--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: The fleas would jump and jump to heights…" description: "\"“The fleas would jump and jump to heights unknown. Then a man came along and upturned a glass jar over the fleas. The fleas jumped and hit the top of t..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/347/pierce-brown-1011_glass-ceiling_the-fleas-would-jump-and-jump-to-heights_1245202.jpg" --- # The fleas would jump and jump to heights unknown. Then a… ![“The fleas would jump and jump to heights unknown. Then a man came along and upturned a glass jar over the fleas. The fleas jumped and hit the top of the jar and could go no farther. Then the man removed the jar and yet the fleas did not jump higher than they had grown accustomed, because they…” quote by Pierce Brown](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/347/pierce-brown-1011_glass-ceiling_the-fleas-would-jump-and-jump-to-heights_1245202.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/347/pierce-brown-1011_glass-ceiling_the-fleas-would-jump-and-jump-to-heights_1245202.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/347/pierce-brown-1011_glass-ceiling_the-fleas-would-jump-and-jump-to-heights_1245202.jpg) > ““The fleas would jump and jump to heights unknown. Then a man came along and upturned a glass jar over the fleas. The fleas jumped and hit the top of the jar and could go no farther. Then the man removed the jar and yet the fleas did not jump higher than they had grown accustomed, because they believed there to still be a glass ceiling.”” [Pierce Brown](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/pierce-brown/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. A temporary boost can be mistaken for a permanent ceiling, limiting ambition after constraints are removed. **In simple terms:** False limits persist even after obstacles are gone. Key Takeaway Recognize and challenge self‑imposed limits. Themes ambition perception psychology growth limitations Mood inspirational thought‑provoking Type motivational philosophical When to use this quote - career planning - personal development - team goal setting - education curricula Key Concepts cognitive bias self‑fulfilling prophecy glass ceiling metaphor Questions to Reflect On - What “glass ceilings” do you accept without testing? - How can you test the reality of perceived limits? A Different Perspective People may underestimate their true potential without evidence. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Fleas Did](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/fleas-did-3903069/) [Fleas Jump](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/fleas-jump-530624/) [Fleas Jumped](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/fleas-jumped-3903067/) [Glass ceiling](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/glass-ceiling/) [Jar Farther](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/jar-farther-3903070/) [Jar Fleas](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/jar-fleas-3903068/) [Jump High](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/jump-high/) ## Related quotes > [Ambition and fleas both jump high](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/german-proverb/ambition-and-fleas-both-jump-high/) [German Proverb](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/german-proverb/) > [“And he said... ...when fleas jump ship, be careful of where the birds nest.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anthony-t-hincks/and-he-said-when-fleas-jump-ship-be-careful-of-where-the-birds-nest/) [Anthony T. Hincks](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anthony-t-hincks/) > [Thoughts, like fleas, jump from man to man. But they don't bite everybody.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/stanislaw-jerzy-lec/thoughts-like-fleas-jump-from-man-to-man-but-they-don-t-bite-everybody/) [Stanislaw Jerzy Lec](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/stanislaw-jerzy-lec/) > [I could have never been a high diver or a gymnast because I don't like subjectivity. I love where I'm faster than you,, or…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/shannon-sharpe/i-could-have-never-been-a-high-diver-or-a-gymnast-because-i-don-t/) [Shannon Sharpe](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/shannon-sharpe/) > [“Pulpits today are full of preachers telling one-legged people to jump higher and run faster. Musician Rich Mullins once wrote, “I have attended church…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tullian-tchividjian/pulpits-today-are-full-of-preachers-telling-one-legged-people-to-jump/) [Tullian Tchividjian](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tullian-tchividjian/) > [I've been blessed with the athleticism that I've got. I've worked a little bit to try and fine-tune certain aspects - my pace, leap,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dominic-calvert-lewin/i-ve-been-blessed-with-the-athleticism-that-i-ve-got-i-ve-worked-a/) [Dominic Calvert-Lewin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dominic-calvert-lewin/) > [What’s important is that you make the leap. Jump high and hard with intention and heart. Pay no mind to the vision that the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/cheryl-strayed/what-s-important-is-that-you-make-the-leap-jump-high-and-hard-with/) [Cheryl Strayed](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/cheryl-strayed/) > [“Shut one eye then the other Peek into every corner of yourself See that there are no nails no thieves See that there are…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/vasko-popa/shut-one-eye-then-the-other-peek-into-every-corner-of-yourself-see/) [Vasko Popa](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/vasko-popa/) > [The human spirit is indomitable. No one can ever say you must not run faster than this or jump higher than that. There will…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/roger-bannister/the-human-spirit-is-indomitable-no-one-can-ever-say-you-must-not-run/) [Roger Bannister](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/roger-bannister/) > [If obstacles are large, jump higher.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/steve-backley/if-obstacles-are-large-jump-higher/) [Steve Backley](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/steve-backley/) > [“It is important to fail in order to gain success. Even one needs to bend a little when about to jump high”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/laksh-kishore/it-is-important-to-fail-in-order-to-gain-success-even-one-needs-to/) [Laksh Kishore](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/laksh-kishore/) > [When Shane McMahon competes, you know he's going to jump off something high!](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/natalya-neidhart/when-shane-mcmahon-competes-you-know-he-s-going-to-jump-off-something/) [Natalya Neidhart](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/natalya-neidhart/) > [“Phase 3: Forgiveness As I shared in Chapter 7, forgiveness is critical to Blissipline and the peak states needed for extraordinary living. Here you’ll…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/vishen-lakhiani/phase-3-forgiveness-as-i-shared-in-chapter-7-forgiveness-is-critical/) [Vishen Lakhiani](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/vishen-lakhiani/) > [My leap is something that I've always had. I've always been able to jump high.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dominic-calvert-lewin/my-leap-is-something-that-i-ve-always-had-i-ve-always-been-able-to/) [Dominic Calvert-Lewin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dominic-calvert-lewin/) > [As a defender, you can be many shapes and sizes. You can be short and fast. Or you can be tall and jump high.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/fabio-cannavaro/as-a-defender-you-can-be-many-shapes-and-sizes-you-can-be-short-and/) [Fabio Cannavaro](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/fabio-cannavaro/) ## More by Pierce Brown > [“Where did you hear that song?" I ask her without sitting up. "From the HC," she says, blushing. "A little girl sang it. It's…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/pierce-brown/where-did-you-hear-that-song-i-ask-her-without-sitting-up-from-the-hc/) [Pierce Brown](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/pierce-brown/) > [“Men call him father, liberator, warlord, Slave King, Reaper. But he feels a boy as he falls toward the war-torn planet, his armor red,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/pierce-brown/men-call-him-father-liberator-warlord-slave-king-reaper-but-he-feels/) [Pierce Brown](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/pierce-brown/) > [“Even the cruel feel pain. And even the cruel can change. I hope this changes him. He could do so much, if only he…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/pierce-brown/even-the-cruel-feel-pain-and-even-the-cruel-can-change-i-hope-this/) [Pierce Brown](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/pierce-brown/) > [“The floor is made of condensed air, so we are suspended above a mile vertical drop.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/pierce-brown/the-floor-is-made-of-condensed-air-so-we-are-suspended-above-a-mile/) [Pierce Brown](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/pierce-brown/) > [“She said she would protect us…” I whisper. “Who?” “The Sovereign…” He’s silent for a long moment. “I know it may be impossible to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/pierce-brown/she-said-she-would-protect-us-i-whisper-who-the-sovereign-he-s-silent/) [Pierce Brown](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/pierce-brown/) > [“can nearly smell the pencil-shaving scent of him.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/pierce-brown/can-nearly-smell-the-pencil-shaving-scent-of-him/) [Pierce Brown](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/pierce-brown/) > [“Sometimes, little one, it’s best if the worlds think you a little mad.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/pierce-brown/sometimes-little-one-it-s-best-if-the-worlds-think-you-a-little-mad/) [Pierce Brown](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/pierce-brown/) > [“Snorting, Sevro drops back to where the legendary Obsidian, Sefi Volarus, stands in her customary silence. He feigns an air of domesticity, but next…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/pierce-brown/snorting-sevro-drops-back-to-where-the-legendary-obsidian-sefi/) [Pierce Brown](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/pierce-brown/) > [“And now that her dream has spread, he wonders if she would recognize it. And he wonders too if he were to die today,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/pierce-brown/and-now-that-her-dream-has-spread-he-wonders-if-she-would-recognize/) [Pierce Brown](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/pierce-brown/) > [“ 'And now I Carve the things I saw in my fever dreams, just as they always wished. I dreamed of you, I think.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/pierce-brown/and-now-i-carve-the-things-i-saw-in-my-fever-dreams-just-as-they/) [Pierce Brown](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/pierce-brown/) > [“All wounds heal. Even these." "That's a lie." I tell him. I'll never be healed of Eo. That pain will last forever. "Some things…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/pierce-brown/all-wounds-heal-even-these-that-s-a-lie-i-tell-him-i-ll-never-be/) [Pierce Brown](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/pierce-brown/) > [“I'm a sheep wearing wolves' clothing in a pack of wolves.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/pierce-brown/i-m-a-sheep-wearing-wolves-clothing-in-a-pack-of-wolves/) [Pierce Brown](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/pierce-brown/) > [“Sevro…are you going to be civil?” He shrugs. “Good enough.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/pierce-brown/sevro-are-you-going-to-be-civil-he-shrugs-good-enough/) [Pierce Brown](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/pierce-brown/) > [“New’ generally means someone’s just trying to make money off something old.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/pierce-brown/new-generally-means-someone-s-just-trying-to-make-money-off-something/) [Pierce Brown](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/pierce-brown/) > [“WE HURTLE LIKE A black thunderbolt over a pale waste of silicate dust and sulfur dioxide frost in a starship adorned with electric dragons.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/pierce-brown/we-hurtle-like-a-black-thunderbolt-over-a-pale-waste-of-silicate-dust/) [Pierce Brown](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/pierce-brown/) [Explore all 307 Pierce Brown quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/pierce-brown/) ## More Glass ceiling quotes > [The message I like to convey to women and girls across the globe is that there is no glass ceiling.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/venus-williams/the-message-i-like-to-convey-to-women-and-girls-across-the-globe-is/) [Venus Williams](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/venus-williams/) > [I never thought I was breaking a glass ceiling. I just had to do what I had to do, and it never occurred to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/marian-wright-edelman/i-never-thought-i-was-breaking-a-glass-ceiling-i-just-had-to-do-what/) [Marian Wright Edelman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/marian-wright-edelman/) > [I think, before Obama, there was a glass ceiling. That's a big change. As a president, I think he was the best. I felt…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jordan-peele/i-think-before-obama-there-was-a-glass-ceiling-that-s-a-big-change-as/) [Jordan Peele](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jordan-peele/) > [“In the words of Secretary Clinton, never doubt that you are valuable and powerful and deserving of every chance in the world to pursue…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/hillary-rodham-clinton/in-the-words-of-secretary-clinton-never-doubt-that-you-are-valuable/) [Hillary Rodham Clinton](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/hillary-rodham-clinton/) > [“There's no such thing as a glass ceiling for women. It's just a thick layer of men.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/laura-liswood/there-s-no-such-thing-as-a-glass-ceiling-for-women-it-s-just-a-thick/) [Laura Liswood](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/laura-liswood/) > [That rock and roll, eh? That rock and roll, it just won't go away. It might hibernate from time to time, sink back into…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alex-turner/that-rock-and-roll-eh-that-rock-and-roll-it-just-won-t-go-away-it/) [Alex Turner](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alex-turner/) > [The United Nations was the thing I wanted to work for. Like the United Nations Commission for Refugees is what I was interested in.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-gimlette/the-united-nations-was-the-thing-i-wanted-to-work-for-like-the-united/) [John Gimlette](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-gimlette/) > [I think we've broken a lot of barriers and kind of shattered our "glass ceiling" that was there for women. There are so many…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/miesha-tate/i-think-we-ve-broken-a-lot-of-barriers-and-kind-of-shattered-our/) [Miesha Tate](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/miesha-tate/) > [The glass ceiling doesn't apply when you're building your own house](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/heidi-roizen/the-glass-ceiling-doesn-t-apply-when-you-re-building-your-own-house/) [Heidi Roizen](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/heidi-roizen/) > [The best advice I can give women at all levels is increase training. There are still areas where we have to break through that…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/hilda-solis/the-best-advice-i-can-give-women-at-all-levels-is-increase-training/) [Hilda Solis](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/hilda-solis/) > [“On Nov. 8, 2016, we felt a sense of devastation, powerlessness, and disappointment that we had never felt before. So we cried. And then…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/hillary-rodham-clinton/on-nov-8-2016-we-felt-a-sense-of-devastation-powerlessness-and/) [Hillary Rodham Clinton](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/hillary-rodham-clinton/) > [Any time I broke through the 'glass ceiling' by accomplishing things that foreigners weren't apparently able to do, they've been huge personal victories and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kenny-omega/any-time-i-broke-through-the-glass-ceiling-by-accomplishing-things/) [Kenny Omega](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kenny-omega/) > [Although we weren't able to shatter that highest, hardest glass ceiling this time, thanks to you, it's got about 18 million cracks in it.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/hillary-clinton/although-we-weren-t-able-to-shatter-that-highest-hardest-glass/) [Hillary Clinton](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/hillary-clinton/) > [Things that used to be a glass ceiling aren't anymore. Now not only is it a possibility that women are going to main event…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/beth-phoenix/things-that-used-to-be-a-glass-ceiling-aren-t-anymore-now-not-only-is/) [Beth Phoenix](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/beth-phoenix/) > [“He stripped to his trunks, then dove into the pool. We all watched as he broke the surface and climbed from the water, his…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lee-nichols/he-stripped-to-his-trunks-then-dove-into-the-pool-we-all-watched-as/) [Lee Nichols](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lee-nichols/) [Browse all 97 Glass ceiling quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/glass-ceiling/) ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "“The fleas would jump and jump to heights unknown. Then a man came along and upturned a glass jar over the fleas. The fleas jumped and hit the top of the jar and could go no farther. Then the man removed the jar and yet the fleas did not jump higher than they had grown accustomed, because they believed there to still be a glass ceiling.”", "creator": { "@type": "Person", "name": "Pierce Brown" }, "isPartOf": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website" }, "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/pierce-brown/the-fleas-would-jump-and-jump-to-heights-unknown-then-a-man-came/", "about": { "@type": "Thing", "name": "Glass ceiling" }, "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/pierce-brown/the-fleas-would-jump-and-jump-to-heights-unknown-then-a-man-came/#quotation", "image": { "@type": "ImageObject", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/347/pierce-brown-1011_glass-ceiling_the-fleas-would-jump-and-jump-to-heights_1245202.jpg", "contentUrl": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/347/pierce-brown-1011_glass-ceiling_the-fleas-would-jump-and-jump-to-heights_1245202.jpg", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/347/pierce-brown-1011_glass-ceiling_the-fleas-would-jump-and-jump-to-heights_1245202.jpg", "width": 1080, "height": 1080, "caption": "“The fleas would jump and jump to heights unknown. Then a man came along and upturned a glass jar over the…” — Pierce Brown", "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": "Pierce Brown", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/pierce-brown/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 4, "name": "“The fleas would jump and jump...", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/pierce-brown/the-fleas-would-jump-and-jump-to-heights-unknown-then-a-man-came/" } ], "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/pierce-brown/the-fleas-would-jump-and-jump-to-heights-unknown-then-a-man-came/#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 } } ] } ```