--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: When you're held underwater, you think…" description: "\"“When you're held underwater, you think only of air.”\" — Lisa See" image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/d1c/lisa-see-2200_quote_when-you-re-held-underwater-you-think-on_1432497.jpg" --- # When you're held underwater, you think only of air. ![“When you're held underwater, you think only of air.” quote by Lisa See](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/d1c/lisa-see-2200_quote_when-you-re-held-underwater-you-think-on_1432497.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/d1c/lisa-see-2200_quote_when-you-re-held-underwater-you-think-on_1432497.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/d1c/lisa-see-2200_quote_when-you-re-held-underwater-you-think-on_1432497.jpg) > ““When you're held underwater, you think only of air.”” [Lisa See](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lisa-see/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. In crisis, basic needs dominate thoughts, eclipsing all else. **In simple terms:** When trapped, you only think of escape. Key Takeaway Prioritize essential needs. Themes survival focus crisis Mood tense urgent Type motivational practical When to use this quote - disaster relief - medical emergencies - combat - deep sea diving Key Concepts human need psychological response Questions to Reflect On - What essential need is you ignoring? - How do you stay focused under pressure? A Different Perspective May overlook long‑term planning. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet ## Related quotes > [“When you’re held underwater, you think only of air. I remember how I felt about Shanghai in the days after our lives changed -…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lisa-see/when-you-re-held-underwater-you-think-only-of-air-i-remember-how-i/) [Lisa See](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lisa-see/) > [That was the first time I've drawn anything for seven years. I feel like I had been held underwater, and someone finally reached down…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mick-ebeling/that-was-the-first-time-i-ve-drawn-anything-for-seven-years-i-feel/) [Mick Ebeling](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mick-ebeling/) > [I've always been very aware of environment. When I was a kid I wanted to be a marine biologist until I realized I hated…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/maria-cornejo/i-ve-always-been-very-aware-of-environment-when-i-was-a-kid-i-wanted/) [Maria Cornejo](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/maria-cornejo/) > [“I knew from experience that before you went swimming off a dock for the first time each summer, you needed to check the sides…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jennifer-echols/i-knew-from-experience-that-before-you-went-swimming-off-a-dock-for/) [Jennifer Echols](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jennifer-echols/) > [We still think of air as free. But clean air is not free, and neither is clean water. The price tag on pollution control…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/richard-m-nixon/we-still-think-of-air-as-free-but-clean-air-is-not-free-and-neither/) [Richard M. Nixon](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/richard-m-nixon/) > [I think the air in New York is death.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/richard-bonynge/i-think-the-air-in-new-york-is-death/) [Richard Bonynge](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/richard-bonynge/) > [“The only way to not think about money is to have a great deal of it." You might as well say that the only…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/edith-wharton/the-only-way-to-not-think-about-money-is-to-have-a-great-deal-of-it/) [Edith Wharton](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/edith-wharton/) > [You mentioned the Navy, for example, and that we have fewer ships than we did in 1916. 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Adam could fly like…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/benny-hinn/poverty-comes-from-hell-prosperity-comes-from-heaven-adam-had/) [Benny Hinn](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/benny-hinn/) > [Nationally, the share of mortgages that are underwater fell by about one-half between 2011 and 2014.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/janet-yellen/nationally-the-share-of-mortgages-that-are-underwater-fell-by-about/) [Janet Yellen](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/janet-yellen/) > [“he moved neither forward nor backward in time, but merely endured variations of the same day over and over. Maybe he was the one…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anthony-doerr/he-moved-neither-forward-nor-backward-in-time-but-merely-endured/) [Anthony Doerr](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anthony-doerr/) ## More by Lisa See > [“the birth of the twins and what happened to them, although traditional, has transformed me as irreversibly as soaking cloth in a vat of…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lisa-see/the-birth-of-the-twins-and-what-happened-to-them-although-traditional/) [Lisa See](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lisa-see/) > [When the sun is shining, think of the time it won't be, because even when you're sitting in your house with the doors shut,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lisa-see/when-the-sun-is-shining-think-of-the-time-it-won-t-be-because-even/) [Lisa See](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lisa-see/) > [Snow Flower was my old same for life. I had a greater and deeper love for her than I could ever feel for a…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lisa-see/snow-flower-was-my-old-same-for-life-i-had-a-greater-and-deeper-love/) [Lisa See](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lisa-see/) > [“When she reaches the ground, she looks from the old woman to me. A moment of confusion. Then recognition. I know her too, because…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lisa-see/when-she-reaches-the-ground-she-looks-from-the-old-woman-to-me-a/) [Lisa See](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lisa-see/) > [“huigan—causes us to turn inward and reflect as the liquor coats our tongues, shimmers down our throats, and then rises again as fragrance. The…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lisa-see/huigan-causes-us-to-turn-inward-and-reflect-as-the-liquor-coats-our/) [Lisa See](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lisa-see/) > [“...maybe writing doesn't require sacrifice. Maybe it's a gift to experience emotions through our brushes, ink, and paper. I wrote out sorrow, fear, and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lisa-see/maybe-writing-doesn-t-require-sacrifice-maybe-it-s-a-gift-to/) [Lisa See](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lisa-see/) > [“You can always count on people to crowded your party when you’re in glory but you should never dream of people sending you charcoal…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lisa-see/you-can-always-count-on-people-to-crowded-your-party-when-you-re-in/) [Lisa See](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lisa-see/) > [Let those who believe, believe. Let those who doubt, doubt.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lisa-see/let-those-who-believe-believe-let-those-who-doubt-doubt/) [Lisa See](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lisa-see/) > [It used to happen in villages and towns in China that they would have - I guess you'd call them beauty contests - where…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lisa-see/it-used-to-happen-in-villages-and-towns-in-china-that-they-would-have/) [Lisa See](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lisa-see/) > [“So many mistakes. So many errors. So much tragedy as a result. In that moment I understood that the cruelest words in the universe…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lisa-see/so-many-mistakes-so-many-errors-so-much-tragedy-as-a-result-in-that/) [Lisa See](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lisa-see/) > [“Yes, she had held her family together, but at what cost to herself.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lisa-see/yes-she-had-held-her-family-together-but-at-what-cost-to-herself/) [Lisa See](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lisa-see/) > [“When in the world did anyone die from a dream?”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lisa-see/when-in-the-world-did-anyone-die-from-a-dream/) [Lisa See](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lisa-see/) > [But, you know, I just did a big trip in the spring to Vietnam and Cambodia and Thailand, and that's when I bought a…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lisa-see/but-you-know-i-just-did-a-big-trip-in-the-spring-to-vietnam-and/) [Lisa See](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lisa-see/) > [“Maybe that's what we're all like with our mothers. They seem ordinary until one day they're extraordinary.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lisa-see/maybe-that-s-what-we-re-all-like-with-our-mothers-they-seem-ordinary/) [Lisa See](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lisa-see/) > [Model communes are the ones where the leaders lie the best and the biggest.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lisa-see/model-communes-are-the-ones-where-the-leaders-lie-the-best-and-the/) [Lisa See](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lisa-see/) [Explore all 178 Lisa See quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lisa-see/) ## More Think quotes > [I actually think acting is a form of self-hypnosis. You have to be hyper, hyper aware of what's going on around you. You have…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/julianne-moore/i-actually-think-acting-is-a-form-of-self-hypnosis-you-have-to-be/) [Julianne Moore](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/julianne-moore/) > [I think performing has pretty much always been a part of me.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/isa-briones/i-think-performing-has-pretty-much-always-been-a-part-of-me/) [Isa Briones](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/isa-briones/) > [When I was trying to come up with a stage name, I thought 'Lord' was super rad, but really masculine - ever since I…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lorde/when-i-was-trying-to-come-up-with-a-stage-name-i-thought-lord-was/) [Lorde](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lorde/) > [If you ask an introvert a question, wait until she thinks about it. Introverts think before speaking, not through speaking. If you want to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/laurie-helgoe/if-you-ask-an-introvert-a-question-wait-until-she-thinks-about-it/) [Laurie Helgoe](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/laurie-helgoe/) > [You can think about it, wonder what went wrong, over analyze the situation but the fact remains... it's the past, just let it go.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rashida-rowe/you-can-think-about-it-wonder-what-went-wrong-over-analyze-the/) [Rashida Rowe](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rashida-rowe/) > [They are focused on whether they can do something. They never think whether they should do something.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/michael-crichton/they-are-focused-on-whether-they-can-do-something-they-never-think/) [Michael Crichton](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/michael-crichton/) > [Remember we all was born into this world through God hands,Why You think we all have a brain so we can think and know..Who…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/frenchqueen/remember-we-all-was-born-into-this-world-through-god-hands-why-you/) FrenchQueen > [Sometimes I look at my awesome twitter followers & think to myself, What the hell would I do without them :)](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nikhil-saluja/sometimes-i-look-at-my-awesome-twitter-followers-think-to-myself-what/) [Nikhil Saluja](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nikhil-saluja/) > [I love casting against type and doing things you wouldn't expect, because I think you get more interesting performances that way. Hollywood loves to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-s-goyer/i-love-casting-against-type-and-doing-things-you-wouldn-t-expect/) [David S. Goyer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-s-goyer/) > [If you think you're doing everything right, then you have a tendency to stand pat.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-stockton/if-you-think-you-re-doing-everything-right-then-you-have-a-tendency/) [John Stockton](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-stockton/) > [I don't think I have made as much of my life as I should have. I should have written more books.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/arthur-m-schlesinger-jr/i-don-t-think-i-have-made-as-much-of-my-life-as-i-should-have-i/) [Arthur M. Schlesinger, Jr](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/arthur-m-schlesinger-jr/) > [I think a person has to just be herself.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/pat-nixon/i-think-a-person-has-to-just-be-herself/) [Pat Nixon](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/pat-nixon/) > [Sometimes it's just enough for me to have the idea. I don't need to see it through to the end. When it actually happens,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/amy-sedaris/sometimes-it-s-just-enough-for-me-to-have-the-idea-i-don-t-need-to/) [Amy Sedaris](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/amy-sedaris/) > [I think I am against stereotype. Generally, Asian guys are more quiet - they study and have a good work ethic. Generally, I have…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bobby-lee/i-think-i-am-against-stereotype-generally-asian-guys-are-more-quiet/) [Bobby Lee](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bobby-lee/) > [Think of these things, whence you came, where you are going, and to whom you must account.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/benjamin-franklin/think-of-these-things-whence-you-came-where-you-are-going-and-to-whom/) [Benjamin Franklin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/benjamin-franklin/) Browse all 36,456 Think quotes ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "“When you're held underwater, you think only of air.”", "creator": { "@type": "Person", "name": "Lisa See" }, "isPartOf": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website" }, "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lisa-see/when-you-re-held-underwater-you-think-only-of-air/", "about": { "@type": "Thing", "name": "Think" }, "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lisa-see/when-you-re-held-underwater-you-think-only-of-air/#quotation", "image": { "@type": "ImageObject", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/d1c/lisa-see-2200_quote_when-you-re-held-underwater-you-think-on_1432497.jpg", "contentUrl": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/d1c/lisa-see-2200_quote_when-you-re-held-underwater-you-think-on_1432497.jpg", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/d1c/lisa-see-2200_quote_when-you-re-held-underwater-you-think-on_1432497.jpg", "width": 1080, "height": 1080, "caption": "“When you're held underwater, you think only of air.” — Lisa See", "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": "Lisa See", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lisa-see/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 4, "name": "“When you're held underwater, you think...", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lisa-see/when-you-re-held-underwater-you-think-only-of-air/" } ], "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lisa-see/when-you-re-held-underwater-you-think-only-of-air/#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 } } ] } ```