--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: The only way I survived, the only way I…" description: "\"“The only way I survived, the only way I got through it, was by staying busy and keeping my mind, when it can be, focused on my job.”\" — Joe Biden" image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/84a/joe-biden-454_psychology_the-only-way-i-survived-the-only-way-i-g_2990718.jpg" --- # The only way I survived, the only way I got through it… ![“The only way I survived, the only way I got through it, was by staying busy and keeping my mind, when it can be, focused on my job.” quote by Joe Biden](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/84a/joe-biden-454_psychology_the-only-way-i-survived-the-only-way-i-g_2990718.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/84a/joe-biden-454_psychology_the-only-way-i-survived-the-only-way-i-g_2990718.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/84a/joe-biden-454_psychology_the-only-way-i-survived-the-only-way-i-g_2990718.jpg) > ““The only way I survived, the only way I got through it, was by staying busy and keeping my mind, when it can be, focused on my job.”” [Joe Biden](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/joe-biden/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. Staying busy and focused on work helped survive difficult times. **In simple terms:** Busy work helped survive. Key Takeaway Use purposeful activity to cope. Themes resilience focus productivity Mood practical motivational Type advice self-help When to use this quote - job loss - personal crisis - mental health challenges - rehabilitation Key Concepts psychology of coping stress management Questions to Reflect On - What tasks keep you meaningfully engaged? - How does focus affect emotional health? A Different Perspective May neglect emotional processing. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Busy Keeping](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/busy-keeping-1588947/) [Keeping Mind](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/keeping-mind-720154/) [Psychology](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/psychology/) [Staying Busy](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/staying-busy-1839390/) [Survived Way](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/survived-way-4699448/) [Way Survived](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/way-survived-4699447/) ## Related quotes > [“Each of us had reached Eden in our own way.  Those who had survived the Fall had figured out that it wasn’t safe to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/keary-taylor/each-of-us-had-reached-eden-in-our-own-way-those-who-had-survived-the/) [Keary Taylor](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/keary-taylor/) > [I was always into staying busy, into my goals, into making notes and planning. I'm not one who truly lives in the past.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/richard-simmons/i-was-always-into-staying-busy-into-my-goals-into-making-notes-and/) [Richard Simmons](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/richard-simmons/) > [I'm staying busy & focus you guys but know that you all are the reason I'm on my grind to get you this new music.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/fantasia-barrino/i-m-staying-busy-focus-you-guys-but-know-that-you-all-are-the-reason/) [Fantasia Barrino](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/fantasia-barrino/) > [I've always been really good at staying busy. Even while I'm working, I'm looking at what the next thing is.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/brian-posehn/i-ve-always-been-really-good-at-staying-busy-even-while-i-m-working-i/) [Brian Posehn](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/brian-posehn/) > [“It's good you have something to keep you occupied." I smile stiffly and turn away from her. Because I'm this far from asking what…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nicole-hardy/it-s-good-you-have-something-to-keep-you-occupied-i-smile-stiffly-and/) [Nicole Hardy](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nicole-hardy/) > [I felt very accomplished staying busy in prison.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/michael-sorrentino/i-felt-very-accomplished-staying-busy-in-prison/) [Michael Sorrentino](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/michael-sorrentino/) > [Staying busy keeps me away from being bored, which used to be a lot of my problem.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kirk-windstein/staying-busy-keeps-me-away-from-being-bored-which-used-to-be-a-lot-of/) [Kirk Windstein](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kirk-windstein/) > [Probably the most important thing in terms of just trying to navigate and moving forward into adulthood is staying busy.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/zelda-williams/probably-the-most-important-thing-in-terms-of-just-trying-to-navigate/) [Zelda Williams](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/zelda-williams/) > [A totalitarian power is mainly busy in keeping itself alive.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/svetlana-alexievich/a-totalitarian-power-is-mainly-busy-in-keeping-itself-alive/) [Svetlana Alexievich](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/svetlana-alexievich/) > [I tried to keep us together, you were busy keeping secrets](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/drake/i-tried-to-keep-us-together-you-were-busy-keeping-secrets/) [Drake](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/drake/) > [I tried to keep us together , you was to busy keeping secrets](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/drake/i-tried-to-keep-us-together-you-was-to-busy-keeping-secrets/) [Drake](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/drake/) > [“I am so busy keeping my head above water that I scarcely know who I am, much less who anyone else is.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sylvia-plath/i-am-so-busy-keeping-my-head-above-water-that-i-scarcely-know-who-i/) [Sylvia Plath](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sylvia-plath/) > [I Tried To Keep Us Together But You Was Busy Keeping Secrets](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kevin/i-tried-to-keep-us-together-but-you-was-busy-keeping-secrets/) [Kevin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kevin/) > [I tried to keep us together, but, you were busy keeping secrets.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/i-tried-to-keep-us-together-but-you-were-busy-keeping-secrets/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [“It was more that he did better being busy, keeping to a routine. It helped hold the black dogs of thought at bay. Also…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ellen-airgood/it-was-more-that-he-did-better-being-busy-keeping-to-a-routine-it/) [Ellen Airgood](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ellen-airgood/) ## More by Joe Biden > [Success will come when the societal attitude changes and not a single woman in America asks herself the question 'What did I do?'.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/joe-biden/success-will-come-when-the-societal-attitude-changes-and-not-a-single/) [Joe Biden](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/joe-biden/) > [I always kid the president in different circumstances. Mr. President, a country's never going to be more optimistic than the president.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/joe-biden/i-always-kid-the-president-in-different-circumstances-mr-president-a/) [Joe Biden](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/joe-biden/) > [Anybody who pretends that how you read the 10th and 11th Amendment doesn't have a fundamental impact on the things we care about is…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/joe-biden/anybody-who-pretends-that-how-you-read-the-10th-and-11th-amendment/) [Joe Biden](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/joe-biden/) > [“He wanted me to understand two big things: First, that nobody, no group, is above others. Public servants are obliged to level with everybody,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/joe-biden/he-wanted-me-to-understand-two-big-things-first-that-nobody-no-group/) [Joe Biden](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/joe-biden/) > [Don't hold against me that I don't own - that I don't own a single stock or bond. Don't hold it - I have…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/joe-biden/don-t-hold-against-me-that-i-don-t-own-that-i-don-t-own-a-single/) [Joe Biden](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/joe-biden/) > [“True bravery is when there is very little chance of winning, but you keep fighting.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/joe-biden/true-bravery-is-when-there-is-very-little-chance-of-winning-but-you/) [Joe Biden](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/joe-biden/) > [No public funding for abortion; it imposes a view.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/joe-biden/no-public-funding-for-abortion-it-imposes-a-view/) [Joe Biden](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/joe-biden/) > [I've known and continue to know every one of these major world leaders by their first names, and I have access to them.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/joe-biden/i-ve-known-and-continue-to-know-every-one-of-these-major-world/) [Joe Biden](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/joe-biden/) > [We are working to deploy a powerful new radar network with American early warning systems,](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/joe-biden/we-are-working-to-deploy-a-powerful-new-radar-network-with-american/) [Joe Biden](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/joe-biden/) > [I'm joking, I'm joking. Best decision I ever made.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/joe-biden/i-m-joking-i-m-joking-best-decision-i-ever-made/) [Joe Biden](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/joe-biden/) > [ Somalis have made my city of Wilmington, Delaware, \[their home\] on a smaller scale. There is a large, very identifiable Somali community, i might… ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/joe-biden/somalis-have-made-my-city-of-wilmington-delaware-their-home-on-a/) [Joe Biden](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/joe-biden/) > [“And don’t any of you, by the way, any of you guys vote Republican. 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I feel as though I am going out of…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/do-you-think-that-god-would-separate-me-from-my-husband-if-i-killed/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [Never underestimate the power of the human mind to believe what it wants to believe, no matter the conflicting evidence.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/brian-herbert/never-underestimate-the-power-of-the-human-mind-to-believe-what-it/) [Brian Herbert](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/brian-herbert/) > [This is a proof of a well-trained mind, to rejoice in what is good and to grieve at the opposite.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/marcus-tullius-cicero/this-is-a-proof-of-a-well-trained-mind-to-rejoice-in-what-is-good-and/) [Marcus Tullius Cicero](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/marcus-tullius-cicero/) > [“I had nowhere to go and did not wish to be seen by anyone for fear they would recognize my sadness and so for…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/patrick-dewitt/i-had-nowhere-to-go-and-did-not-wish-to-be-seen-by-anyone-for-fear/) [Patrick deWitt](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/patrick-dewitt/) > [We instantly believe everything we think. 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