--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: Suppose you are a little, nimble guy…" description: "\"“Suppose you are a little, nimble guy being chased by a big, fat, bully. You open a door and find yourself in a staircase. Do you go up or down? I say ..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/079/paul-graham-7010_bullying_suppose-you-are-a-little-nimble-guy-bein_2604512.jpg" --- # Suppose you are a little, nimble guy being chased by a… ![“Suppose you are a little, nimble guy being chased by a big, fat, bully. You open a door and find yourself in a staircase. Do you go up or down? I say up. The bully can probably run downstairs as fast as you can. Going upstairs his bulk will be more of a disadvantage. Running upstairs is hard for…” quote by Paul Graham](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/079/paul-graham-7010_bullying_suppose-you-are-a-little-nimble-guy-bein_2604512.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/079/paul-graham-7010_bullying_suppose-you-are-a-little-nimble-guy-bein_2604512.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/079/paul-graham-7010_bullying_suppose-you-are-a-little-nimble-guy-bein_2604512.jpg) > ““Suppose you are a little, nimble guy being chased by a big, fat, bully. You open a door and find yourself in a staircase. Do you go up or down? I say up. The bully can probably run downstairs as fast as you can. Going upstairs his bulk will be more of a disadvantage. Running upstairs is hard for you but even harder for him.”” [Paul Graham](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/paul-graham/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. Choosing the upstairs path exploits a bully’s bulk, making escape easier despite effort. **In simple terms:** Take the higher route. Key Takeaway Choose advantage in conflict. Themes strategy conflict physics problem solving Mood analytical pragmatic Type advice strategic When to use this quote - escape plans - career moves - physical challenges Key Concepts game theory physics Questions to Reflect On - When is the higher route impractical? - How can you assess your advantage? A Different Perspective Physical constraints may differ; not always feasible. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Bullying](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/bullying/) ## Related quotes > [People who think my dad is a bully, you should probably just hang out with him for a day and see what happens.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lamelo-ball/people-who-think-my-dad-is-a-bully-you-should-probably-just-hang-out/) [LaMelo Ball](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lamelo-ball/) > [Actually I feel sorry for the bully because they probably don't have love and support at home.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/josh-flitter/actually-i-feel-sorry-for-the-bully-because-they-probably-don-t-have/) [Josh Flitter](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/josh-flitter/) > [Turning off the lights downstairs and running upstairs quickly so no one kills you.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/turning-off-the-lights-downstairs-and-running-upstairs-quickly-so-no/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [Turning off the lights downstairsand running upstairs so no one kills you.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/turning-off-the-lights-downstairsand-running-upstairs-so-no-one-kills/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [“I ran upstairs, loving, weeping. I will run downstairs, unloving, not weeping.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/fay-weldon/i-ran-upstairs-loving-weeping-i-will-run-downstairs-unloving-not/) [Fay Weldon](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/fay-weldon/) > [It's the silliness--the profligacy, and the silliness--that's so dizzying: a seven-year-old will run downstairs, kiss you hard, and then run back upstairs again, all…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/caitlin-moran/it-s-the-silliness-the-profligacy-and-the-silliness-that-s-so/) [Caitlin Moran](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/caitlin-moran/) > [My father when he saw something wrong, it didn't matter if it was 3 in the morning, 'Lisa-Raina-Ronald! Lisa-Raina-Ronald! Get down here NOW!' We…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lisa-left-eye/my-father-when-he-saw-something-wrong-it-didn-t-matter-if-it-was-3-in/) [Lisa Left Eye](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lisa-left-eye/) > [I just dont know why people stalk. like forreal why? it's a big waste of your time! and plus its called cyberstalking. which is…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/patience/i-just-dont-know-why-people-stalk-like-forreal-why-it-s-a-big-waste/) Patience > [I think everyone has been annoyed at school or in their life, that's a type of bullying. 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Once you’ve seen, you can no longer act like you don’t know. Open your eyes to the truth. It’s…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/vashti-quiroz-vega/don-t-turn-your-face-away-once-you-ve-seen-you-can-no-longer-act-like/) Vashti Quiroz-Vega > [I never caught on to being a bully.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nick-nolte/i-never-caught-on-to-being-a-bully/) [Nick Nolte](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nick-nolte/) > [When it comes to bullying small businesses, Donald Trump is the poster boy.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/hillary-clinton/when-it-comes-to-bullying-small-businesses-donald-trump-is-the-poster/) [Hillary Clinton](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/hillary-clinton/) ## More by Paul Graham > [“I'm not saying there's no such thing as genius. But if you're trying to choose between two theories and one gives you an excuse…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/paul-graham/i-m-not-saying-there-s-no-such-thing-as-genius-but-if-you-re-trying/) [Paul Graham](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/paul-graham/) > [“This is a good plan for life in general. If you have two choices, choose the harder. If you're trying to decide whether to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/paul-graham/this-is-a-good-plan-for-life-in-general-if-you-have-two-choices/) [Paul Graham](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/paul-graham/) > [“When I was a kid I was constantly being told to look at things from someone else’s point of view. 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So, you can take those feelings and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kodi-smit-mcphee/i-think-everyone-has-been-annoyed-at-school-or-in-their-life-that-s-a/) [Kodi Smit-McPhee](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kodi-smit-mcphee/) > [I just dont know why people stalk. like forreal why? it's a big waste of your time! and plus its called cyberstalking. which is…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/patience/i-just-dont-know-why-people-stalk-like-forreal-why-it-s-a-big-waste/) Patience > [Each Act of Parliament intended to address harassment and discrimination has faced objections on the basis of 'you'll never be able to prove...' and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tim-field/each-act-of-parliament-intended-to-address-harassment-and/) [Tim Field](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tim-field/) > [“Why I am Passionate and Dedicated 1000% to producing and bringing my books Loving Summer, Bitter Frost, and other book series to the Screen…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kailin-gow/why-i-am-passionate-and-dedicated-1000-to-producing-and-bringing-my/) [Kailin Gow](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kailin-gow/) > [ \[Putin\] is a bully. 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