--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: You can’t catch a creature like that…" description: "\"“You can’t catch a creature like that anymore than you can catch a person. You can only create an environment they might want to live in. The rest is u..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/a98/mary-campisi-12703_animals_you-can-t-catch-a-creature-like-that-any_358348.jpg" --- # You can’t catch a creature like that anymore than you can… ![“You can’t catch a creature like that anymore than you can catch a person. You can only create an environment they might want to live in. The rest is up to them.” quote by Mary Campisi](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/a98/mary-campisi-12703_animals_you-can-t-catch-a-creature-like-that-any_358348.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/a98/mary-campisi-12703_animals_you-can-t-catch-a-creature-like-that-any_358348.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/a98/mary-campisi-12703_animals_you-can-t-catch-a-creature-like-that-any_358348.jpg) > ““You can’t catch a creature like that anymore than you can catch a person. You can only create an environment they might want to live in. The rest is up to them.”” [Mary Campisi](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mary-campisi/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. Creating a supportive environment is essential; individuals must choose to engage themselves. **In simple terms:** Set the stage, then let people decide. Key Takeaway Design nurturing spaces for autonomy. Themes leadership environment agency Mood practical encouraging Type coaching motivational When to use this quote - workplace culture - educational settings - community projects - team building Key Concepts systems thinking behavioral design Questions to Reflect On - How can you foster an inviting environment? - What barriers prevent people from joining? A Different Perspective Environment alone may not change behavior; personal motivation matters. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Animals](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/animals/) [Whale](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/whale/) ## Related quotes > [If you're not willing to catch a person, then don't make a reason to make him/her fall for you.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mhargs-abuda/if-you-re-not-willing-to-catch-a-person-then-don-t-make-a-reason-to/) Mhargs Abuda > [It's not worth moving heaven and earth, spending billions of dollars just trying to catch one person.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mitt-romney/it-s-not-worth-moving-heaven-and-earth-spending-billions-of-dollars/) [Mitt Romney](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mitt-romney/) > [I suppose you could never explain to the most ingenous molusk that such a creature as a whale existed.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ralph-waldo-emerson/i-suppose-you-could-never-explain-to-the-most-ingenous-molusk-that/) [Ralph Waldo Emerson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ralph-waldo-emerson/) > [In 'Deadliest Catch,' we have men in ships in rough seas catching crabs. With 'Whale Wars,' we have men and women from a dozen…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/paul-watson/in-deadliest-catch-we-have-men-in-ships-in-rough-seas-catching-crabs/) [Paul Watson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/paul-watson/) > [“Oh, horrible vultureism of earth! from which not the mightiest whale is free.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/herman-melville/oh-horrible-vultureism-of-earth-from-which-not-the-mightiest-whale-is/) [Herman Melville](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/herman-melville/) > [People sometimes feel frustrated about what's going on in our oceans and environment, and 'Whale Wars' shows that ordinary people can take action and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/paul-watson/people-sometimes-feel-frustrated-about-what-s-going-on-in-our-oceans/) [Paul Watson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/paul-watson/) > [I'm a Pisces but I'd rather be a killa whale.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/andre-nickatina/i-m-a-pisces-but-i-d-rather-be-a-killa-whale/) [Andre Nickatina](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/andre-nickatina/) > [“book on Archimboldi, a book that might be the grand Archimboldian opus, the pilot fish that would swim for a long time beside the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/roberto-bola-o/book-on-archimboldi-a-book-that-might-be-the-grand-archimboldian-opus/) [Roberto Bolaño](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/roberto-bola-o/) > [ \[Footnote:\] Pliny the Elder described a Whale called "Balaena or Whirlpool, which is so long and broad as to take up more in length… ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/will-cuppy/footnote-pliny-the-elder-described-a-whale-called-balaena-or/) [Will Cuppy](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/will-cuppy/) > [“Once, in the South Atlantic, I saw a whaler in the process of killing a female accompanied by one of her offspring. The harpooner,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/friedrich-reck-malleczewen/once-in-the-south-atlantic-i-saw-a-whaler-in-the-process-of-killing-a/) [Friedrich Reck-Malleczewen](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/friedrich-reck-malleczewen/) > [Context is to data what water is to a dolphin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dan-simmons/context-is-to-data-what-water-is-to-a-dolphin/) [Dan Simmons](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dan-simmons/) > [“It's all in the opposition of the thumbs. For all we know, whales sing in three act plays—but they can't write them down.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bronwen-wallace/it-s-all-in-the-opposition-of-the-thumbs-for-all-we-know-whales-sing/) Bronwen Wallace > [“Whale oil beef hooked,”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/louise-penny/whale-oil-beef-hooked/) [Louise Penny](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/louise-penny/) > [Must whales and dolphins be subjected to deafening noise that will cause more than 3.5 million instances of temporary and/or permanent hearing loss? For…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/pierce-brosnan/must-whales-and-dolphins-be-subjected-to-deafening-noise-that-will/) [Pierce Brosnan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/pierce-brosnan/) > [I am glad The Worst Journey is coming out in Penguins: after all it is largely about penguins.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/apsley-cherry-garrard/i-am-glad-the-worst-journey-is-coming-out-in-penguins-after-all-it-is/) [Apsley Cherry-Garrard](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/apsley-cherry-garrard/) ## More by Mary Campisi > [“The man possessed a communal strength of body and soul, coupled with endless compassion and a desire to help the less fortunate of mind…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mary-campisi/the-man-possessed-a-communal-strength-of-body-and-soul-coupled-with/) [Mary Campisi](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mary-campisi/) > [“But it wasn’t the high foreheads, the flat noses, the half protrusion of thick lips that pulled Christine in, held her there, as she…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mary-campisi/but-it-wasn-t-the-high-foreheads-the-flat-noses-the-half-protrusion/) [Mary Campisi](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mary-campisi/) > [“here. I invented”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mary-campisi/here-i-invented/) [Mary Campisi](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mary-campisi/) > [“But God doesn’t make bad things happen or necessarily stop them from happening. What He does do is give us strength to understand and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mary-campisi/but-god-doesn-t-make-bad-things-happen-or-necessarily-stop-them-from/) [Mary Campisi](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mary-campisi/) > [“Anybody that’s ever loved has been hurt, some worse than others. Hearts ripped, trust gone, even hope tossed in the trash.” Those eyes grew…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mary-campisi/anybody-that-s-ever-loved-has-been-hurt-some-worse-than-others-hearts/) [Mary Campisi](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mary-campisi/) > [“A mother knows her children’s weaknesses, even if she sometimes refuses to acknowledge them.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mary-campisi/a-mother-knows-her-children-s-weaknesses-even-if-she-sometimes/) [Mary Campisi](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mary-campisi/) > [“It was true that one could be more alone with someone than by oneself.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mary-campisi/it-was-true-that-one-could-be-more-alone-with-someone-than-by-oneself/) [Mary Campisi](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mary-campisi/) > [“her form of prayer and her mother’s were not the same. Virginia Romano recited Hail Mary’s and Our Fathers, clicking rosary beads like a…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mary-campisi/her-form-of-prayer-and-her-mother-s-were-not-the-same-virginia-romano/) [Mary Campisi](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mary-campisi/) > [“S he had a nice ass”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mary-campisi/s-he-had-a-nice-ass/) [Mary Campisi](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mary-campisi/) > [“But a mother sees her child’s shortcomings, even if she doesn’t admit to them very often.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mary-campisi/but-a-mother-sees-her-child-s-shortcomings-even-if-she-doesn-t-admit/) [Mary Campisi](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mary-campisi/) > [“and France, that fancy education you’re so proud of.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mary-campisi/and-france-that-fancy-education-you-re-so-proud-of/) [Mary Campisi](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mary-campisi/) > [“We can try to catch moments with people we care about.” She thought of Cash and Tess, JJ, Riki. And Will. “Because in the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mary-campisi/we-can-try-to-catch-moments-with-people-we-care-about-she-thought-of/) [Mary Campisi](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mary-campisi/) > [“The Lord only gives us what we can handle and”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mary-campisi/the-lord-only-gives-us-what-we-can-handle-and/) [Mary Campisi](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mary-campisi/) > [“That was the problem with the whole goddamn world; nobody had balls enough to call a spade a spade. Dead was dead; it was…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mary-campisi/that-was-the-problem-with-the-whole-goddamn-world-nobody-had-balls/) [Mary Campisi](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mary-campisi/) > [“Laura handed Jenny a list the second day that she called “An Adult’s Survival Guide in a Kid’s World.” Lesson one: Peanut butter and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mary-campisi/laura-handed-jenny-a-list-the-second-day-that-she-called-an-adult-s/) [Mary Campisi](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mary-campisi/) [Explore all 53 Mary Campisi quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mary-campisi/) ## More Animals quotes > [I was 3-years-old - to this day it is a vivid memory. My family and I were on a boat, catching fish. As one…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/joaquin-phoenix/i-was-3-years-old-to-this-day-it-is-a-vivid-memory-my-family-and-i/) [Joaquin Phoenix](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/joaquin-phoenix/) > [Animals know nothing of themselves, and they also know nothing of the world.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/friedrich-nietzsche/animals-know-nothing-of-themselves-and-they-also-know-nothing-of-the/) [Friedrich Nietzsche](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/friedrich-nietzsche/) > [Humans are animals too, but some do not like to work from expectations.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mak-786/humans-are-animals-too-but-some-do-not-like-to-work-from-expectations/) Mak\_786 > [Practically all animals which move fast in a homogeneous medium have found means of giving their body a streamlined shape, thereby reducing friction to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/konrad-lorenz/practically-all-animals-which-move-fast-in-a-homogeneous-medium-have/) [Konrad Lorenz](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/konrad-lorenz/) > [“What does it mean to be a self-conscious animal? The idea is ludicrous, if it is not monstrous. It means to know that one…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ernest-becker/what-does-it-mean-to-be-a-self-conscious-animal-the-idea-is-ludicrous/) [Ernest Becker](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ernest-becker/) > [We must love animals in such a powerful way that we should reject to eat them!](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mehmet-murat-ildan/we-must-love-animals-in-such-a-powerful-way-that-we-should-reject-to/) [Mehmet Murat Ildan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mehmet-murat-ildan/) > [I bet plants go like 'Weeeeeeeee!' whenever they're swallowed by a giraffe.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/i-bet-plants-go-like-weeeeeeeee-whenever-they-re-swallowed-by-a/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [It’s a small thing to help one animal, but to that one animal it’s a big thing](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gene-baur/it-s-a-small-thing-to-help-one-animal-but-to-that-one-animal-it-s-a/) [Gene Baur](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gene-baur/) > [We animals are the most complicated things in the known universe.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/richard-dawkins/we-animals-are-the-most-complicated-things-in-the-known-universe/) [Richard Dawkins](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/richard-dawkins/) > [“All these creatures spend their time explaining, realizing happily that they agree with each other.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jean-paul-sartre/all-these-creatures-spend-their-time-explaining-realizing-happily/) [Jean-Paul Sartre](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jean-paul-sartre/) > [We're not very dangerous animals; we don't have a horn like a rhino or quills like a porcupine.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/helen-fisher/we-re-not-very-dangerous-animals-we-don-t-have-a-horn-like-a-rhino-or/) [Helen Fisher](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/helen-fisher/) > [We need, in a special way, to work twice as hard to help people understand that animals are fellow creatures, that we must protect…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/cesar-chavez/we-need-in-a-special-way-to-work-twice-as-hard-to-help-people/) [Cesar Chavez](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/cesar-chavez/) > [“Plenty of animals had pets, but few were more devoted than the mouse, who owned a baby corn snake—“A rescue snake, she’d be quick…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-sedaris/plenty-of-animals-had-pets-but-few-were-more-devoted-than-the-mouse/) [David Sedaris](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-sedaris/) > [No creature can attain a higher grade of nature without ceasing to exist.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ananda-coomaraswamy/no-creature-can-attain-a-higher-grade-of-nature-without-ceasing-to/) [Ananda Coomaraswamy](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ananda-coomaraswamy/) > [Most people are sensitized to animals through their cats and dogs, but for me it was a flounder. I used to go fishing with…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dan-mathews/most-people-are-sensitized-to-animals-through-their-cats-and-dogs-but/) [Dan Mathews](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dan-mathews/) [Browse all 6,813 Animals quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/animals/) ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "“You can’t catch a creature like that anymore than you can catch a person. You can only create an environment they might want to live in. 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