--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: If you're going to try to hold someone…" description: "\"“If you're going to try to hold someone down, make sure there's enough room at the bottom for you too.”\" — José N. Harris" image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/c8e/jos-n-harris-929_quote_if-you-re-going-to-try-to-hold-someone-d_1670090.jpg" --- # If you're going to try to hold someone down, make sure… ![“If you're going to try to hold someone down, make sure there's enough room at the bottom for you too.” quote by José N. Harris](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/c8e/jos-n-harris-929_quote_if-you-re-going-to-try-to-hold-someone-d_1670090.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/c8e/jos-n-harris-929_quote_if-you-re-going-to-try-to-hold-someone-d_1670090.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/c8e/jos-n-harris-929_quote_if-you-re-going-to-try-to-hold-someone-d_1670090.jpg) > ““If you're going to try to hold someone down, make sure there's enough room at the bottom for you too.”” [José N. Harris](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jos-n-harris/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. When trying to dominate others, ensure you also have space for your own vulnerability. **In simple terms:** Power dynamics require self‑care and humility. Key Takeaway Balance control with humility. Themes power humility vulnerability Mood thoughtful cautionary Type ethical motivational When to use this quote - management - relationships - conflict resolution Key Concepts ethical leadership self‑awareness Questions to Reflect On - How does seeking control affect your relationships? - What space do you need for your own growth? A Different Perspective Risk of neglecting others' autonomy while protecting self. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Going Try](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/going-try-248805/) [Hold](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/hold/) [Hold Make](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/hold-make-451870/) [Make Sure](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/make-sure-241601/) [Try Hold](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/try-hold-267779/) ## Related quotes > [“The thing about oppression is this: when you hold someone down, you, too, have to be there to make sure they don't move.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/darnell-lamont-walker/the-thing-about-oppression-is-this-when-you-hold-someone-down-you-too/) [Darnell Lamont Walker](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/darnell-lamont-walker/) > [You can hold onto anything to make you carry on.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sarah-winman/you-can-hold-onto-anything-to-make-you-carry-on/) [Sarah Winman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sarah-winman/) > [Well, one doesn't try to hold Cass and Denny and Michelle together. It's a useless task to start with. You just sort of stay…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-phillips/well-one-doesn-t-try-to-hold-cass-and-denny-and-michelle-together-it/) [John Phillips](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-phillips/) > [Never ever give up , try to hold on as much as you can ¥](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ritu/never-ever-give-up-try-to-hold-on-as-much-as-you-can/) [Ritu](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ritu/) > [Why is that every time I try to hold something dear and beautiful it has to slip away.?](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/why-is-that-every-time-i-try-to-hold-something-dear-and-beautiful-it/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [This is the truth about things: If you take something that isn't yours, it will never belong to you. You can try to hold…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/aryn-kyle/this-is-the-truth-about-things-if-you-take-something-that-isn-t-yours/) [Aryn Kyle](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/aryn-kyle/) > [“I don't hold back when I make love, Freckles, and I'll make sure you don't, so this is neither the place nor time to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ednah-walters/i-don-t-hold-back-when-i-make-love-freckles-and-i-ll-make-sure-you/) [Ednah Walters](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ednah-walters/) > [Here's my love, take it. Here's my soul, use it. Here's my heart, don't break it. Here's my hand, hold it and together we…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/here-s-my-love-take-it-here-s-my-soul-use-it-here-s-my-heart-don-t/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [Hold on, make it last. Hold on, never turn back.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/taylor-swift/hold-on-make-it-last-hold-on-never-turn-back/) [Taylor Swift](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/taylor-swift/) > [Seize the day, take hold of it, and make it whatever you want.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jessica-sorensen/seize-the-day-take-hold-of-it-and-make-it-whatever-you-want/) [Jessica Sorensen](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jessica-sorensen/) > [“Healthy Choices Hold still Keep quiet. Get a degree to learn how to talk saying nothing. Catch a good man by being demure. the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/janice-mirikitani/healthy-choices-hold-still-keep-quiet-get-a-degree-to-learn-how-to/) [Janice Mirikitani](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/janice-mirikitani/) > [You can try and hold me back. Build your damn walls, pack sandbags along the edges and yell at the clouds and the rain…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/you-can-try-and-hold-me-back-build-your-damn-walls-pack-sandbags/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [Everything changes. The more I try to hold on to the moment, the more it slips through my fingers.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dani-shapiro/everything-changes-the-more-i-try-to-hold-on-to-the-moment-the-more/) [Dani Shapiro](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dani-shapiro/) > [You can't lose what you serve. That's the secret. What you serve, you can't lose. What you don't serve and what you try to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/adyashanti/you-can-t-lose-what-you-serve-that-s-the-secret-what-you-serve-you/) [Adyashanti](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/adyashanti/) > [“You see, love doesn’t belong to anyone. You can’t force it on someone and you can’t take it away from someone. The more you…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kunal-nayyar/you-see-love-doesn-t-belong-to-anyone-you-can-t-force-it-on-someone/) [Kunal Nayyar](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kunal-nayyar/) ## More by José N. Harris > [“Muchos de los ángeles de Dios no tienen alas...”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jos-n-harris/muchos-de-los-ngeles-de-dios-no-tienen-alas/) [José N. Harris](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jos-n-harris/) > [“The best teacher is experience. Not by copying the answers off the kid sitting next to you...”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jos-n-harris/the-best-teacher-is-experience-not-by-copying-the-answers-off-the-kid/) [José N. Harris](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jos-n-harris/) > [“Fighting can be like champagne. It can go to the head of a coward as quickly as of a hero. Anyone has the ability…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jos-n-harris/fighting-can-be-like-champagne-it-can-go-to-the-head-of-a-coward-as/) [José N. Harris](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jos-n-harris/) > [“Amputees suffer itches, cramps and even severe pains in a leg that is no longer there. It can be the same with love...”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jos-n-harris/amputees-suffer-itches-cramps-and-even-severe-pains-in-a-leg-that-is/) [José N. Harris](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jos-n-harris/) > [“Make a wish, Open your eyes, Live your dream...”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jos-n-harris/make-a-wish-open-your-eyes-live-your-dream/) [José N. Harris](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jos-n-harris/) > [“Every woman is a living poem... Most men are limericks!”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jos-n-harris/every-woman-is-a-living-poem-most-men-are-limericks/) [José N. Harris](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jos-n-harris/) > [“I AM my Brother's Keeper!”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jos-n-harris/i-am-my-brother-s-keeper/) [José N. Harris](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jos-n-harris/) > [“Not all scars are visible. Regardless, they are usually painful when you first get them. But with time they might fade or they can…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jos-n-harris/not-all-scars-are-visible-regardless-they-are-usually-painful-when/) [José N. Harris](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jos-n-harris/) > [“The fastest runners don't always win the race and the greatest heroes don't always win the battles. But just keep running and fighting if…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jos-n-harris/the-fastest-runners-don-t-always-win-the-race-and-the-greatest-heroes/) [José N. Harris](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jos-n-harris/) > [“With having a strong faith, no one can snuff out our hope. Shoot me in the head with a gun and my blood will…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jos-n-harris/with-having-a-strong-faith-no-one-can-snuff-out-our-hope-shoot-me-in/) [José N. Harris](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jos-n-harris/) > [“There are moments in life, when just the right words, can be as powerful as acts.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jos-n-harris/there-are-moments-in-life-when-just-the-right-words-can-be-as/) [José N. Harris](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jos-n-harris/) > [“And the King will say, 'I tell you the truth, when you did it to one of the least of these my brothers and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jos-n-harris/and-the-king-will-say-i-tell-you-the-truth-when-you-did-it-to-one-of/) [José N. Harris](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jos-n-harris/) > [“Do not say I didn't loved you Do not say that I didn't give you, My love, body and soul. I gave my life…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jos-n-harris/do-not-say-i-didn-t-loved-you-do-not-say-that-i-didn-t-give-you-my/) [José N. Harris](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jos-n-harris/) > [“Just when you think you know everything you can about a person... surprise!”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jos-n-harris/just-when-you-think-you-know-everything-you-can-about-a-person/) [José N. Harris](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jos-n-harris/) > [“To not share a struggle or challenge you overcame is to betray it.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jos-n-harris/to-not-share-a-struggle-or-challenge-you-overcame-is-to-betray-it/) [José N. Harris](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jos-n-harris/) [Explore all 321 José N. Harris quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jos-n-harris/) ## More Hold quotes > [Like many other scientists who hold the Catholic faith, I see the Creator's plan and purpose fulfilled in our universe. I see a planet…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kenneth-r-miller/like-many-other-scientists-who-hold-the-catholic-faith-i-see-the/) [Kenneth R. Miller](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kenneth-r-miller/) > [See you in a few. Hold down the fort, Mr. Wong!](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/darynda-jones/see-you-in-a-few-hold-down-the-fort-mr-wong/) [Darynda Jones](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/darynda-jones/) > [Some of the things that we hold onto the most, are the things that we need to let go of.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ryaj-ablando-catayas/some-of-the-things-that-we-hold-onto-the-most-are-the-things-that-we/) [Ryaj Ablando Catayas](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ryaj-ablando-catayas/) > [As we go through this transition where a lot more people will be reading on devices, nobody is paying enough attention to make sure…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/james-patterson/as-we-go-through-this-transition-where-a-lot-more-people-will-be/) [James Patterson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/james-patterson/) > [Comerado, this is no book,Who touches this, touches a man,(Is it night? Are we here alone?)It is I you hold, and who holds you,I…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/walt-whitman/comerado-this-is-no-book-who-touches-this-touches-a-man-is-it-night/) [Walt Whitman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/walt-whitman/) > [I hold that religion and faith are two different things.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/pat-buckley/i-hold-that-religion-and-faith-are-two-different-things/) [Pat Buckley](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/pat-buckley/) > [I don't have any regrets or hold any grudge against anyone.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/cooper-kupp/i-don-t-have-any-regrets-or-hold-any-grudge-against-anyone/) [Cooper Kupp](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/cooper-kupp/) > [I do not chase after anyone if you wanna walk out my life then I will hold the fu\*\*\*\*g door open for you](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/wiz-khalifa/i-do-not-chase-after-anyone-if-you-wanna-walk-out-my-life-then-i-will/) [Wiz Khalifa](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/wiz-khalifa/) > [Be aware and hold the government accountable.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mohit-chauhan/be-aware-and-hold-the-government-accountable/) [Mohit Chauhan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mohit-chauhan/) > [“Only the sky above us do we hold in common.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alice-walker/only-the-sky-above-us-do-we-hold-in-common/) [Alice Walker](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alice-walker/) > [Just as Wall Street needs to break the hold of the bonus culture, which drives risk-taking that is rational for individuals but damaging to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/randy-schekman/just-as-wall-street-needs-to-break-the-hold-of-the-bonus-culture/) [Randy Schekman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/randy-schekman/) > [Hold tenderly that which you cherish, for it is precious and a tight grip may crush it. Do not let the fear of dropping…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bob-alberti/hold-tenderly-that-which-you-cherish-for-it-is-precious-and-a-tight/) [Bob Alberti](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bob-alberti/) > [Sometimes, I get afraid it has defined me, that sense of grief, loss and illness. But actually, it is about allowing myself to take…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/sometimes-i-get-afraid-it-has-defined-me-that-sense-of-grief-loss-and/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [“Eyes will not see you. Minds will not hold you. Where you are is nothing and nobody”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/neil-gaiman/eyes-will-not-see-you-minds-will-not-hold-you-where-you-are-is/) [neil Gaiman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/neil-gaiman/) > [You want to embrace, but I can't figure out how to hold on to it.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/adam-duritz/you-want-to-embrace-but-i-can-t-figure-out-how-to-hold-on-to-it/) [Adam Duritz](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/adam-duritz/) [Browse all 2,062 Hold quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/hold/) ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "“If you're going to try to hold someone down, make sure there's enough room at the bottom for you too.”", "creator": { "@type": "Person", "name": "José N. Harris" }, "isPartOf": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website" }, "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jos-n-harris/if-you-re-going-to-try-to-hold-someone-down-make-sure-there-s-enough/", "about": { "@type": "Thing", "name": "Hold" }, "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jos-n-harris/if-you-re-going-to-try-to-hold-someone-down-make-sure-there-s-enough/#quotation", "image": { "@type": "ImageObject", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/c8e/jos-n-harris-929_quote_if-you-re-going-to-try-to-hold-someone-d_1670090.jpg", "contentUrl": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/c8e/jos-n-harris-929_quote_if-you-re-going-to-try-to-hold-someone-d_1670090.jpg", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/c8e/jos-n-harris-929_quote_if-you-re-going-to-try-to-hold-someone-d_1670090.jpg", "width": 1080, "height": 1080, "caption": "“If you're going to try to hold someone down, make sure there's enough room at the bottom for you too.” — José N. Harris", "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": "José N. Harris", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jos-n-harris/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 4, "name": "“If you're going to try to...", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jos-n-harris/if-you-re-going-to-try-to-hold-someone-down-make-sure-there-s-enough/" } ], "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jos-n-harris/if-you-re-going-to-try-to-hold-someone-down-make-sure-there-s-enough/#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 } } ] } ```