---
title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: There’s an old adage: the sensation of…"
description: "\"“There’s an old adage: the sensation of drowning reminds you of everything you ever knew about swimming.”\" — Frederick Weisel"
image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/ffe/frederick-weisel-24855_drowning_there-s-an-old-adage-the-sensation-of-dr_1467921.jpg"
---

#  There’s an old adage: the sensation of drowning reminds…

![“There’s an old adage: the sensation of drowning reminds you of everything you ever knew about swimming.” quote by Frederick Weisel](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/ffe/frederick-weisel-24855_drowning_there-s-an-old-adage-the-sensation-of-dr_1467921.jpg)   [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/ffe/frederick-weisel-24855_drowning_there-s-an-old-adage-the-sensation-of-dr_1467921.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/ffe/frederick-weisel-24855_drowning_there-s-an-old-adage-the-sensation-of-dr_1467921.jpg)

> ““There’s an old adage: the sensation of drowning reminds you of everything you ever knew about swimming.””

[Frederick Weisel](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/frederick-weisel/)

## About This Quote

This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation.

The feeling of drowning highlights how crises reveal our true competence and knowledge.

**In simple terms:** Crises expose what we really know.

Key Takeaway

Use crises to assess and improve skills.

Themes

self-awareness growth adversity

Mood

introspective motivational

Type

philosophical inspirational

When to use this quote

- emergency response training
- personal development
- coaching sessions

Key Concepts

learning skill assessment resilience

Questions to Reflect On

- What does a crisis teach you about yourself?
- How can fear become a learning tool?

A Different Perspective

Overemphasis on fear may cause paralysis.

★ ★ ★ ★ ★   No ratings yet

[Frederick-weisel](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/frederick-weisel/) [Weisel](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/weisel/)

## Related quotes

> [“The thing about hitting bottom is that, in the middle of it, sometimes you don’t know if you’re really hitting bottom or just bouncing…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/frederick-weisel/the-thing-about-hitting-bottom-is-that-in-the-middle-of-it-sometimes/)

[Frederick Weisel](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/frederick-weisel/)

> [“Seth lay on a sofa. His large dirty work boots were defiantly planted on the sofa cushion, all his energy focused on smoking a…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/frederick-weisel/seth-lay-on-a-sofa-his-large-dirty-work-boots-were-defiantly-planted/)

[Frederick Weisel](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/frederick-weisel/)

> [“The problem with escaping is that we leave behind us, even among those we love, different versions of the truth and everything we couldn’t…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/frederick-weisel/the-problem-with-escaping-is-that-we-leave-behind-us-even-among-those/)

[Frederick Weisel](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/frederick-weisel/)

> [“Aren’t autobiographies born in a question we ask ourselves: how did I get to this point? Don’t we look back over the path and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/frederick-weisel/aren-t-autobiographies-born-in-a-question-we-ask-ourselves-how-did-i/)

[Frederick Weisel](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/frederick-weisel/)

> [“People are complicated,” she said. “Didn’t they teach you that in biography school?”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/frederick-weisel/people-are-complicated-she-said-didn-t-they-teach-you-that-in/)

[Frederick Weisel](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/frederick-weisel/)

> [“At first, he talked about the flowers in the garden behind his country house in Surrey. His voice still had its Midlands accent but…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/frederick-weisel/at-first-he-talked-about-the-flowers-in-the-garden-behind-his-country/)

[Frederick Weisel](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/frederick-weisel/)

> [“Take a seat, Charlie,” he said. “I’ll kill you in a few minutes. It’ll be good for you.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/frederick-weisel/take-a-seat-charlie-he-said-i-ll-kill-you-in-a-few-minutes-it-ll-be/)

[Frederick Weisel](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/frederick-weisel/)

> [“No single act is entirely redemptive, but all a fallen man has is the first step back.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/frederick-weisel/no-single-act-is-entirely-redemptive-but-all-a-fallen-man-has-is-the/)

[Frederick Weisel](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/frederick-weisel/)

> [“If they’re together long enough, every couple has one conversation over and over. This was ours.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/frederick-weisel/if-they-re-together-long-enough-every-couple-has-one-conversation/)

[Frederick Weisel](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/frederick-weisel/)

> [“Nico’s hair was combed straight up, stiff with mousse, the tips dyed the color of traffic cones.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/frederick-weisel/nico-s-hair-was-combed-straight-up-stiff-with-mousse-the-tips-dyed/)

[Frederick Weisel](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/frederick-weisel/)

> [“Every American autobiography, someone once said, is about one thing—escape. Look into the frightened heart of an American life, and you’ll find a compulsion…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/frederick-weisel/every-american-autobiography-someone-once-said-is-about-one-thing/)

[Frederick Weisel](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/frederick-weisel/)

> [“Anita Kleinman was a slight woman in her seventies. Her hair was thinning and white with a touch of pink, and was swept back…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/frederick-weisel/anita-kleinman-was-a-slight-woman-in-her-seventies-her-hair-was/)

[Frederick Weisel](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/frederick-weisel/)

> [“Sometimes we do terrible things to the ones we love just to see what harm we can cause.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/frederick-weisel/sometimes-we-do-terrible-things-to-the-ones-we-love-just-to-see-what/)

[Frederick Weisel](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/frederick-weisel/)

> [“What spares us is memory,” he said. “It’s what makes us worth saving. However low we sink, whatever promise we no longer fulfill, we…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/frederick-weisel/what-spares-us-is-memory-he-said-it-s-what-makes-us-worth-saving/)

[Frederick Weisel](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/frederick-weisel/)

> [“Sometimes, however much you plan, however many precautions you take, something happens, and in a minute the world is changed. After that, you’re the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/frederick-weisel/sometimes-however-much-you-plan-however-many-precautions-you-take/)

[Frederick Weisel](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/frederick-weisel/)

## More by Frederick Weisel

> [“The thing about hitting bottom is that, in the middle of it, sometimes you don’t know if you’re really hitting bottom or just bouncing…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/frederick-weisel/the-thing-about-hitting-bottom-is-that-in-the-middle-of-it-sometimes/)

[Frederick Weisel](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/frederick-weisel/)

> [“What spares us is memory,” he said. “It’s what makes us worth saving. However low we sink, whatever promise we no longer fulfill, we…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/frederick-weisel/what-spares-us-is-memory-he-said-it-s-what-makes-us-worth-saving/)

[Frederick Weisel](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/frederick-weisel/)

> [“Sometimes we do terrible things to the ones we love just to see what harm we can cause.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/frederick-weisel/sometimes-we-do-terrible-things-to-the-ones-we-love-just-to-see-what/)

[Frederick Weisel](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/frederick-weisel/)

> [“Anita Kleinman was a slight woman in her seventies. Her hair was thinning and white with a touch of pink, and was swept back…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/frederick-weisel/anita-kleinman-was-a-slight-woman-in-her-seventies-her-hair-was/)

[Frederick Weisel](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/frederick-weisel/)

> [“Every American autobiography, someone once said, is about one thing—escape. Look into the frightened heart of an American life, and you’ll find a compulsion…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/frederick-weisel/every-american-autobiography-someone-once-said-is-about-one-thing/)

[Frederick Weisel](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/frederick-weisel/)

> [“Nico’s hair was combed straight up, stiff with mousse, the tips dyed the color of traffic cones.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/frederick-weisel/nico-s-hair-was-combed-straight-up-stiff-with-mousse-the-tips-dyed/)

[Frederick Weisel](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/frederick-weisel/)

> [“If they’re together long enough, every couple has one conversation over and over. This was ours.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/frederick-weisel/if-they-re-together-long-enough-every-couple-has-one-conversation/)

[Frederick Weisel](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/frederick-weisel/)

> [“No single act is entirely redemptive, but all a fallen man has is the first step back.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/frederick-weisel/no-single-act-is-entirely-redemptive-but-all-a-fallen-man-has-is-the/)

[Frederick Weisel](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/frederick-weisel/)

> [“Take a seat, Charlie,” he said. “I’ll kill you in a few minutes. It’ll be good for you.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/frederick-weisel/take-a-seat-charlie-he-said-i-ll-kill-you-in-a-few-minutes-it-ll-be/)

[Frederick Weisel](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/frederick-weisel/)

> [“At first, he talked about the flowers in the garden behind his country house in Surrey. His voice still had its Midlands accent but…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/frederick-weisel/at-first-he-talked-about-the-flowers-in-the-garden-behind-his-country/)

[Frederick Weisel](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/frederick-weisel/)

> [“People are complicated,” she said. “Didn’t they teach you that in biography school?”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/frederick-weisel/people-are-complicated-she-said-didn-t-they-teach-you-that-in/)

[Frederick Weisel](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/frederick-weisel/)

> [“Aren’t autobiographies born in a question we ask ourselves: how did I get to this point? Don’t we look back over the path and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/frederick-weisel/aren-t-autobiographies-born-in-a-question-we-ask-ourselves-how-did-i/)

[Frederick Weisel](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/frederick-weisel/)

> [“The problem with escaping is that we leave behind us, even among those we love, different versions of the truth and everything we couldn’t…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/frederick-weisel/the-problem-with-escaping-is-that-we-leave-behind-us-even-among-those/)

[Frederick Weisel](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/frederick-weisel/)

> [“Seth lay on a sofa. His large dirty work boots were defiantly planted on the sofa cushion, all his energy focused on smoking a…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/frederick-weisel/seth-lay-on-a-sofa-his-large-dirty-work-boots-were-defiantly-planted/)

[Frederick Weisel](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/frederick-weisel/)

> [“Sometimes, however much you plan, however many precautions you take, something happens, and in a minute the world is changed. After that, you’re the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/frederick-weisel/sometimes-however-much-you-plan-however-many-precautions-you-take/)

[Frederick Weisel](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/frederick-weisel/)

[Explore all 24 Frederick Weisel quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/frederick-weisel/)

## More Drowning quotes

> [Our world is drowning in a sea of self-centeredness. You can make yourself quite unique right away by leaving this ocean of selfishness and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-bytheway/our-world-is-drowning-in-a-sea-of-self-centeredness-you-can-make/)

[John Bytheway](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-bytheway/)

> [The world around us is an increasingly hostile and sinful place. Occasionally that splashes onto us, and perhaps, in the case of a few…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jeffrey-r-holland/the-world-around-us-is-an-increasingly-hostile-and-sinful-place/)

[Jeffrey R. Holland](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jeffrey-r-holland/)

> [Beloved, let your eyes half close, and your heart beat Over my heart, and your hair fall over my breast, Drowning love's lonely hour…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/william-butler-yeats/beloved-let-your-eyes-half-close-and-your-heart-beat-over-my-heart/)

[William Butler Yeats](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/william-butler-yeats/)

> [“unsignificantly off the coast there was a splash quite unnoticed this was Icarus drowning”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/william-carlos-williams/unsignificantly-off-the-coast-there-was-a-splash-quite-unnoticed-this/)

[William Carlos Williams](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/william-carlos-williams/)

> [Here is the boy, drowning.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/patrick-ness/here-is-the-boy-drowning/)

[Patrick Ness](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/patrick-ness/)

> [You cannot sink someone else's end of the boat and still keep your own afloat.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/charles-bower/you-cannot-sink-someone-else-s-end-of-the-boat-and-still-keep-your/)

Charles Bower

> [You can swim in life and seawater, but both are hard to swallow.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/austin-o-malley/you-can-swim-in-life-and-seawater-but-both-are-hard-to-swallow/)

[Austin O'Malley](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/austin-o-malley/)

> [Why all these signs around us that make me doubt language and submerge me in meanings, drowning reality instead of extracting it from the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jean-luc-godard/why-all-these-signs-around-us-that-make-me-doubt-language-and/)

[Jean-Luc Godard](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jean-luc-godard/)

> [There are many ways to drown, only the most obvious wave their arms as they're going under.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nick-flynn/there-are-many-ways-to-drown-only-the-most-obvious-wave-their-arms-as/)

[Nick Flynn](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nick-flynn/)

> [I know that look, Blake. You are a drowning woman, and the only way out is down the aisle.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/laurell-k-hamilton/i-know-that-look-blake-you-are-a-drowning-woman-and-the-only-way-out/)

[Laurell K. Hamilton](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/laurell-k-hamilton/)

> [“Shame isn't a quiet grey cloud, shame is a drowning man who claws his way on top of you, scratching and tearing your skin,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kirsty-eagar/shame-isn-t-a-quiet-grey-cloud-shame-is-a-drowning-man-who-claws-his/)

[Kirsty Eagar](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kirsty-eagar/)

> [You are not drowned when u fall into the water but u are when you stay in there.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/psalmgreat/you-are-not-drowned-when-u-fall-into-the-water-but-u-are-when-you/)

Psalmgreat

> [“Sure, I wouldn’t be in range to do more than dial 911 if she slipped and hit her head and fell into the water…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/max-monroe/sure-i-wouldn-t-be-in-range-to-do-more-than-dial-911-if-she-slipped/)

[Max Monroe](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/max-monroe/)

> [I'm always looking for sounds that are pleasing at the time. The sound of a helicopter is really annoying until you're drowning, and it's…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tom-waits/i-m-always-looking-for-sounds-that-are-pleasing-at-the-time-the-sound/)

[Tom Waits](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tom-waits/)

> [I got to a point where I had no self-esteem and I just felt like I was drowning, and I had no way out.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/megan-anderson/i-got-to-a-point-where-i-had-no-self-esteem-and-i-just-felt-like-i/)

[Megan Anderson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/megan-anderson/)

Browse all 868 Drowning quotes

```json
{
    "@context": "https://schema.org",
    "@graph": [
        {
            "@type": "Quotation",
            "text": "“There’s an old adage: the sensation of drowning reminds you of everything you ever knew about swimming.”",
            "creator": {
                "@type": "Person",
                "name": "Frederick Weisel"
            },
            "isPartOf": {
                "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website"
            },
            "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/frederick-weisel/there-s-an-old-adage-the-sensation-of-drowning-reminds-you-of/",
            "about": {
                "@type": "Thing",
                "name": "Drowning"
            },
            "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/frederick-weisel/there-s-an-old-adage-the-sensation-of-drowning-reminds-you-of/#quotation",
            "image": {
                "@type": "ImageObject",
                "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/ffe/frederick-weisel-24855_drowning_there-s-an-old-adage-the-sensation-of-dr_1467921.jpg",
                "contentUrl": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/ffe/frederick-weisel-24855_drowning_there-s-an-old-adage-the-sensation-of-dr_1467921.jpg",
                "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/ffe/frederick-weisel-24855_drowning_there-s-an-old-adage-the-sensation-of-dr_1467921.jpg",
                "width": 1080,
                "height": 1080,
                "caption": "“There’s an old adage: the sensation of drowning reminds you of everything you ever knew about swimming.” — Frederick Weisel",
                "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": "Frederick Weisel",
                    "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/frederick-weisel/"
                },
                {
                    "@type": "ListItem",
                    "position": 4,
                    "name": "“There’s an old adage: the sensation...",
                    "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/frederick-weisel/there-s-an-old-adage-the-sensation-of-drowning-reminds-you-of/"
                }
            ],
            "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/frederick-weisel/there-s-an-old-adage-the-sensation-of-drowning-reminds-you-of/#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
            }
        }
    ]
}
```
