--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: I watched myself put my paw in the bear…" description: "\"I watched myself put my paw in the bear trap on that one because there was this clause about leaving members\" — Elliott Smith" image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/f75/elliott-smith-8566_bears_i-watched-myself-put-my-paw-in-the-bear_3144201.jpg" --- # I watched myself put my paw in the bear trap on that one… ![“I watched myself put my paw in the bear trap on that one because there was this clause about leaving members” quote by Elliott Smith](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/f75/elliott-smith-8566_bears_i-watched-myself-put-my-paw-in-the-bear_3144201.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/f75/elliott-smith-8566_bears_i-watched-myself-put-my-paw-in-the-bear_3144201.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/f75/elliott-smith-8566_bears_i-watched-myself-put-my-paw-in-the-bear_3144201.jpg) > “I watched myself put my paw in the bear trap on that one because there was this clause about leaving members” [Elliott Smith](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/elliott-smith/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. He reflects on self‑sabotage, feeling trapped by his own choices and obligations. **In simple terms:** He feels trapped by his own actions. Key Takeaway Recognize and break self‑imposed limits. Themes self‑sabotage responsibility freedom Mood reflective melancholic Type lysong lyric personal confession When to use this quote - relationships - career decisions - habit change Key Concepts psychology personal agency Questions to Reflect On - What personal “traps” are you maintaining? - How can you change the clause that holds you? A Different Perspective Self‑imposed constraints can be hard to see and overcome. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Bear Trap](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/bear-trap-459920/) [Bears](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/bears/) [Clause Leaving](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/clause-leaving-5616424/) [Clauses](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/clauses/) [Leaving](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/leaving/) [Leaving me](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/leaving-me/) [Leaving Members](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/leaving-members-5616425/) [Members](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/members/) [Paws](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/paws/) [Trap Clause](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/trap-clause-5616423/) [Traps](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/traps/) [Watched Paw](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/watched-paw-5616426/) ## Related quotes > [“When a naked man shows up on your doorstep with a bear trap clamped around his ankle, it's best just to do what he…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/molly-harper/when-a-naked-man-shows-up-on-your-doorstep-with-a-bear-trap-clamped/) [Molly Harper](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/molly-harper/) > [Taylor gang or teabag a bear trap](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/taylor-gang-or-teabag-a-bear-trap/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [“Fear is something akin to catching a mouse in a bear trap. We mistakenly thought that the thing that we were trying to kill…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/craig-d-lounsbrough/fear-is-something-akin-to-catching-a-mouse-in-a-bear-trap-we/) [Craig D. Lounsbrough](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/craig-d-lounsbrough/) > [“Basker possesses three kinds of bite: a snap, a nip, and then something like a buzz saw and an angle grinder mounted on a…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/peter-h-eg/basker-possesses-three-kinds-of-bite-a-snap-a-nip-and-then-something/) [Peter Høeg](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/peter-h-eg/) > [You couldn't catch a mouse if leaped in between your paws!](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/erin-hunter/you-couldn-t-catch-a-mouse-if-leaped-in-between-your-paws/) [Erin Hunter](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/erin-hunter/) > [Her father had taught her about hands. About a dog's paws. Whenever her father was alone with a dog in a house he would…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/michael-ondaatje/her-father-had-taught-her-about-hands-about-a-dog-s-paws-whenever-her/) [Michael Ondaatje](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/michael-ondaatje/) > [There will be three cats, kin of your kin, with the power of the stars in their paws. They will find a fourth, and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/there-will-be-three-cats-kin-of-your-kin-with-the-power-of-the-stars/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [Mew," the kitten retorted, locking gazes with him. It had the expression common to all kittens, that of a tyrant in the becoming. 'I…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/scott-lynch/mew-the-kitten-retorted-locking-gazes-with-him-it-had-the-expression/) [Scott Lynch](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/scott-lynch/) > [Of course when you were running with the bottom dogs, what you mostly saw were paws, claws, and assholes.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/stephen-king/of-course-when-you-were-running-with-the-bottom-dogs-what-you-mostly/) [Stephen King](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/stephen-king/) > [Fireheart dashed to the warrior's side. 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I would get Skip to prop…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/willie-morris/when-i-started-driving-our-old-four-door-green-desoto-i-always-took/) [Willie Morris](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/willie-morris/) > [Keep your paws off my fiancèe, you flea-ridden stray!](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/michael-buckley/keep-your-paws-off-my-fianc-e-you-flea-ridden-stray/) [Michael Buckley](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/michael-buckley/) > [I used to carry a rabbit's foot for luck. Then it was a monkey's paw. Now it's a camel's toe.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kristen-schaal/i-used-to-carry-a-rabbit-s-foot-for-luck-then-it-was-a-monkey-s-paw/) [Kristen Schaal](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kristen-schaal/) > [A farmer's horse is never lame, never unfit to go. Never throws out curbs, never breaks down before or behind. Like his master he…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anthony-trollope/a-farmer-s-horse-is-never-lame-never-unfit-to-go-never-throws-out/) [Anthony Trollope](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anthony-trollope/) ## More by Elliott Smith > [Somewhere where people aren't so mad would be nice, but I don't know if there is anywhere like that.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/elliott-smith/somewhere-where-people-aren-t-so-mad-would-be-nice-but-i-don-t-know/) [Elliott Smith](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/elliott-smith/) > [I actually don't think that I'm gonna sell a lot of records.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/elliott-smith/i-actually-don-t-think-that-i-m-gonna-sell-a-lot-of-records/) [Elliott Smith](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/elliott-smith/) > [Because God only knows why people like what they like and don't like something else.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/elliott-smith/because-god-only-knows-why-people-like-what-they-like-and-don-t-like/) [Elliott Smith](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/elliott-smith/) > [My girlfriend at the time convinced me to send these songs to Cavity Search. 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And I saw your face in everyone, I swear.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/elliott-smith/i-went-walking-around-the-city-some-more-people-watching-with-a-cold/) [Elliott Smith](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/elliott-smith/) > [There are lots of things I like about playing in a band, the things I can't do by myself you know.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/elliott-smith/there-are-lots-of-things-i-like-about-playing-in-a-band-the-things-i/) [Elliott Smith](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/elliott-smith/) > [The band's filter, but playing live is a lot of fun.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/elliott-smith/the-band-s-filter-but-playing-live-is-a-lot-of-fun/) [Elliott Smith](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/elliott-smith/) > [Well, I try not to think about the general public since I have no idea what the general public is and I don't think…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/elliott-smith/well-i-try-not-to-think-about-the-general-public-since-i-have-no-idea/) [Elliott Smith](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/elliott-smith/) > [People can be chaos but it's hard to fit it into some creative piece that you made. It's hard.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/elliott-smith/people-can-be-chaos-but-it-s-hard-to-fit-it-into-some-creative-piece/) [Elliott Smith](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/elliott-smith/) > [“Tired of dancing on a pot of gold flake paint”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/elliott-smith/tired-of-dancing-on-a-pot-of-gold-flake-paint/) [Elliott Smith](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/elliott-smith/) > [A lot of people are kind of depressed. 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