--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: if you are going to be pushed you had…" description: "\"if you are going to be pushed you had better jump\" — Henry James" image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/bc0/henry-james-417_jump_if-you-are-going-to-be-pushed-you-had-be_1447502.png" --- # if you are going to be pushed you had better jump ![“if you are going to be pushed you had better jump” quote by Henry James](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/bc0/henry-james-417_jump_if-you-are-going-to-be-pushed-you-had-be_1447502.png) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/bc0/henry-james-417_jump_if-you-are-going-to-be-pushed-you-had-be_1447502.png) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/bc0/henry-james-417_jump_if-you-are-going-to-be-pushed-you-had-be_1447502.png) > “if you are going to be pushed you had better jump” [Henry James](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/henry-james/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. When faced with pressure, it's better to take proactive action rather than be forced. **In simple terms:** Jump before being pushed. Key Takeaway Act proactively when you anticipate pressure. Themes initiative agency resilience proactivity Mood motivational cautious Type self‑help philosophical When to use this quote - career moves - sports - emergency response - negotiations Key Concepts decision‑making personal development Questions to Reflect On - When is it wiser to wait? - What signs indicate imminent pressure? A Different Perspective Risk of acting prematurely. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet ## Related quotes > [My fans have been supportive. Their love has pushed me to do better in life.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/krystle-d-souza/my-fans-have-been-supportive-their-love-has-pushed-me-to-do-better-in/) [Krystle D'Souza](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/krystle-d-souza/) > [“Everyone— black as well as white— thinks it's going to be better over the next jump of land.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/stephen-king/everyone-black-as-well-as-white-thinks-it-s-going-to-be-better-over/) [Stephen King](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/stephen-king/) > [ This guy \[Donald Trump\] is not going to get pushed around. ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rudy-giuliani/this-guy-donald-trump-is-not-going-to-get-pushed-around/) [Rudy Giuliani](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rudy-giuliani/) > [In life your going to be pushed around and rejected its your choice to either ignore it and move on and be happy or…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/padge-weber/in-life-your-going-to-be-pushed-around-and-rejected-its-your-choice/) Padge Weber > [ I think if you don't have it \[desire\], you're not going to be pushed into anything. You've got to want to do something. ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/creed-bratton/i-think-if-you-don-t-have-it-desire-you-re-not-going-to-be-pushed/) [Creed Bratton](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/creed-bratton/) > [I hate when somebody says, "This may not work." You'll never get anywhere with that. I've pushed a lot of people out of my…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gordon-willis/i-hate-when-somebody-says-this-may-not-work-you-ll-never-get-anywhere/) [Gordon Willis](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gordon-willis/) > [Texans will not be pushed around.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/george-p-bush/texans-will-not-be-pushed-around/) [George P. Bush](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/george-p-bush/) > [I always pushed myself. Whenever I felt I needed to stop, I made myself run faster.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/cecelia-ahern/i-always-pushed-myself-whenever-i-felt-i-needed-to-stop-i-made-myself/) [Cecelia Ahern](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/cecelia-ahern/) > [I had the flu in New York and pushed the President of the United States off the front pages.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jackie-coogan/i-had-the-flu-in-new-york-and-pushed-the-president-of-the-united/) [Jackie Coogan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jackie-coogan/) > [Playing Isabella in 'Measure for Measure' pushed me to my limits. Janet Suzman was directing, and she was very hard on me. I went…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/michelle-dockery/playing-isabella-in-measure-for-measure-pushed-me-to-my-limits-janet/) [Michelle Dockery](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/michelle-dockery/) > [“I've been known to be contrary. When something pushes me, I shove back. Even if the one doing the pushing is me. It would…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mark-lawrence/i-ve-been-known-to-be-contrary-when-something-pushes-me-i-shove-back/) [Mark Lawrence](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mark-lawrence/) > [You don't ever have to feel pushed into anything.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/chanel-west-coast/you-don-t-ever-have-to-feel-pushed-into-anything/) [Chanel West Coast](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/chanel-west-coast/) > [“When you are pushed to the wall, you will act and do things you have never done before.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sunday-adelaja/when-you-are-pushed-to-the-wall-you-will-act-and-do-things-you-have/) [Sunday Adelaja](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sunday-adelaja/) > [If ur getting pushed away, dont hold on tighter. Letting go when ur getting pushed is the only way she will feel what its…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/hemantsmarty/if-ur-getting-pushed-away-dont-hold-on-tighter-letting-go-when-ur/) Hemantsmarty > [Where I come from you're not raised to think on your own. It's not that you're pushed to read the Bible. The Bible is…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/abel-ferrara/where-i-come-from-you-re-not-raised-to-think-on-your-own-it-s-not/) [Abel Ferrara](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/abel-ferrara/) ## More by Henry James > [Though there are some disagreeable things in Venice there is nothing so disagreeable as the visitors.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/henry-james/though-there-are-some-disagreeable-things-in-venice-there-is-nothing/) [Henry James](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/henry-james/) > [“In literature we move through a blest world in which we know nothing except by style, but in which everything is saved by it.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/henry-james/in-literature-we-move-through-a-blest-world-in-which-we-know-nothing/) [Henry James](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/henry-james/) > [“I shall stay here as long as I may, I don't want to think — I needn't think. I don't care for anything but…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/henry-james/i-shall-stay-here-as-long-as-i-may-i-don-t-want-to-think-i-needn-t/) [Henry James](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/henry-james/) > [“...It often seemed to her that she thought too much about herself, you could have made her blush any day of the year, by…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/henry-james/it-often-seemed-to-her-that-she-thought-too-much-about-herself-you/) [Henry James](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/henry-james/) > [“I reflected acutely that the sense of such differences, such superiorities of quality, always, on the part of the majority—which could include even stupid,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/henry-james/i-reflected-acutely-that-the-sense-of-such-differences-such/) [Henry James](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/henry-james/) > [“She had had a real fright but had fallen back to earth. The odd thing was that in her fall her fear too had…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/henry-james/she-had-had-a-real-fright-but-had-fallen-back-to-earth-the-odd-thing/) [Henry James](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/henry-james/) > [I ought to tell you I'm probably your cousin.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/henry-james/i-ought-to-tell-you-i-m-probably-your-cousin/) [Henry James](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/henry-james/) > [“She had never met a woman who had less of that fault which is the principal obstacle to friendship - the air of reproducing…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/henry-james/she-had-never-met-a-woman-who-had-less-of-that-fault-which-is-the/) [Henry James](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/henry-james/) > [London is on the whole the most possible form of life.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/henry-james/london-is-on-the-whole-the-most-possible-form-of-life/) [Henry James](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/henry-james/) > [If you have work to do, don't wait to feel like it; set to work and you will feel like it.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/henry-james/if-you-have-work-to-do-don-t-wait-to-feel-like-it-set-to-work-and-you/) [Henry James](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/henry-james/) > [“She answered that she liked standing up and”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/henry-james/she-answered-that-she-liked-standing-up-and/) [Henry James](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/henry-james/) > [It is no wonder he wins every game. He has never done a thing in his life exept play games](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/henry-james/it-is-no-wonder-he-wins-every-game-he-has-never-done-a-thing-in-his/) [Henry James](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/henry-james/) > [Make (the reader) think the evil, make him think it for himself, and you are released from weak specifications. My values are positively all…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/henry-james/make-the-reader-think-the-evil-make-him-think-it-for-himself-and-you/) [Henry James](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/henry-james/) > [“It was the air she wanted and the world she would now exclusively choose; the quiet chambers, nobly overwhelming, rich but slightly veiled, opened…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/henry-james/it-was-the-air-she-wanted-and-the-world-she-would-now-exclusively/) [Henry James](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/henry-james/) > [The time-honored bread-sauce of the happy ending.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/henry-james/the-time-honored-bread-sauce-of-the-happy-ending/) [Henry James](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/henry-james/) [Explore all 571 Henry James quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/henry-james/) ## More Jump quotes > [“When you jump, all you're going to do is fall. But leaping? Leaping is when you think there's something on the other side.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-levithan/when-you-jump-all-you-re-going-to-do-is-fall-but-leaping-leaping-is/) [David Levithan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-levithan/) > [“I didn’t say it just to get you to jump. I’m in love with you, Zane,” he admitted in a calm, clear voice. “I…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/madeleine-urban/i-didn-t-say-it-just-to-get-you-to-jump-i-m-in-love-with-you-zane-he/) [Madeleine Urban](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/madeleine-urban/) > [Life is like a parachute jump: you have to get it right the first time.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ritu-ghatourey/life-is-like-a-parachute-jump-you-have-to-get-it-right-the-first-time/) [Ritu Ghatourey](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ritu-ghatourey/) > [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/) > [As a movie fan, I remember Quentin Tarantino and Lawrence Bender and the sort of energy around 'Reservoir Dogs,' and the jump from 'Reservoir…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/oneohtrix-point-never/as-a-movie-fan-i-remember-quentin-tarantino-and-lawrence-bender-and/) [Oneohtrix Point Never](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/oneohtrix-point-never/) > [You have to jump into disaster with both feet.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/chuck-palahniuk/you-have-to-jump-into-disaster-with-both-feet/) [Chuck Palahniuk](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/chuck-palahniuk/) > [I prefer to just jump into something instead of put it on the back burner, and I suppose that's how I deal with most…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kate-bosworth/i-prefer-to-just-jump-into-something-instead-of-put-it-on-the-back/) [Kate Bosworth](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kate-bosworth/) > [I can jump ship and swim-- that the ocean will hold me, that there's got to be more than this boat I'm in.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ani-difranco/i-can-jump-ship-and-swim-that-the-ocean-will-hold-me-that-there-s-got/) [Ani DiFranco](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ani-difranco/) > [I think a lot of times people who jump from one movie to another don't enjoy their private life. It's a great way to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/andie-macdowell/i-think-a-lot-of-times-people-who-jump-from-one-movie-to-another-don/) [Andie MacDowell](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/andie-macdowell/) > [When all else hits the fan, I jump back onstage.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jamie-hector/when-all-else-hits-the-fan-i-jump-back-onstage/) [Jamie Hector](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jamie-hector/) > [My perfect day is to get up at 5:30 A.M., jump on my scooter and go to the beach.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/goldie/my-perfect-day-is-to-get-up-at-5-30-a-m-jump-on-my-scooter-and-go-to/) [Goldie](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/goldie/) > [I get startled really easily, so I hate horror films. I have to close my eyes when I think something is going to make…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/leigh-lezark/i-get-startled-really-easily-so-i-hate-horror-films-i-have-to-close/) [Leigh Lezark](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/leigh-lezark/) > [You get into your teens, now they can't hold you back. You jump to the next number, or even a few ahead.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/george-carlin/you-get-into-your-teens-now-they-can-t-hold-you-back-you-jump-to-the/) [George Carlin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/george-carlin/) > [If I'm not going to play a lot I'd like to have a chance to win every time I jump between the pipes.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/martin-brodeur/if-i-m-not-going-to-play-a-lot-i-d-like-to-have-a-chance-to-win-every/) [Martin Brodeur](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/martin-brodeur/) > [I know I'm a dog. I'm a beast especially when it comes to long jump.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/marquise-goodwin/i-know-i-m-a-dog-i-m-a-beast-especially-when-it-comes-to-long-jump/) [Marquise Goodwin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/marquise-goodwin/) Browse all 896 Jump quotes ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "if you are going to be pushed you had better jump", "creator": { "@type": "Person", "name": "Henry James" }, "isPartOf": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website" }, "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/henry-james/if-you-are-going-to-be-pushed-you-had-better-jump/", "about": { "@type": "Thing", "name": "Jump" }, "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/henry-james/if-you-are-going-to-be-pushed-you-had-better-jump/#quotation", "image": { "@type": "ImageObject", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/bc0/henry-james-417_jump_if-you-are-going-to-be-pushed-you-had-be_1447502.png", "contentUrl": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/bc0/henry-james-417_jump_if-you-are-going-to-be-pushed-you-had-be_1447502.png", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/bc0/henry-james-417_jump_if-you-are-going-to-be-pushed-you-had-be_1447502.png", "width": 1080, "height": 1080, "caption": "“if you are going to be pushed you had better jump” — Henry James", "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": "Henry James", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/henry-james/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 4, "name": "if you are going to be...", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/henry-james/if-you-are-going-to-be-pushed-you-had-better-jump/" } ], "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/henry-james/if-you-are-going-to-be-pushed-you-had-better-jump/#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 } } ] } ```