--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: What is a map, but a thing that gets you…" description: "\"“What is a map, but a thing that gets you where you're going? -Mr. Map”\" — Catherynne M. Valente" image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/36c/catherynne-m-valente-375_going_what-is-a-map-but-a-thing-that-gets-you_1449240.png" --- # What is a map, but a thing that gets you where you're… ![“What is a map, but a thing that gets you where you're going? -Mr. Map” quote by Catherynne M. Valente](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/36c/catherynne-m-valente-375_going_what-is-a-map-but-a-thing-that-gets-you_1449240.png) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/36c/catherynne-m-valente-375_going_what-is-a-map-but-a-thing-that-gets-you_1449240.png) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/36c/catherynne-m-valente-375_going_what-is-a-map-but-a-thing-that-gets-you_1449240.png) > ““What is a map, but a thing that gets you where you're going? -Mr. Map”” [Catherynne M. Valente](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/catherynne-m-valente/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. A map is a tool that guides you toward your destination, not the destination itself. **In simple terms:** Maps guide, they don’t create the journey. Key Takeaway Use tools wisely, but trust your own direction. Themes navigation guidance self‑reliance Mood curious inspired Type advice metaphorical When to use this quote - travel planning - career navigation - personal goal setting - learning new skills Key Concepts cartography metaphor agency Questions to Reflect On - What tools do you rely on most? - How can you balance guidance with personal intuition? A Different Perspective Over‑reliance on external guides can limit personal discovery. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Gets Going](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/gets-going-389398/) [Going](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/going/) [Going Mr](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/going-mr-4934480/) [Map Thing](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/map-thing-3941061/) [Thing Gets](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/thing-gets-1079400/) ## Related quotes > [How the hell are you going to find Mr. Right when youre hanging on to Mr. Wrong?](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/cd-sevier/how-the-hell-are-you-going-to-find-mr-right-when-youre-hanging-on-to/) [CD Sevier](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/cd-sevier/) > [“the map was one thing and the land quite another.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/george-r-r-martin/the-map-was-one-thing-and-the-land-quite-another/) [George R.R. Martin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/george-r-r-martin/) > [Each source that I read, I would look through the bibliography and the footnotes, and use that as a map for the next thing…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alexander-chee/each-source-that-i-read-i-would-look-through-the-bibliography-and-the/) [Alexander Chee](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alexander-chee/) > [The only thing that gets you places is not work but rather network.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/the-only-thing-that-gets-you-places-is-not-work-but-rather-network/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [The whole image thing gets in the way. Then there are the guys that it excites them and it's what draws them to me.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/picabo-street/the-whole-image-thing-gets-in-the-way-then-there-are-the-guys-that-it/) [Picabo Street](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/picabo-street/) > [The only thing that gets in the way of a really good photograph, is the camera](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/norman-parkinson/the-only-thing-that-gets-in-the-way-of-a-really-good-photograph-is/) [Norman Parkinson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/norman-parkinson/) > [What's this thing that gets between us and Shakespeare?](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/al-pacino/what-s-this-thing-that-gets-between-us-and-shakespeare/) [Al Pacino](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/al-pacino/) > [You're the only thing that gets me exited for school](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/you-re-the-only-thing-that-gets-me-exited-for-school/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [Mailer's Law: A thing either gets better or it costs more to run it the way it was.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/norman-mailer/mailer-s-law-a-thing-either-gets-better-or-it-costs-more-to-run-it/) [Norman Mailer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/norman-mailer/) > [Sometimes the only thing to do is to take the thing that you must have. Even if someone gets hurt.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/stephen-king/sometimes-the-only-thing-to-do-is-to-take-the-thing-that-you-must/) [Stephen King](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/stephen-king/) > [“And sometimes, hope is the only thing that gets us through the day.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/julie-kagawa/and-sometimes-hope-is-the-only-thing-that-gets-us-through-the-day/) [Julie Kagawa](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/julie-kagawa/) > [Someday they may cure MS, that idiot thing. It gets in there and they can't get it out.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/teri-garr/someday-they-may-cure-ms-that-idiot-thing-it-gets-in-there-and-they/) [Teri Garr](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/teri-garr/) > [Motivation gets you going, but discipline keeps you growing.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-c-maxwell/motivation-gets-you-going-but-discipline-keeps-you-growing/) [John C. Maxwell](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-c-maxwell/) > [Music to me is life. It's what gets me going.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/apolo-ohno/music-to-me-is-life-it-s-what-gets-me-going/) [Apolo Ohno](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/apolo-ohno/) > [If I play against you the first time - or it doesn't even have to be the first time - and you want to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/joel-embiid/if-i-play-against-you-the-first-time-or-it-doesn-t-even-have-to-be/) [Joel Embiid](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/joel-embiid/) ## More by Catherynne M. Valente > [When I saw him I thought I could curl up inside him and go to sleep and never wake up." "Men are no good…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/catherynne-m-valente/when-i-saw-him-i-thought-i-could-curl-up-inside-him-and-go-to-sleep/) [Catherynne M. Valente](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/catherynne-m-valente/) > [We all just keep moving, September. We keep moving until we stop.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/catherynne-m-valente/we-all-just-keep-moving-september-we-keep-moving-until-we-stop/) [Catherynne M. Valente](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/catherynne-m-valente/) > [“You couldn't ever really fix a sad story. You could only make another. And another. And another, until you found the right one at…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/catherynne-m-valente/you-couldn-t-ever-really-fix-a-sad-story-you-could-only-make-another/) [Catherynne M. Valente](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/catherynne-m-valente/) > [“He considers it for a moment and spits out the seeds, which sprout, quickly, into tiny junkblossoms sizzling with recursive algorithms. The algorithms wriggle…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/catherynne-m-valente/he-considers-it-for-a-moment-and-spits-out-the-seeds-which-sprout/) [Catherynne M. Valente](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/catherynne-m-valente/) > [“Truly, Mallow yearned to know everything. Curiosity was part of her, like her short blond hair and bitten fingernails.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/catherynne-m-valente/truly-mallow-yearned-to-know-everything-curiosity-was-part-of-her/) [Catherynne M. Valente](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/catherynne-m-valente/) > [“The cicada lies in the earth for seventeen years. It is warm and dark there, it is soft and wet. Its little legs curl…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/catherynne-m-valente/the-cicada-lies-in-the-earth-for-seventeen-years-it-is-warm-and-dark/) [Catherynne M. Valente](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/catherynne-m-valente/) > [We all live inside the terrible engine of authority, and it grinds and shrieks and burns so that no one will say: lines on…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/catherynne-m-valente/we-all-live-inside-the-terrible-engine-of-authority-and-it-grinds-and/) [Catherynne M. Valente](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/catherynne-m-valente/) > [Her heart was bruised by the kiss, smashed and surprised and unsettled by it. September thought kisses were all nice, sweet things asked for…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/catherynne-m-valente/her-heart-was-bruised-by-the-kiss-smashed-and-surprised-and-unsettled/) [Catherynne M. Valente](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/catherynne-m-valente/) > [“September put her hand on the grip of the Rivet Gun. She’d only just gotten it, and she’d promised to take copious notes for…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/catherynne-m-valente/september-put-her-hand-on-the-grip-of-the-rivet-gun-she-d-only-just/) [Catherynne M. Valente](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/catherynne-m-valente/) > [Just tell yourself a story that'll satisfy you and pretend he told it.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/catherynne-m-valente/just-tell-yourself-a-story-that-ll-satisfy-you-and-pretend-he-told-it/) [Catherynne M. Valente](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/catherynne-m-valente/) > [“You see, the future is a kind of stew, a soup, a vichyssoise of the present and the past. That's how you get the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/catherynne-m-valente/you-see-the-future-is-a-kind-of-stew-a-soup-a-vichyssoise-of-the/) [Catherynne M. Valente](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/catherynne-m-valente/) > [Fairy tales have always been about getting through the worst of everything, the darkest and the deepest and the bloodiest of events. They are…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/catherynne-m-valente/fairy-tales-have-always-been-about-getting-through-the-worst-of/) [Catherynne M. Valente](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/catherynne-m-valente/) > [“There is a place, September, oh, very far from Pandemonium. A place where it is always autumn, where there is always cider and pumpkin…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/catherynne-m-valente/there-is-a-place-september-oh-very-far-from-pandemonium-a-place-where/) [Catherynne M. Valente](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/catherynne-m-valente/) > [“I was happy, the sun was high. I had enough.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/catherynne-m-valente/i-was-happy-the-sun-was-high-i-had-enough/) [Catherynne M. Valente](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/catherynne-m-valente/) > [Who are you?" "I am Death," said the creature. "I thought that was obvious." "But you're so small!" "Only because you are small. You…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/catherynne-m-valente/who-are-you-i-am-death-said-the-creature-i-thought-that-was-obvious/) [Catherynne M. Valente](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/catherynne-m-valente/) [Explore all 621 Catherynne M. Valente quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/catherynne-m-valente/) ## More Going quotes > [I actually think acting is a form of self-hypnosis. You have to be hyper, hyper aware of what's going on around you. You have…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/julianne-moore/i-actually-think-acting-is-a-form-of-self-hypnosis-you-have-to-be/) [Julianne Moore](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/julianne-moore/) > [Some people still believe you should just fall in line with what's going on - and that's scary. It makes a mockery of freedom…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/emily-robison/some-people-still-believe-you-should-just-fall-in-line-with-what-s/) [Emily Robison](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/emily-robison/) > [At the very beginning, I was a page at Letterman, and I freelanced for any place that would let me write any word. I…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ben-schwartz/at-the-very-beginning-i-was-a-page-at-letterman-and-i-freelanced-for/) [Ben Schwartz](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ben-schwartz/) > [Keep the faith, and keep going strong!](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/doreen-virtue/keep-the-faith-and-keep-going-strong/) [Doreen Virtue](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/doreen-virtue/) > [Nobody has a crystal ball, and part of evolving a business plan is to say, 'I might have said we're going left, but I…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ryan-kavanaugh/nobody-has-a-crystal-ball-and-part-of-evolving-a-business-plan-is-to/) [Ryan Kavanaugh](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ryan-kavanaugh/) > [Think of these things, whence you came, where you are going, and to whom you must account.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/benjamin-franklin/think-of-these-things-whence-you-came-where-you-are-going-and-to-whom/) [Benjamin Franklin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/benjamin-franklin/) > [I really enjoy going to play for the national team and be with the guys.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/cedi-osman/i-really-enjoy-going-to-play-for-the-national-team-and-be-with-the/) [Cedi Osman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/cedi-osman/) > [“I’m not even going to ask you where you got that.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mark-mackey/i-m-not-even-going-to-ask-you-where-you-got-that/) [Mark Mackey](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mark-mackey/) > [This is how McGregor is, waging mental warfare before the fights. There's no way that guy is going to get in my head.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/chad-mendes/this-is-how-mcgregor-is-waging-mental-warfare-before-the-fights-there/) [Chad Mendes](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/chad-mendes/) > [For me, going to Minneapolis is like going to Mecca.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/stephan-pastis/for-me-going-to-minneapolis-is-like-going-to-mecca/) [Stephan Pastis](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/stephan-pastis/) > [It's going to be used in the last days to get people to come against Christ, and that's the issue: they come against the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tim-lahaye/it-s-going-to-be-used-in-the-last-days-to-get-people-to-come-against/) [Tim LaHaye](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tim-lahaye/) > [It definitely helps to have the acting experience going into singing, because when you're singing, you have to portray the emotion you were feeling…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ryan-newman/it-definitely-helps-to-have-the-acting-experience-going-into-singing/) [Ryan Newman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ryan-newman/) > [What I do miss that I don't get anymore? You're going to think I'm crazy, but you want the truth, so here it is.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/barbara-mandrell/what-i-do-miss-that-i-don-t-get-anymore-you-re-going-to-think-i-m/) [Barbara Mandrell](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/barbara-mandrell/) > [Any position I was going to be in, I was going to make the best of it. I always do.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/eric-bledsoe/any-position-i-was-going-to-be-in-i-was-going-to-make-the-best-of-it/) [Eric Bledsoe](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/eric-bledsoe/) > [I want to help people struggling with whatever it is they're going through.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/santan-dave/i-want-to-help-people-struggling-with-whatever-it-is-they-re-going/) [Santan Dave](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/santan-dave/) [Browse all 15,485 Going quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/going/) ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "“What is a map, but a thing that gets you where you're going? -Mr. Map”", "creator": { "@type": "Person", "name": "Catherynne M. 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