--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: You cannot kickstart a dead horse" description: "\"You cannot kickstart a dead horse\" — Thom Yorke" image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/e68/thom-yorke-979_dead_you-cannot-kickstart-a-dead-horse-272487_2724877.jpg" --- # You cannot kickstart a dead horse ![“You cannot kickstart a dead horse” quote by Thom Yorke](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/e68/thom-yorke-979_dead_you-cannot-kickstart-a-dead-horse-272487_2724877.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/e68/thom-yorke-979_dead_you-cannot-kickstart-a-dead-horse-272487_2724877.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/e68/thom-yorke-979_dead_you-cannot-kickstart-a-dead-horse-272487_2724877.jpg) > “You cannot kickstart a dead horse” [Thom Yorke](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/thom-yorke/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. Attempting to revive something that is already dead is futile and wastes effort. **In simple terms:** Don't waste effort on impossible tasks. Key Takeaway Focus on viable opportunities. Themes effort futility realism decision making Mood pragmatic cautious Type motivational practical When to use this quote - project management - personal goals - creative pursuits Key Concepts dead horse metaphor resource allocation Questions to Reflect On - When is persistence worthwhile? - What signs indicate a dead end? A Different Perspective Sometimes persistence is needed despite odds. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Dead](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/dead/) [Dead horse](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/dead-horse/) [Horse](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/horse/) [Kickstart Dead](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/kickstart-dead-2910626/) ## Related quotes > [Do not touch anything unnecessarily. Beware of pretty girls in dance halls and parks who may be spies, as well as bicycles, revolvers, uniforms,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/garry-wills/do-not-touch-anything-unnecessarily-beware-of-pretty-girls-in-dance/) [Garry Wills](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/garry-wills/) > [“I wasn’t different from most girls I knew. Well, except the fact I was exponentially better looking, but why beat a dead horse?”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/fisher-amelie/i-wasn-t-different-from-most-girls-i-knew-well-except-the-fact-i-was/) [Fisher Amelie](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/fisher-amelie/) > [Alimony is like buying oats for a dead horse.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/arthur-baer/alimony-is-like-buying-oats-for-a-dead-horse/) [Arthur Baer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/arthur-baer/) > [I'd call him a sadistic, hippophilic necrophile, but that would be beating a dead horse.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/woody-allen/i-d-call-him-a-sadistic-hippophilic-necrophile-but-that-would-be/) [Woody Allen](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/woody-allen/) > [It's right to flog a dead horse sometimes, when the previous flogging has not annihilated it.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/roger-scruton/it-s-right-to-flog-a-dead-horse-sometimes-when-the-previous-flogging/) [Roger Scruton](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/roger-scruton/) > [There's just enough drinking and cheating songs around without me adding to them. Unless you've got something better than "Misery and Gin" by Merle…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/aaron-watson/there-s-just-enough-drinking-and-cheating-songs-around-without-me/) [Aaron Watson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/aaron-watson/) > [When Steven Spielberg thinks you're the one, then I'll do anything. If you want me to put a dead horse on my head, I'll…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/charlotte-le-bon/when-steven-spielberg-thinks-you-re-the-one-then-i-ll-do-anything-if/) [Charlotte Le Bon](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/charlotte-le-bon/) > [We used to talk about wanting to get some money, but that's when hip-hop was based on your dreams and your fantasy. The whole…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/we-used-to-talk-about-wanting-to-get-some-money-but-that-s-when-hip/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [For a hundred and fifty years, in the pasture of dead horses, roots of pine trees pushed through the pale curves of your ribs,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/donald-hall/for-a-hundred-and-fifty-years-in-the-pasture-of-dead-horses-roots-of/) [Donald Hall](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/donald-hall/) > [Dakota tribal wisdom says that when you're on a dead horse, the best strategy is to dismount. Of course, there are other strategies. You…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gary-hamel/dakota-tribal-wisdom-says-that-when-you-re-on-a-dead-horse-the-best/) [Gary Hamel](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gary-hamel/) > [“Isn’t it funny how we make rational excuses for being out of alignment? We say, “Well, this \_\_\_\_ and that \_\_\_\_ happened, so it…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alaric-hutchinson/isn-t-it-funny-how-we-make-rational-excuses-for-being-out-of/) [Alaric Hutchinson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alaric-hutchinson/) > [“The Learned, who strive to ascend into Heaven by means of learning, appear to Children like dead horses, when repelled by the celestial spheres.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/william-blake/the-learned-who-strive-to-ascend-into-heaven-by-means-of-learning/) [William Blake](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/william-blake/) > [“Future generations would be convinced that nothing good could ever have existed in a country that produced such evil. They would think only of…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/eric-metaxas/future-generations-would-be-convinced-that-nothing-good-could-ever/) [Eric Metaxas](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/eric-metaxas/) > [“The past has given us much too many bad answers for us not to see that the mistakes were in the questions themselves. There…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/the-invisible-committee/the-past-has-given-us-much-too-many-bad-answers-for-us-not-to-see/) [The Invisible Committee](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/the-invisible-committee/) > [“If I ever find a dead horse, I am going to beat the fucking shit out of it.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sam-pink/if-i-ever-find-a-dead-horse-i-am-going-to-beat-the-fucking-shit-out/) [Sam Pink](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sam-pink/) ## More by Thom Yorke > [How come I end up where I started How come I end up where I belong... You used to be alright What happened?](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/thom-yorke/how-come-i-end-up-where-i-started-how-come-i-end-up-where-i-belong/) [Thom Yorke](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/thom-yorke/) > [I named my son Noah for the same reason Chris Martin named his apple: we're asses.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/thom-yorke/i-named-my-son-noah-for-the-same-reason-chris-martin-named-his-apple/) [Thom Yorke](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/thom-yorke/) > [Rock music is, is a necessary evil, like beating my children with penny loafers](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/thom-yorke/rock-music-is-is-a-necessary-evil-like-beating-my-children-with-penny/) [Thom Yorke](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/thom-yorke/) > [We're at a time when we are being presented with undeniable changes in the global climate and fundamental issues that affect every single one…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/thom-yorke/we-re-at-a-time-when-we-are-being-presented-with-undeniable-changes/) [Thom Yorke](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/thom-yorke/) > [When even your fans are writing to tell you to get a life, you know you need to listen.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/thom-yorke/when-even-your-fans-are-writing-to-tell-you-to-get-a-life-you-know/) [Thom Yorke](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/thom-yorke/) > [Space Jam is my favorite movie. Don't ask me why, it just is.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/thom-yorke/space-jam-is-my-favorite-movie-don-t-ask-me-why-it-just-is/) [Thom Yorke](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/thom-yorke/) > [My dad spent his whole life getting into fights for telling what he believed to be the truth. Basically it comes from my dad-and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/thom-yorke/my-dad-spent-his-whole-life-getting-into-fights-for-telling-what-he/) [Thom Yorke](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/thom-yorke/) > [I got into the music business thinking it was really radical, that it wasn't really a business at all, that it was a lot…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/thom-yorke/i-got-into-the-music-business-thinking-it-was-really-radical-that-it/) [Thom Yorke](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/thom-yorke/) > [People sometimes say we take things too seriously, but it's the only way you'll get anywhere.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/thom-yorke/people-sometimes-say-we-take-things-too-seriously-but-it-s-the-only/) [Thom Yorke](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/thom-yorke/) > [I'm achingly aware of my own limitations as both part of the human race and as an individual. I'm just, casting this out that,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/thom-yorke/i-m-achingly-aware-of-my-own-limitations-as-both-part-of-the-human/) [Thom Yorke](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/thom-yorke/) > [One little leak becomes a lake, Says the tiny voice in my earpiece](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/thom-yorke/one-little-leak-becomes-a-lake-says-the-tiny-voice-in-my-earpiece/) [Thom Yorke](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/thom-yorke/) > [I often fake my death and then just show up at people's houses. They say 'that's a good one Thom' but I know maybe…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/thom-yorke/i-often-fake-my-death-and-then-just-show-up-at-people-s-houses-they/) [Thom Yorke](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/thom-yorke/) > [There are a lot of things I cannot do, such as eat books and read chicken.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/thom-yorke/there-are-a-lot-of-things-i-cannot-do-such-as-eat-books-and-read/) [Thom Yorke](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/thom-yorke/) > [I wanted to live with the \*\*\*\*ing manta rays, but they banned me from Sea World.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/thom-yorke/i-wanted-to-live-with-the-ing-manta-rays-but-they-banned-me-from-sea/) [Thom Yorke](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/thom-yorke/) > [I often steal sandwiches, eat them, and put the container's back., with a signed autograph of my self in its place. It's my way…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/thom-yorke/i-often-steal-sandwiches-eat-them-and-put-the-container-s-back-with-a/) [Thom Yorke](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/thom-yorke/) [Explore all 315 Thom Yorke quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/thom-yorke/) ## More Dead quotes > [I'm going to stay on stage until I drop dead. Then I'm going to have myself stuffed, like Trigger, and I'm going to put…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/debbie-reynolds/i-m-going-to-stay-on-stage-until-i-drop-dead-then-i-m-going-to-have/) [Debbie Reynolds](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/debbie-reynolds/) > [I can't be a legend yet. I'm not dead.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/maynard-james-keenan/i-can-t-be-a-legend-yet-i-m-not-dead/) [Maynard James Keenan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/maynard-james-keenan/) > [Okay, so I'll admit I'm curious. Big deal. We both know what that leads to. Dead cat.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/susan-elizabeth-phillips/okay-so-i-ll-admit-i-m-curious-big-deal-we-both-know-what-that-leads/) [Susan Elizabeth Phillips](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/susan-elizabeth-phillips/) > [It's a really dark, emotionally wrenching world that we've created on 'The Walking Dead.'](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/laurie-holden/it-s-a-really-dark-emotionally-wrenching-world-that-we-ve-created-on/) [Laurie Holden](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/laurie-holden/) > [If you’re alive, don’t move, if you’re dead, don’t worry about it.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/laurell-k-hamilton/if-you-re-alive-don-t-move-if-you-re-dead-don-t-worry-about-it/) [Laurell K. Hamilton](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/laurell-k-hamilton/) > [“I’m just–” She wanted to say “not in the mood,” but that was not only a cliché but a vast understatement. She was dead.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/will-mcintosh/i-m-just-she-wanted-to-say-not-in-the-mood-but-that-was-not-only-a/) [Will McIntosh](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/will-mcintosh/) > [Library: A place where the dead lie.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/elbert-hubbard/library-a-place-where-the-dead-lie/) [Elbert Hubbard](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/elbert-hubbard/) > [When we dead awaken ... we see that we have never lived.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/henrik-ibsen/when-we-dead-awaken-we-see-that-we-have-never-lived/) [Henrik Ibsen](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/henrik-ibsen/) > [Rather be dead than cool.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kurt-cobain/rather-be-dead-than-cool/) [Kurt Cobain](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kurt-cobain/) > [He was obviously dead. But since he was a vampire that wasn't as hopless a thing as it might have been.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/patricia-briggs/he-was-obviously-dead-but-since-he-was-a-vampire-that-wasn-t-as/) [Patricia Briggs](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/patricia-briggs/) > [Ireland starts for me with the end of 'The Dead,' which my father read to me from his desk in his basement office in…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-jeremiah-sullivan/ireland-starts-for-me-with-the-end-of-the-dead-which-my-father-read/) [John Jeremiah Sullivan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-jeremiah-sullivan/) > [“Three may keep a secret, if two of them are dead.’ – Ben Franklin,”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/neil-gaiman/three-may-keep-a-secret-if-two-of-them-are-dead-ben-franklin/) [Neil Gaiman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/neil-gaiman/) > [I intend to do the Penn & Teller show until they pry my cheesy magic wand from my cold dead fingers.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/penn-jillette/i-intend-to-do-the-penn-teller-show-until-they-pry-my-cheesy-magic/) [Penn Jillette](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/penn-jillette/) > ['Misery' left a lasting mark on me. When I die, it will be 'Kathy 'Misery' Bates Is Dead.'](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kathy-bates/misery-left-a-lasting-mark-on-me-when-i-die-it-will-be-kathy-misery/) [Kathy Bates](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kathy-bates/) > [The only good Indian is a dead Indian](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/william-tecumseh-sherman/the-only-good-indian-is-a-dead-indian/) [William Tecumseh Sherman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/william-tecumseh-sherman/) [Browse all 3,376 Dead quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/dead/) ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "You cannot kickstart a dead horse", "creator": { "@type": "Person", "name": "Thom Yorke" }, "isPartOf": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website" }, "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/thom-yorke/you-cannot-kickstart-a-dead-horse/", "about": { "@type": "Thing", "name": "Dead" }, "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/thom-yorke/you-cannot-kickstart-a-dead-horse/#quotation", "image": { "@type": "ImageObject", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/e68/thom-yorke-979_dead_you-cannot-kickstart-a-dead-horse-272487_2724877.jpg", "contentUrl": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/e68/thom-yorke-979_dead_you-cannot-kickstart-a-dead-horse-272487_2724877.jpg", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/e68/thom-yorke-979_dead_you-cannot-kickstart-a-dead-horse-272487_2724877.jpg", "width": 1080, "height": 1080, "caption": "“You cannot kickstart a dead horse” — Thom Yorke", "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": "Thom Yorke", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/thom-yorke/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 4, "name": "You cannot kickstart a dead horse", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/thom-yorke/you-cannot-kickstart-a-dead-horse/" } ], "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/thom-yorke/you-cannot-kickstart-a-dead-horse/#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 } } ] } ```