---
title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: Many of us feel stress and get…"
description: "\"Many of us feel stress and get overwhelmed not because we're taking on too much, but because we're taking on too little of what really strengthens us.\"..."
image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/71c/marcus-buckingham-3878_feels_many-of-us-feel-stress-and-get-overwhelm_1999673.png"
---

#  Many of us feel stress and get overwhelmed not because…

![“Many of us feel stress and get overwhelmed not because we're taking on too much, but because we're taking on too little of what really strengthens us.” quote by Marcus Buckingham](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/71c/marcus-buckingham-3878_feels_many-of-us-feel-stress-and-get-overwhelm_1999673.png)   [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/71c/marcus-buckingham-3878_feels_many-of-us-feel-stress-and-get-overwhelm_1999673.png) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/71c/marcus-buckingham-3878_feels_many-of-us-feel-stress-and-get-overwhelm_1999673.png)

> “Many of us feel stress and get overwhelmed not because we're taking on too much, but because we're taking on too little of what really strengthens us.”

[Marcus Buckingham](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/marcus-buckingham/)

## About This Quote

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

Stress arises from underutilizing our core strengths rather than overloading, so focus on what truly energizes you.

**In simple terms:** Stress comes from not using strengths.

Key Takeaway

Identify and engage your main strengths.

Themes

stress strengths focus

Mood

motivational practical

Type

self‑help professional

When to use this quote

- career planning
- team building
- personal growth

Key Concepts

self‑development psychology productivity

Questions to Reflect On

- What activities energize you most?
- How can you align work with your strengths?

A Different Perspective

Neglecting other responsibilities can cause imbalance.

★ ★ ★ ★ ★   No ratings yet

[Feel Stress](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/feel-stress-2662139/) [Feels](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/feels/) [Littles](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/littles/) [Overwhelmed](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/overwhelmed/) [Overwhelmed Taking](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/overwhelmed-taking-3511194/) [Stress](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/stress/) [Stress Overwhelmed](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/stress-overwhelmed-365884/) [Too much](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/too-much/)

## Related quotes

> [A woman who lives with the stress of an overwhelmed schedule will often ache with the sadness of an underwhelmed soul.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lysa-terkeurst/a-woman-who-lives-with-the-stress-of-an-overwhelmed-schedule-will/)

[Lysa TerKeurst](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lysa-terkeurst/)

> [Person who lives with the stress of an overwhelmed schedule will often ache with the sadness of an underwhelmed soul. So if we want…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lysa-terkeurst/person-who-lives-with-the-stress-of-an-overwhelmed-schedule-will/)

[Lysa TerKeurst](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lysa-terkeurst/)

> [“Researchers have found that the way people feel about the stress in their lives is a far more powerful predictor of their general health—whether…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/brigid-schulte/researchers-have-found-that-the-way-people-feel-about-the-stress-in/)

[Brigid Schulte](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/brigid-schulte/)

> [When I feel stress, I put my phone down. I'm quite strict, telling myself not to take anything else on. Then, in the evening…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rochelle-humes/when-i-feel-stress-i-put-my-phone-down-i-m-quite-strict-telling/)

[Rochelle Humes](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rochelle-humes/)

> [“It is our reaction that creates stress and this we can change" This book will start you on a journey that will give you…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/keith-h-maitland/it-is-our-reaction-that-creates-stress-and-this-we-can-change-this/)

[Keith H. Maitland](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/keith-h-maitland/)

> [There's no magic bullet; there's no pill that you take that makes everything great and makes you happy all the time. I'm letting go…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anne-hathaway/there-s-no-magic-bullet-there-s-no-pill-that-you-take-that-makes/)

[Anne Hathaway](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anne-hathaway/)

> [I'm always trying to feel less stress.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/amanda-knox/i-m-always-trying-to-feel-less-stress/)

[Amanda Knox](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/amanda-knox/)

> [In order to realize the worth of the anchor we need to feel the stress of the storm.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/corrie-ten-boom/in-order-to-realize-the-worth-of-the-anchor-we-need-to-feel-the/)

[Corrie Ten Boom](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/corrie-ten-boom/)

> [When we push against who we naturally are, we feel stress, things don't progress easily, we beat ourselves up for getting crappy results, and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jen-sincero/when-we-push-against-who-we-naturally-are-we-feel-stress-things-don-t/)

[Jen Sincero](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jen-sincero/)

> [I don't relax. I live stressed; I feel the stress inside.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/javi-gracia/i-don-t-relax-i-live-stressed-i-feel-the-stress-inside/)

[Javi Gracia](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/javi-gracia/)

> [I think pressure can be an incentive toward improvement, and while I'm not denying that I feel some, I will also stress that it…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/michael-koryta/i-think-pressure-can-be-an-incentive-toward-improvement-and-while-i-m/)

[Michael Koryta](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/michael-koryta/)

> [This very deep, soothing voice came on, saying: "You now have permission to be strong and healthy and calm and relaxed. There's no place…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/brad-willis/this-very-deep-soothing-voice-came-on-saying-you-now-have-permission/)

[Brad Willis](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/brad-willis/)

> [I'm a dog lover. With the holidays, everything gets a little bit hectic. There's a lot on your mind, and maybe you forget that…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/justin-hartley/i-m-a-dog-lover-with-the-holidays-everything-gets-a-little-bit-hectic/)

[Justin Hartley](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/justin-hartley/)

> [“Small changes in schedule can have profound effects on how we feel and the stress level of our body.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-b-agus/small-changes-in-schedule-can-have-profound-effects-on-how-we-feel/)

[David B. Agus](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-b-agus/)

> [To live a present and awakened life, simply be responsive to the moment. It is very simple. If you are hungry, eat. If you…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/leonard-jacobson/to-live-a-present-and-awakened-life-simply-be-responsive-to-the/)

[Leonard Jacobson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/leonard-jacobson/)

## More by Marcus Buckingham

> [Too many of the organizations I have observed resemble a farm in Kansas. They have lots of fences and silos as well as a…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/marcus-buckingham/too-many-of-the-organizations-i-have-observed-resemble-a-farm-in/)

[Marcus Buckingham](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/marcus-buckingham/)

> [Most of my work has been in corporations, studying how you build an organization that helps people to identify and work to their strengths.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/marcus-buckingham/most-of-my-work-has-been-in-corporations-studying-how-you-build-an/)

[Marcus Buckingham](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/marcus-buckingham/)

> [You can find energizing moments in each aspect of your life, but to do so you must learn how to catch them, hold on…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/marcus-buckingham/you-can-find-energizing-moments-in-each-aspect-of-your-life-but-to-do/)

[Marcus Buckingham](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/marcus-buckingham/)

> [“The power of skills and knowledge is that they are transferable from one person to another. Their limitation is that they are often situation-specific…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/marcus-buckingham/the-power-of-skills-and-knowledge-is-that-they-are-transferable-from/)

[Marcus Buckingham](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/marcus-buckingham/)

> [We're all filled with naturally recurring patterns that make us unique - they're called talents. And our charge is to bloody well use them.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/marcus-buckingham/we-re-all-filled-with-naturally-recurring-patterns-that-make-us/)

[Marcus Buckingham](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/marcus-buckingham/)

> [Clarity is the answer to anxiety. Effective leaders are clear.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/marcus-buckingham/clarity-is-the-answer-to-anxiety-effective-leaders-are-clear/)

[Marcus Buckingham](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/marcus-buckingham/)

> [The corporate world is appallingly bad at capitalizing on the strengths of its people.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/marcus-buckingham/the-corporate-world-is-appallingly-bad-at-capitalizing-on-the/)

[Marcus Buckingham](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/marcus-buckingham/)

> [If you want execution, hail only success. If you want creativity, hail risk, and remain neutral about success.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/marcus-buckingham/if-you-want-execution-hail-only-success-if-you-want-creativity-hail/)

[Marcus Buckingham](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/marcus-buckingham/)

> [Emphasize your strengths on your resume, in your cover letters and in your interviews. It may sound obvious, but you'd be surprised how many…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/marcus-buckingham/emphasize-your-strengths-on-your-resume-in-your-cover-letters-and-in/)

[Marcus Buckingham](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/marcus-buckingham/)

> [In most cases, no matter what it is, if you measure it and reward it, people will try to excel at it](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/marcus-buckingham/in-most-cases-no-matter-what-it-is-if-you-measure-it-and-reward-it/)

[Marcus Buckingham](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/marcus-buckingham/)

> [Life's tricky for women because they have to make more choices than men. And yes, choice is good, but boy, you better be an…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/marcus-buckingham/life-s-tricky-for-women-because-they-have-to-make-more-choices-than/)

[Marcus Buckingham](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/marcus-buckingham/)

> [Companies don't have one culture. They have as many as they have supervisors or managers. You want to build a strong culture? Hold every…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/marcus-buckingham/companies-don-t-have-one-culture-they-have-as-many-as-they-have/)

[Marcus Buckingham](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/marcus-buckingham/)

> [Every time you make a rule you take away a choice, and choice, with all of its illuminating repercussions, is the fuel for learning.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/marcus-buckingham/every-time-you-make-a-rule-you-take-away-a-choice-and-choice-with-all/)

[Marcus Buckingham](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/marcus-buckingham/)

> [“to encourage people to take responsibility for who they really are. And it is the only way to show respect for each person. Focusing…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/marcus-buckingham/to-encourage-people-to-take-responsibility-for-who-they-really-are/)

[Marcus Buckingham](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/marcus-buckingham/)

> [There is no shortage of mechanisms by which to measure almost anything.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/marcus-buckingham/there-is-no-shortage-of-mechanisms-by-which-to-measure-almost-anything/)

[Marcus Buckingham](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/marcus-buckingham/)

[Explore all 119 Marcus Buckingham quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/marcus-buckingham/)

## More Feels quotes

> [Women still, when they have breast cancer, go to work; they still lead their lives. They have to. I just did what I was…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/monica-potter/women-still-when-they-have-breast-cancer-go-to-work-they-still-lead/)

[Monica Potter](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/monica-potter/)

> [Scrabble - The game is available in Braille. That’s a nice fact. This makes me feel better about humanity for some reason. I can’t…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/scrabble-the-game-is-available-in-braille-that-s-a-nice-fact-this/)

[Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/)

> [We all know what it feels like to love someone and care about them and want to protect them.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kiana-madeira/we-all-know-what-it-feels-like-to-love-someone-and-care-about-them/)

[Kiana Madeira](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kiana-madeira/)

> [Pain is meant to wake us up. People try to hide their pain. But they're wrong. Pain is something to carry, like a radio.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jim-morrison/pain-is-meant-to-wake-us-up-people-try-to-hide-their-pain-but-they-re/)

[Jim Morrison](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jim-morrison/)

> [I think most artists feel like they're outside society - no matter how many accolades they receive, or how much money is in your…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/aaron-rose/i-think-most-artists-feel-like-they-re-outside-society-no-matter-how/)

[Aaron Rose](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/aaron-rose/)

> [Most days, I go home and I feel rejuvenated. I feel ebullient.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/siddhartha-mukherjee/most-days-i-go-home-and-i-feel-rejuvenated-i-feel-ebullient/)

[Siddhartha Mukherjee](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/siddhartha-mukherjee/)

> [Do you think that God would separate me from my husband if I killed myself? 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/)

> [When you're scared - and I mean really scared, not just hearing a noise in the night, or standing toe to toe with someone…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alexander-gordon-smith/when-you-re-scared-and-i-mean-really-scared-not-just-hearing-a-noise/)

[Alexander Gordon Smith](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alexander-gordon-smith/)

> [Personal Style comes from within. It's when the woman, her individuality and spirit come through. She uses clothes to express who she is and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/donna-karan/personal-style-comes-from-within-it-s-when-the-woman-her/)

[Donna Karan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/donna-karan/)

> [(knitting while on a motorcycle) "For several years she knitted in secret (my father would not approve; she was to concentrate on motorcycling and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/elizabeth-zimmermann/knitting-while-on-a-motorcycle-for-several-years-she-knitted-in/)

[Elizabeth Zimmermann](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/elizabeth-zimmermann/)

> [Then come to realize that you're making mountains out of molehills. Realize how petty you've become. Sure, it may feel like you can't get…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jay-asher/then-come-to-realize-that-you-re-making-mountains-out-of-molehills/)

[Jay Asher](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jay-asher/)

> [A lot of indigenous cultures are deeply involved in working with ancestor spirits, elemental spirits, and demons. Many of these cultures feel that, if…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/daniel-pinchbeck/a-lot-of-indigenous-cultures-are-deeply-involved-in-working-with/)

[Daniel Pinchbeck](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/daniel-pinchbeck/)

> [As a child, I had a lot of older gay men taking care of me. There's a trust there. I feel like little girls…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/margaret-cho/as-a-child-i-had-a-lot-of-older-gay-men-taking-care-of-me-there-s-a/)

[Margaret Cho](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/margaret-cho/)

> [I have observed this in my experience of slavery, - that whenever my condition was improved, instead of its increasing my contentment, it only…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/frederick-douglass/i-have-observed-this-in-my-experience-of-slavery-that-whenever-my/)

[Frederick Douglass](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/frederick-douglass/)

> [I feel like I could eat the world raw.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/madeline-miller/i-feel-like-i-could-eat-the-world-raw/)

[Madeline Miller](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/madeline-miller/)

[Browse all 38,933 Feels quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/feels/)

```json
{
    "@context": "https://schema.org",
    "@graph": [
        {
            "@type": "Quotation",
            "text": "Many of us feel stress and get overwhelmed not because we're taking on too much, but because we're taking on too little of what really strengthens us.",
            "creator": {
                "@type": "Person",
                "name": "Marcus Buckingham"
            },
            "isPartOf": {
                "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website"
            },
            "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/marcus-buckingham/many-of-us-feel-stress-and-get-overwhelmed-not-because-we-re-taking/",
            "about": {
                "@type": "Thing",
                "name": "Feels"
            },
            "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/marcus-buckingham/many-of-us-feel-stress-and-get-overwhelmed-not-because-we-re-taking/#quotation",
            "image": {
                "@type": "ImageObject",
                "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/71c/marcus-buckingham-3878_feels_many-of-us-feel-stress-and-get-overwhelm_1999673.png",
                "contentUrl": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/71c/marcus-buckingham-3878_feels_many-of-us-feel-stress-and-get-overwhelm_1999673.png",
                "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/71c/marcus-buckingham-3878_feels_many-of-us-feel-stress-and-get-overwhelm_1999673.png",
                "width": 1080,
                "height": 1080,
                "caption": "“Many of us feel stress and get overwhelmed not because we're taking on too much, but because we're taking on…” — Marcus Buckingham",
                "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": "Marcus Buckingham",
                    "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/marcus-buckingham/"
                },
                {
                    "@type": "ListItem",
                    "position": 4,
                    "name": "Many of us feel stress and...",
                    "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/marcus-buckingham/many-of-us-feel-stress-and-get-overwhelmed-not-because-we-re-taking/"
                }
            ],
            "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/marcus-buckingham/many-of-us-feel-stress-and-get-overwhelmed-not-because-we-re-taking/#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
            }
        }
    ]
}
```
