--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: You can't really be strong until you can…" description: "\"“You can't really be strong until you can see a funny side to things.”\" — Ken Kesey" image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/b17/ken-kesey-1034_comedy_you-can-t-really-be-strong-until-you-can_883755.png" --- # You can't really be strong until you can see a funny side… ![“You can't really be strong until you can see a funny side to things.” quote by Ken Kesey](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/b17/ken-kesey-1034_comedy_you-can-t-really-be-strong-until-you-can_883755.png) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/b17/ken-kesey-1034_comedy_you-can-t-really-be-strong-until-you-can_883755.png) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/b17/ken-kesey-1034_comedy_you-can-t-really-be-strong-until-you-can_883755.png) > ““You can't really be strong until you can see a funny side to things.”” [Ken Kesey](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ken-kesey/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. Strength grows when we can find humor in adversity, allowing resilience and perspective. **In simple terms:** Humor builds inner strength. Key Takeaway Seek humor in tough moments. Themes resilience humor strength Mood lighthearted reflective Type motivational philosophical When to use this quote - stressful work - personal loss - health challenges - conflict resolution Key Concepts psychology coping mechanisms Questions to Reflect On - How does humor change your reaction to stress? - When might seriousness be more appropriate? A Different Perspective Humor may mask deeper issues if overused. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Comedy](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/comedy/) [Funny](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/funny/) [Funny things](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/funny-things/) [Really Strong](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/really-strong/) [Strength](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/strength/) [Strong](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/strong/) [Strong Funny](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/strong-funny-1078988/) ## Related quotes > [You can't really be strong until you see a funny side to things.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ken-kesey/you-can-t-really-be-strong-until-you-see-a-funny-side-to-things/) [Ken Kesey](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ken-kesey/) > [“He knew you can't really be strong until you can see a funny side of things.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ken-kesey/he-knew-you-can-t-really-be-strong-until-you-can-see-a-funny-side-of/) [Ken Kesey](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ken-kesey/) > [“Be kind. Be strong. Be funny when you can.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-curley/be-kind-be-strong-be-funny-when-you-can/) [John Curley](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-curley/) > [Most of my really strong friendships are with people I've known all my life.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bel-powley/most-of-my-really-strong-friendships-are-with-people-i-ve-known-all/) [Bel Powley](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bel-powley/) > [I always watched a lot of English football. It has always been really strong.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/fred/i-always-watched-a-lot-of-english-football-it-has-always-been-really/) [Fred](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/fred/) > [I think it's amazing how Ramadan can make you really strong.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kolo-toure/i-think-it-s-amazing-how-ramadan-can-make-you-really-strong/) [Kolo Toure](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kolo-toure/) > [That was probably the stamp that went into my mind, because I worked in television for many years, doing that kind of music, so…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/skitch-henderson/that-was-probably-the-stamp-that-went-into-my-mind-because-i-worked/) [Skitch Henderson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/skitch-henderson/) > [I have a really strong passion for what I do. I don’t see myself doing anything else.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/zendaya/i-have-a-really-strong-passion-for-what-i-do-i-don-t-see-myself-doing/) [Zendaya](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/zendaya/) > [I think that all of the deep, intense things, a lot of different abuse, and all kinds of crazy stuff - I think it…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/maria-brink/i-think-that-all-of-the-deep-intense-things-a-lot-of-different-abuse/) [Maria Brink](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/maria-brink/) > [What you have to become is really strong in what you do. That's the point of building a team. You don't know any other…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nuno-espirito-santo/what-you-have-to-become-is-really-strong-in-what-you-do-that-s-the/) [Nuno Espirito Santo](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nuno-espirito-santo/) > [Those emotions that are really strong, the ones that inspire a song, you can hold onto that. You can let it marinate for years…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/frankie-cosmos/those-emotions-that-are-really-strong-the-ones-that-inspire-a-song/) [Frankie Cosmos](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/frankie-cosmos/) > [I think were all really strong and we just need to keep working really hard. If we go out there and do our best…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/carly-patterson/i-think-were-all-really-strong-and-we-just-need-to-keep-working/) [Carly Patterson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/carly-patterson/) > [Failure is a really strong word.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/emma-hayes/failure-is-a-really-strong-word/) [Emma Hayes](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/emma-hayes/) > [The period right before punk rock where people like Lou Reed and Iggy Pop were really strong.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/arto-lindsay/the-period-right-before-punk-rock-where-people-like-lou-reed-and-iggy/) [Arto Lindsay](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/arto-lindsay/) > [The media can be a really strong vehicle.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/cecilia-bartoli/the-media-can-be-a-really-strong-vehicle/) [Cecilia Bartoli](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/cecilia-bartoli/) ## More by Ken Kesey > [“Time overlaps itself. A breath breathed from a passing breeze is not the whole wind, neither is it just the last of what has…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ken-kesey/time-overlaps-itself-a-breath-breathed-from-a-passing-breeze-is-not/) [Ken Kesey](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ken-kesey/) > [The Grateful Dead are faster than light drive.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ken-kesey/the-grateful-dead-are-faster-than-light-drive/) [Ken Kesey](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ken-kesey/) > [“Okay, stand outa the way. Sometimes when I go to exertin' myself I use up all the air nearby and grown men faint from…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ken-kesey/okay-stand-outa-the-way-sometimes-when-i-go-to-exertin-myself-i-use/) [Ken Kesey](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ken-kesey/) > [The frontiers we broke into in the '60s are still largely unexplored.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ken-kesey/the-frontiers-we-broke-into-in-the-60s-are-still-largely-unexplored/) [Ken Kesey](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ken-kesey/) > [There's something about taking a plow and breaking new ground. It gives you energy.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ken-kesey/there-s-something-about-taking-a-plow-and-breaking-new-ground-it/) [Ken Kesey](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ken-kesey/) > [The best of all possible cages.' Ben stepped back to regard the job with a sad smile. 'What more can one ask?](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ken-kesey/the-best-of-all-possible-cages-ben-stepped-back-to-regard-the-job/) [Ken Kesey](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ken-kesey/) > [Your trouble is, you keep trying to unscrew the unscrutable.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ken-kesey/your-trouble-is-you-keep-trying-to-unscrew-the-unscrutable/) [Ken Kesey](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ken-kesey/) > [That ain't me, that ain't my face. It wasn't even me when I was trying to be that face. I wasn't even really me…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ken-kesey/that-ain-t-me-that-ain-t-my-face-it-wasn-t-even-me-when-i-was-trying/) [Ken Kesey](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ken-kesey/) > [But if the strength ain't real, I recall thinking the very last thing that day, before I finally passed out, then the weakness sure…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ken-kesey/but-if-the-strength-ain-t-real-i-recall-thinking-the-very-last-thing/) [Ken Kesey](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ken-kesey/) > [“They think they know the book by its cover, but the book knows what it is. Now he knew better; if the book never…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ken-kesey/they-think-they-know-the-book-by-its-cover-but-the-book-knows-what-it/) [Ken Kesey](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ken-kesey/) > [More was revealed in a human face than a human being can bear face to face.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ken-kesey/more-was-revealed-in-a-human-face-than-a-human-being-can-bear-face-to/) [Ken Kesey](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ken-kesey/) > [If this glorious birth to death hassle is the only hassle we are ever to have ..if our grand exhilarating fight of life is…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ken-kesey/if-this-glorious-birth-to-death-hassle-is-the-only-hassle-we-are-ever/) [Ken Kesey](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ken-kesey/) > [“It's gonna burn me just that way, finally telling about all this, about the hospital, and her, and the guys- and about McMurphy. I…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ken-kesey/it-s-gonna-burn-me-just-that-way-finally-telling-about-all-this-about/) [Ken Kesey](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ken-kesey/) > [When Shakespeare was writing, he wasn't writing for stuff to lie on the page; it was supposed to get up and move around.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ken-kesey/when-shakespeare-was-writing-he-wasn-t-writing-for-stuff-to-lie-on/) [Ken Kesey](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ken-kesey/) > [“And then some guy wandering as lost as you would all of a sudden be right before your eyes, his face bigger and clearer…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ken-kesey/and-then-some-guy-wandering-as-lost-as-you-would-all-of-a-sudden-be/) [Ken Kesey](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ken-kesey/) [Explore all 295 Ken Kesey quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ken-kesey/) ## More Comedy quotes > ['Mad TV' is one of my most favorite shows of all time and is a huge part of my obsession with sketch comedy.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/shane-dawson/mad-tv-is-one-of-my-most-favorite-shows-of-all-time-and-is-a-huge/) [Shane Dawson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/shane-dawson/) > [You can laugh at me, but I understand show business.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ksenia-sobchak/you-can-laugh-at-me-but-i-understand-show-business/) [Ksenia Sobchak](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ksenia-sobchak/) > [Joking about violence is not funny.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/perez-hilton/joking-about-violence-is-not-funny/) [Perez Hilton](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/perez-hilton/) > [I wouldn't want people to laugh at me. That's why I have to give all that I can, and at least produce something that…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/zhao-wei/i-wouldn-t-want-people-to-laugh-at-me-that-s-why-i-have-to-give-all/) [Zhao Wei](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/zhao-wei/) > [“Our world will not die as a result of the bomb, as the papers say, it will die of laughter, of banality, of making a joke…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/carlos-ruiz-zafon/our-world-will-not-die-as-a-result-of-the-bomb-as-the-papers-say-it/) [Carlos Ruiz Zafon](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/carlos-ruiz-zafon/) > [I've been funny my whole life. This is a gift God gave me.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tracy-morgan/i-ve-been-funny-my-whole-life-this-is-a-gift-god-gave-me/) [Tracy Morgan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tracy-morgan/) > [“Laugh and grow strong”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ignatius-of-loyola/laugh-and-grow-strong/) [Ignatius of Loyola](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ignatius-of-loyola/) > [In the future, I would like to do more films with contemporary themes. Perhaps comedy, which is something I have done in theater but…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/luke-evans/in-the-future-i-would-like-to-do-more-films-with-contemporary-themes/) [Luke Evans](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/luke-evans/) > [That's something a lot of folks don't know about me - I'm pretty darn funny.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/michael-jai-white/that-s-something-a-lot-of-folks-don-t-know-about-me-i-m-pretty-darn/) [Michael Jai White](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/michael-jai-white/) > [I have that need in me, I want everyone to love me, but I'm embarrassed by that need, so I wanted to cover it…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anthony-jeselnik/i-have-that-need-in-me-i-want-everyone-to-love-me-but-i-m-embarrassed/) [Anthony Jeselnik](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anthony-jeselnik/) > [There's a difference between delivering real funny and just silly funny.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lil-rel-howery/there-s-a-difference-between-delivering-real-funny-and-just-silly/) [Lil Rel Howery](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lil-rel-howery/) > [Oh to that corkscrew, the useful tool to unlock the treasure of wit, the treasury of laughter, the front door of fellowship, and the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/andrew-guzaldo/oh-to-that-corkscrew-the-useful-tool-to-unlock-the-treasure-of-wit/) [Andrew Guzaldo](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/andrew-guzaldo/) > [“Men circle like bees around honey, buzzing to communicate their sexual despair.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/carla-h-krueger/men-circle-like-bees-around-honey-buzzing-to-communicate-their-sexual/) [Carla H Krueger](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/carla-h-krueger/) > [I do love to laugh!](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/teresa-giudice/i-do-love-to-laugh/) [Teresa Giudice](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/teresa-giudice/) > [I really enjoy making people laugh; I've discovered that's a great technique. That's as powerful as stirring their sorrow, stirring their compassion, because that…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/max-lucado/i-really-enjoy-making-people-laugh-i-ve-discovered-that-s-a-great/) [Max Lucado](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/max-lucado/) [Browse all 19,795 Comedy quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/comedy/) ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "“You can't really be strong until you can see a funny side to things.”", "creator": { "@type": "Person", "name": "Ken Kesey" }, "isPartOf": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website" }, "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ken-kesey/you-can-t-really-be-strong-until-you-can-see-a-funny-side-to-things/", "about": { "@type": "Thing", "name": "Comedy" }, "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ken-kesey/you-can-t-really-be-strong-until-you-can-see-a-funny-side-to-things/#quotation", "image": { "@type": "ImageObject", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/b17/ken-kesey-1034_comedy_you-can-t-really-be-strong-until-you-can_883755.png", "contentUrl": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/b17/ken-kesey-1034_comedy_you-can-t-really-be-strong-until-you-can_883755.png", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/b17/ken-kesey-1034_comedy_you-can-t-really-be-strong-until-you-can_883755.png", "width": 1080, "height": 1080, "caption": "“You can't really be strong until you can see a funny side to things.” — Ken Kesey", "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": "Ken Kesey", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ken-kesey/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 4, "name": "“You can't really be strong until...", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ken-kesey/you-can-t-really-be-strong-until-you-can-see-a-funny-side-to-things/" } ], "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ken-kesey/you-can-t-really-be-strong-until-you-can-see-a-funny-side-to-things/#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 } } ] } ```