--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: We have sat on the river bank and caught…" description: "\"We have sat on the river bank and caught catfish with pin hooks. The time has come to harpoon a whale.\" — John Hope" image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/81d/john-hope-60458_bank_we-have-sat-on-the-river-bank-and-caught_1393804.jpg" --- # We have sat on the river bank and caught catfish with pin… ![“We have sat on the river bank and caught catfish with pin hooks. The time has come to harpoon a whale.” quote by John Hope](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/81d/john-hope-60458_bank_we-have-sat-on-the-river-bank-and-caught_1393804.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/81d/john-hope-60458_bank_we-have-sat-on-the-river-bank-and-caught_1393804.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/81d/john-hope-60458_bank_we-have-sat-on-the-river-bank-and-caught_1393804.jpg) > “We have sat on the river bank and caught catfish with pin hooks. The time has come to harpoon a whale.” [John Hope](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-hope/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. The quote contrasts modest past successes with an upcoming massive challenge, urging bold action. **In simple terms:** Small successes vs. huge challenge. Key Takeaway Embrace larger ambitions. Themes ambition challenge growth Mood determined serious Type motivational strategic When to use this quote - business expansion - environmental activism - personal goals - team leadership Key Concepts risk assessment scale vision Questions to Reflect On - Are you ready for the next scale? - What resources are needed? A Different Perspective Large tasks may exceed resources or expertise. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Fish](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/fish/) [Harpoon](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/harpoon/) [Pin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/pin/) [River](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/river/) [Time](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/time/) [Whale](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/whale/) ## Related quotes > [I always loved hitting a low fade to a back-right pin with the wind howling from the right. Not many guys could get it…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lee-trevino/i-always-loved-hitting-a-low-fade-to-a-back-right-pin-with-the-wind/) [Lee Trevino](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lee-trevino/) > [As children, we dug for worms or we used crawdads for bait. We caught catfish, or crappies, a delicous fish.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anita-bryant/as-children-we-dug-for-worms-or-we-used-crawdads-for-bait-we-caught/) [Anita Bryant](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anita-bryant/) > [On the day I was signed, Mr. Finley, the owner of the Athletics at that time came up to me and said, 'When you…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/catfish-hunter/on-the-day-i-was-signed-mr-finley-the-owner-of-the-athletics-at-that/) [Catfish Hunter](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/catfish-hunter/) > [“The heroic and often tragic stories of American whalemen were renowned. They sailed the world’s oceans and brought back tales filled with bravery, perseverance,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/eric-jay-dolin/the-heroic-and-often-tragic-stories-of-american-whalemen-were/) Eric Jay Dolin > [“American whale oil lit the world. It was used in the production of soap, textiles, leather, paints, and varnishes, and it lubricated the tools…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/eric-jay-dolin/american-whale-oil-lit-the-world-it-was-used-in-the-production-of/) Eric Jay Dolin > [So I'm at the wailing wall, standing there like a moron, with my harpoon.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/emo-philips/so-i-m-at-the-wailing-wall-standing-there-like-a-moron-with-my-harpoon/) [Emo Philips](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/emo-philips/) > [Have you tried to drive a harpoon through a body? No? Tut, tut, my dear sir, you must really pay attention to these details.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/arthur-conan-doyle/have-you-tried-to-drive-a-harpoon-through-a-body-no-tut-tut-my-dear/) [Arthur Conan Doyle](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/arthur-conan-doyle/) > [“fifty years ago did Nathan Swain kill fifteen whales between a sunrise and a sunset. And that harpoon—so like a corkscrew now—was flung”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/herman-melville/fifty-years-ago-did-nathan-swain-kill-fifteen-whales-between-a/) [Herman Melville](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/herman-melville/) > [Tell me what it is, or prepare to eat harpoon.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/tell-me-what-it-is-or-prepare-to-eat-harpoon/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [You know what really keeps your staff on their toes? A harpoon gun.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/daniel-tosh/you-know-what-really-keeps-your-staff-on-their-toes-a-harpoon-gun/) [Daniel Tosh](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/daniel-tosh/) > [Nothing kills passion faster than an exploding harpoon in the guts](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lara-flores/nothing-kills-passion-faster-than-an-exploding-harpoon-in-the-guts/) [Lara Flores](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lara-flores/) > [“Never approach a crying woman entering a sports bar carrying a harpoon gun.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/george-carlin/never-approach-a-crying-woman-entering-a-sports-bar-carrying-a/) [George Carlin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/george-carlin/) > [I understand why it's hard to pin me down because I really relate to so many things. Like, for example, when people ask me…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lindsay-pearce/i-understand-why-it-s-hard-to-pin-me-down-because-i-really-relate-to/) [Lindsay Pearce](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lindsay-pearce/) > [Most of the roles that I go for are Americans, so the first thing I had to do was pin down the American accent…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sasha-jackson/most-of-the-roles-that-i-go-for-are-americans-so-the-first-thing-i/) [Sasha Jackson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sasha-jackson/) > [I know how to come off a handoff and a pin down.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jamal-murray/i-know-how-to-come-off-a-handoff-and-a-pin-down/) [Jamal Murray](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jamal-murray/) ## More by John Hope > [If money, education, and honesty will not bring to me as much privilege, as much equality as they bring to any American citizen, then…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-hope/if-money-education-and-honesty-will-not-bring-to-me-as-much-privilege/) [John Hope](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-hope/) > [We must get beyond textbooks, go out into the bypaths... and tell the world the glories of our journey.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-hope/we-must-get-beyond-textbooks-go-out-into-the-bypaths-and-tell-the/) [John Hope](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-hope/) > [Dissatisfaction with possession and achievement is one of the requisites to further achievement.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-hope/dissatisfaction-with-possession-and-achievement-is-one-of-the/) [John Hope](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-hope/) > [I grew up thinking that you were supposed to read and write all your waking hours.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-hope/i-grew-up-thinking-that-you-were-supposed-to-read-and-write-all-your/) [John Hope](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-hope/) [Explore all 5 John Hope quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-hope/) ## More Bank quotes > [It isn't what a man's got in the bank, but what he's got in his head, that makes him a great merchant.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/george-horace-lorimer/it-isn-t-what-a-man-s-got-in-the-bank-but-what-he-s-got-in-his-head/) [George Horace Lorimer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/george-horace-lorimer/) > [My aim was to make money for the bank. 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They can be closed quickly by the Israeli forces, and everything stops in…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/hassan-nasrallah/you-can-look-at-the-west-bank-cities-are-like-prisons-they-can-be/) [Hassan Nasrallah](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/hassan-nasrallah/) > [What we prefer to do is operate our investment bank in a way that is like what investment banks used to be, which is…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/warren-stephens/what-we-prefer-to-do-is-operate-our-investment-bank-in-a-way-that-is/) [Warren Stephens](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/warren-stephens/) > [The situation in the West Bank and Gaza involves a military occupation amid urban guerrilla warfare, analogous to the British security measures in Northern…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jack-schwartz/the-situation-in-the-west-bank-and-gaza-involves-a-military/) [Jack Schwartz](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jack-schwartz/) > [Remember, your bank will never call and ask you to hand over account numbers or say you must swap money from one account to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/angela-rippon/remember-your-bank-will-never-call-and-ask-you-to-hand-over-account/) [Angela Rippon](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/angela-rippon/) > [I couldn't be working in a bank and launch a clothing line. It's only because cinema gave me a lot of access that I…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/vijay-deverakonda/i-couldn-t-be-working-in-a-bank-and-launch-a-clothing-line-it-s-only/) [Vijay Deverakonda](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/vijay-deverakonda/) > [If there is a risk in a bank, our first question should be 'Okay, what are you in the bank going to do about…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jeroen-dijsselbloem/if-there-is-a-risk-in-a-bank-our-first-question-should-be-okay-what/) [Jeroen Dijsselbloem](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jeroen-dijsselbloem/) > [With post offices and postal workers already on the ground, USPS could partner with banks to make a critical difference for millions of Americans…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/elizabeth-warren/with-post-offices-and-postal-workers-already-on-the-ground-usps-could/) [Elizabeth Warren](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/elizabeth-warren/) > [True wealth is not measured by how much money you've got in the bank or how many toys you've got. Some of the happiest…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rashad-evans/true-wealth-is-not-measured-by-how-much-money-you-ve-got-in-the-bank/) [Rashad Evans](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rashad-evans/) > [I might have added zeros to my bank balance and followers to my Instagram account, but apart from that, I still lead a middle-class…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/vikrant-massey/i-might-have-added-zeros-to-my-bank-balance-and-followers-to-my/) [Vikrant Massey](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/vikrant-massey/) > [Monetary policy transmission encompasses the whole continuum of interest rates; of course, the central bank only determines the overnight policy rate.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/urjit-patel/monetary-policy-transmission-encompasses-the-whole-continuum-of/) [Urjit Patel](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/urjit-patel/) > [I actually love Twitter and Instagram. 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