---
title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: What I've started I must finish. I've…"
description: "\"What I've started I must finish. I've gone too far to turn back. Regardless of what may happen, I have to go forward.\" — Michael Ende"
image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/eef/michael-ende-2862_gone_what-i-ve-started-i-must-finish-i-ve-gon_1450309.jpg"
---

#  What I've started I must finish. I've gone too far to turn…

![“What I've started I must finish. I've gone too far to turn back. Regardless of what may happen, I have to go forward.” quote by Michael Ende](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/eef/michael-ende-2862_gone_what-i-ve-started-i-must-finish-i-ve-gon_1450309.jpg)   [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/eef/michael-ende-2862_gone_what-i-ve-started-i-must-finish-i-ve-gon_1450309.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/eef/michael-ende-2862_gone_what-i-ve-started-i-must-finish-i-ve-gon_1450309.jpg)

> “What I've started I must finish. I've gone too far to turn back. Regardless of what may happen, I have to go forward.”

[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.

A protagonist feels compelled to continue a quest despite uncertainty, emphasizing perseverance.

**In simple terms:** He must finish what he started.

Key Takeaway

Persist despite doubt.

Themes

determination journey purpose

Mood

motivational reflective

Type

literary inspirational

When to use this quote

- career projects
- creative endeavors
- personal challenges

Key Concepts

Resilience goal setting

Questions to Reflect On

- What drives you to keep going?
- When should you reconsider a path?

A Different Perspective

Obsession can lead to burnout.

★ ★ ★ ★ ★   No ratings yet

[Finish](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/finish/) [Forward](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/forward/) [Gone](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/gone/) [Gone Far](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/gone-far-478530/) [Happen Forward](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/happen-forward-5214054/) [May](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/may/) [Started Finish](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/started-finish-374989/) [Too far](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/too-far/) [Turns](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/turns/)

## Related quotes

> [Not everyone who started with you will finish with you. Be willing to go without them if you have to.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tony-gaskins/not-everyone-who-started-with-you-will-finish-with-you-be-willing-to/)

[Tony Gaskins](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tony-gaskins/)

> [We started out to finish groups like U2 - that was what it was all about.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ian-brown/we-started-out-to-finish-groups-like-u2-that-was-what-it-was-all-about/)

[Ian Brown](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ian-brown/)

> [“I’m only doing this because I started it and now I have to finish it,” he adds. “The next trilogy will be all someone…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/j-w-rinzler/i-m-only-doing-this-because-i-started-it-and-now-i-have-to-finish-it/)

[J. W. Rinzler](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/j-w-rinzler/)

> [If I started something, I had to finish. Like with violin. I started when I was seven only because my best mate wanted to.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/patrick-bamford/if-i-started-something-i-had-to-finish-like-with-violin-i-started/)

[Patrick Bamford](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/patrick-bamford/)

> [All experience is great providing you live through it. If it kills you, you've gone too far.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alice-neel/all-experience-is-great-providing-you-live-through-it-if-it-kills-you/)

[Alice Neel](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alice-neel/)

> [I don't think I was ever...trying to kill myself but I knew that if I'd ever gone too far...I wouldn't care.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/demi-lovato/i-don-t-think-i-was-ever-trying-to-kill-myself-but-i-knew-that-if-i-d/)

[Demi Lovato](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/demi-lovato/)

> [The skinnification of America's jeanscape has gone too far.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/the-skinnification-of-america-s-jeanscape-has-gone-too-far/)

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

> [The world had somehow gone too far, and spontaneous kindness could never be so easy.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/charles-bukowski/the-world-had-somehow-gone-too-far-and-spontaneous-kindness-could/)

[Charles Bukowski](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/charles-bukowski/)

> [I am slightly shocked to have gone as far as I have.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/i-am-slightly-shocked-to-have-gone-as-far-as-i-have/)

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

> [It's only a game if there is an absence of meaning. And we've already gone too far for that.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-levithan/it-s-only-a-game-if-there-is-an-absence-of-meaning-and-we-ve-already/)

[David Levithan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-levithan/)

> [Drake with dyslexia, I have gone so far.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/childish-gambino/drake-with-dyslexia-i-have-gone-so-far/)

[Childish Gambino](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/childish-gambino/)

> [My mind's never gone very far away from what I wanted to accomplish.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dan-gable/my-mind-s-never-gone-very-far-away-from-what-i-wanted-to-accomplish/)

[Dan Gable](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dan-gable/)

> [We send cruise missiles and then we think everything's all right or we try to bring them to trial. My friends, this time they've…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-mccain/we-send-cruise-missiles-and-then-we-think-everything-s-all-right-or/)

[John McCain](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-mccain/)

> [“Progress might have been all right once, but it has gone on far too long.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ogden-nash/progress-might-have-been-all-right-once-but-it-has-gone-on-far-too/)

[Ogden Nash](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ogden-nash/)

> [“Like dipping me under the spring, she did what she thought she needed to do. But this time she’d gone too far.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/danielle-paige/like-dipping-me-under-the-spring-she-did-what-she-thought-she-needed/)

[Danielle Paige](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/danielle-paige/)

## 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 Finish quotes

> [My first Olympics memory was watching Haile Gebrselassie in Sydney 2000. His sprint finish to defend his title really moved me.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mo-farah/my-first-olympics-memory-was-watching-haile-gebrselassie-in-sydney/)

[Mo Farah](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mo-farah/)

> [Children should finish school and even go to college if they can.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/robert-fuller/children-should-finish-school-and-even-go-to-college-if-they-can/)

[Robert Fuller](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/robert-fuller/)

> [Every Finish Line is the beginning of a new race](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/every-finish-line-is-the-beginning-of-a-new-race/)

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

> [“It doesn't matter where you start but how you finish that matters!”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/valerie-irick-rainford/it-doesn-t-matter-where-you-start-but-how-you-finish-that-matters/)

[Valerie Irick Rainford](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/valerie-irick-rainford/)

> [Whenever I finish a film, I feel that this is the worst film that I have made. This is bound to happen because while…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rajkumar-hirani/whenever-i-finish-a-film-i-feel-that-this-is-the-worst-film-that-i/)

[Rajkumar Hirani](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rajkumar-hirani/)

> [When I finish my career, I can look back and then decide if it was good or not.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jordan-henderson/when-i-finish-my-career-i-can-look-back-and-then-decide-if-it-was/)

[Jordan Henderson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jordan-henderson/)

> [I've enjoyed my time at every club I have worked at, I've been lucky, but I won't jump in and finish up working with…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/harry-redknapp/i-ve-enjoyed-my-time-at-every-club-i-have-worked-at-i-ve-been-lucky/)

[Harry Redknapp](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/harry-redknapp/)

> [“Do it well, finish it properly, and move on.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/eunice-kennedy-shriver/do-it-well-finish-it-properly-and-move-on/)

[Eunice Kennedy Shriver](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/eunice-kennedy-shriver/)

> [Not everyone who started with you will finish with you. Be willing to go without them if you have to.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tony-gaskins/not-everyone-who-started-with-you-will-finish-with-you-be-willing-to/)

[Tony Gaskins](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tony-gaskins/)

> [Finish what you're writing. Whatever you have to do to finish it, finish it.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/neil-gaiman/finish-what-you-re-writing-whatever-you-have-to-do-to-finish-it/)

[Neil Gaiman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/neil-gaiman/)

> [Call me old-fashioned, but it's always been my firm belief that a teacher's job should be for each of his or her students to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/steven-crowder/call-me-old-fashioned-but-it-s-always-been-my-firm-belief-that-a/)

[Steven Crowder](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/steven-crowder/)

> [If it is possible I want to finish my career at Manchester United.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/park-ji-sung/if-it-is-possible-i-want-to-finish-my-career-at-manchester-united/)

[Park Ji-sung](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/park-ji-sung/)

> [A lot of times, you finish a movie, and you're either going, 'Oh, thank God, that's over,' or 'Oh, my God, it's over, and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/wyck-godfrey/a-lot-of-times-you-finish-a-movie-and-you-re-either-going-oh-thank/)

[Wyck Godfrey](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/wyck-godfrey/)

> [I used to review games on 'The Totally Rad Show,' and the best thing about that was I would finish games. Now, it's become…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dan-trachtenberg/i-used-to-review-games-on-the-totally-rad-show-and-the-best-thing/)

[Dan Trachtenberg](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dan-trachtenberg/)

> [“Winners run through the finish line. End your day with passion and enthusiasm.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/butch-bellah/winners-run-through-the-finish-line-end-your-day-with-passion-and/)

[Butch Bellah](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/butch-bellah/)

[Browse all 1,526 Finish quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/finish/)

```json
{
    "@context": "https://schema.org",
    "@graph": [
        {
            "@type": "Quotation",
            "text": "What I've started I must finish. I've gone too far to turn back. Regardless of what may happen, I have to go forward.",
            "creator": {
                "@type": "Person",
                "name": "Michael Ende"
            },
            "isPartOf": {
                "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website"
            },
            "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/michael-ende/what-i-ve-started-i-must-finish-i-ve-gone-too-far-to-turn-back/",
            "about": {
                "@type": "Thing",
                "name": "Finish"
            },
            "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/michael-ende/what-i-ve-started-i-must-finish-i-ve-gone-too-far-to-turn-back/#quotation",
            "image": {
                "@type": "ImageObject",
                "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/eef/michael-ende-2862_gone_what-i-ve-started-i-must-finish-i-ve-gon_1450309.jpg",
                "contentUrl": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/eef/michael-ende-2862_gone_what-i-ve-started-i-must-finish-i-ve-gon_1450309.jpg",
                "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/eef/michael-ende-2862_gone_what-i-ve-started-i-must-finish-i-ve-gon_1450309.jpg",
                "width": 1080,
                "height": 1080,
                "caption": "“What I've started I must finish. I've gone too far to turn back. Regardless of what may happen, I have to go…” — 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": "What I've started I must finish....",
                    "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/michael-ende/what-i-ve-started-i-must-finish-i-ve-gone-too-far-to-turn-back/"
                }
            ],
            "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/michael-ende/what-i-ve-started-i-must-finish-i-ve-gone-too-far-to-turn-back/#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
            }
        }
    ]
}
```
