. They were paper-thin sheets of colored transparent isin glass of…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/michael-ende/and-there-in-the-snow-lay-the-pictures-like-jewels-bedded-in-white/)

[Michael Ende](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/michael-ende/)

> [There were thousands and thousands of forms of joy in the world, but that all were essentially one and the same, namely, the joy…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/michael-ende/there-were-thousands-and-thousands-of-forms-of-joy-in-the-world-but/)

[Michael Ende](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/michael-ende/)

> [“A person’s reason for doing someone a good turn matters as much as the good turn itself.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/michael-ende/a-person-s-reason-for-doing-someone-a-good-turn-matters-as-much-as/)

[Michael Ende](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/michael-ende/)

> [As they advanced (towards the fountain) one after another of Bastian's Fastastican gifts fell away from him. The strong, handsome, fearless hero became the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/michael-ende/as-they-advanced-towards-the-fountain-one-after-another-of-bastian-s/)

[Michael Ende](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/michael-ende/)

> [You wish for something, you've wanted it for years, and you're sure you want it, as long as you know you can't have it.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/michael-ende/you-wish-for-something-you-ve-wanted-it-for-years-and-you-re-sure-you/)

[Michael Ende](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/michael-ende/)

> [I wonder, what's in a book while it's closed. Oh, I know it's full of letters printed on paper, but all the same, something…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/michael-ende/i-wonder-what-s-in-a-book-while-it-s-closed-oh-i-know-it-s-full-of/)

[Michael Ende](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/michael-ende/)

> [“When your turn comes to jump into the Nothing, you too will be a nameless servant of power, with no will of your own.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/michael-ende/when-your-turn-comes-to-jump-into-the-nothing-you-too-will-be-a/)

[Michael Ende](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/michael-ende/)

> [All that matters in life," the grey man went on, "is to climb the ladder of success, amount to something, own things. When a…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/michael-ende/all-that-matters-in-life-the-grey-man-went-on-is-to-climb-the-ladder/)

[Michael Ende](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/michael-ende/)

> [Momo listened to everyone and everything - even to the rain and the wind and the pine trees - and all of them spoke…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/michael-ende/momo-listened-to-everyone-and-everything-even-to-the-rain-and-the/)

[Michael Ende](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/michael-ende/)

[Explore all 99 Michael Ende quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/michael-ende/)

## More Time quotes

> ['Mad TV' is one of my most favorite shows of all time and is a huge part of my obsession with sketch comedy.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/shane-dawson/mad-tv-is-one-of-my-most-favorite-shows-of-all-time-and-is-a-huge/)

[Shane Dawson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/shane-dawson/)

> [These joys were so trifling as to be as imperceptible as grains of gold among the sand, and in moments of depression she saw…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/leo-tolstoy/these-joys-were-so-trifling-as-to-be-as-imperceptible-as-grains-of/)

[Leo Tolstoy](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/leo-tolstoy/)

> [“William didn't look like he'd be difficult about anything - he was thin and sandy-haired and already wore eyeglasses like his father. Most of…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/patricia-c-wrede/william-didn-t-look-like-he-d-be-difficult-about-anything-he-was-thin/)

[Patricia C. Wrede](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/patricia-c-wrede/)

> [Intel has a very complete process that I go through any time I want to sell that ensures I have no insider information.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/brian-krzanich/intel-has-a-very-complete-process-that-i-go-through-any-time-i-want/)

[Brian Krzanich](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/brian-krzanich/)

> [The man who can master his time can master nearly anything.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/winston-churchill/the-man-who-can-master-his-time-can-master-nearly-anything/)

[Winston Churchill](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/winston-churchill/)

> [I feel like the future is unwritten. So many of the things that we write now haven't been about educating people on the environment,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-flansburgh/i-feel-like-the-future-is-unwritten-so-many-of-the-things-that-we/)

[John Flansburgh](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-flansburgh/)

> [You'll seldom experience regret for anything that you've done. It is what you haven't done that will torment you. The message, therefore, is clear.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/you-ll-seldom-experience-regret-for-anything-that-you-ve-done-it-is/)

[Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/)

> [When you do things they're absolutely right at that time for you and it can always teach you something about yourself. You can take…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kym-marsh/when-you-do-things-they-re-absolutely-right-at-that-time-for-you-and/)

[Kym Marsh](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kym-marsh/)

> [Resist discouragement by speaking His Word over your future. Keep standing. Keep hoping; keep believing because He is working behind the scenes. He's going…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/joel-osteen/resist-discouragement-by-speaking-his-word-over-your-future-keep/)

[Joel Osteen](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/joel-osteen/)

> [If I had a dollar for every time I couldn’t sleep, I could buy a billion locks and finally read a book in peace.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/aesop-rock/if-i-had-a-dollar-for-every-time-i-couldn-t-sleep-i-could-buy-a/)

[Aesop Rock](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/aesop-rock/)

> [Me.. I have been through a lot, but I still manage to have a smile on my face. Im not worried about the past…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/me-i-have-been-through-a-lot-but-i-still-manage-to-have-a-smile-on-my/)

[Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/)

> [“The future is only an indifferent void no one cares about, but the past is filled with life, and its countenance is irritating, repellent,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/milan-kundera/the-future-is-only-an-indifferent-void-no-one-cares-about-but-the/)

[Milan Kundera](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/milan-kundera/)

> [“Conception is the beginning of human life. From the time that an ovum is fertilized a new life begins that is neither that of…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/declaration-on-procured-abortion-congregation-for-the-doctrine-of-the-faith-1974/conception-is-the-beginning-of-human-life-from-the-time-that-an-ovum/)

[Declaration on Procured Abortion Congregation for the Doctrine of the Faith 1974](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/declaration-on-procured-abortion-congregation-for-the-doctrine-of-the-faith-1974/)

> [“You put together two things that have not been put together before. And the world is changed. People may not notice at the time,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/julian-barnes/you-put-together-two-things-that-have-not-been-put-together-before/)

[Julian Barnes](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/julian-barnes/)

> [“It was about damn time something happened.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lev-grossman/it-was-about-damn-time-something-happened/)

[Lev Grossman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lev-grossman/)

[Browse all 215,255 Time quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/time/)

```json
{
    "@context": "https://schema.org",
    "@graph": [
        {
            "@type": "Quotation",
            "text": "“In that moment Bastian made a profound discovery. You wish for something, you've wanted it for years, and you're sure you want it, as long as you know you can't have it. But if all at once it looks as though your wish might come true, you suddenly find yourself wishing you had never wished for any such thing.”",
            "creator": {
                "@type": "Person",
                "name": "Michael Ende"
            },
            "isPartOf": {
                "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website"
            },
            "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/michael-ende/in-that-moment-bastian-made-a-profound-discovery-you-wish-for/",
            "about": {
                "@type": "Thing",
                "name": "Time"
            },
            "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/michael-ende/in-that-moment-bastian-made-a-profound-discovery-you-wish-for/#quotation",
            "image": {
                "@type": "ImageObject",
                "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/083/michael-ende-2862_time_in-that-moment-bastian-made-a-profound-d_1362003.jpg",
                "contentUrl": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/083/michael-ende-2862_time_in-that-moment-bastian-made-a-profound-d_1362003.jpg",
                "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/083/michael-ende-2862_time_in-that-moment-bastian-made-a-profound-d_1362003.jpg",
                "width": 1080,
                "height": 1080,
                "caption": "“In that moment Bastian made a profound discovery. You wish for something, you've wanted it for years, and…” — Michael Ende",
                "creditText": "SMS4Smile Quotes",
                "creator": {
                    "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#organization"
                }
            }
        },
        {
            "@type": "BreadcrumbList",
            "itemListElement": [
                {
                    "@type": "ListItem",
                    "position": 1,
                    "name": "Home",
                    "item": "https://sms4smile.com/"
                },
                {
                    "@type": "ListItem",
                    "position": 2,
                    "name": "Quotes",
                    "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/"
                },
                {
                    "@type": "ListItem",
                    "position": 3,
                    "name": "Michael Ende",
                    "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/michael-ende/"
                },
                {
                    "@type": "ListItem",
                    "position": 4,
                    "name": "“In that moment Bastian made a...",
                    "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/michael-ende/in-that-moment-bastian-made-a-profound-discovery-you-wish-for/"
                }
            ],
            "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/michael-ende/in-that-moment-bastian-made-a-profound-discovery-you-wish-for/#breadcrumb"
        },
        {
            "@type": "WebSite",
            "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website",
            "name": "SMS4Smile Quotes",
            "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/",
            "publisher": {
                "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#organization"
            }
        },
        {
            "@type": "Organization",
            "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#organization",
            "name": "SMS4Smile Quotes",
            "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/",
            "logo": {
                "@type": "ImageObject",
                "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/wp-content/themes/sq/assets/icons/icon-512.png",
                "width": 512,
                "height": 512
            }
        }
    ]
}
```