--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: Just get to lunch,” I muttered to myself…" description: "\"“Just get to lunch,” I muttered to myself. It was the only way I could control my anxiety. In 1998, I’d made it through Basic Underwater Demolition/SEA..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/aad/mark-owen-41650_anxiety_just-get-to-lunch-i-muttered-to-myself-i_2873756.jpg" --- # Just get to lunch,” I muttered to myself. It was the only… ![“Just get to lunch,” I muttered to myself. It was the only way I could control my anxiety. In 1998, I’d made it through Basic Underwater Demolition/SEAL, or BUD/S, by focusing on just making it to the next meal. It didn’t matter if I couldn’t feel my arms as we hoisted logs over our heads or if the…” quote by Mark Owen](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/aad/mark-owen-41650_anxiety_just-get-to-lunch-i-muttered-to-myself-i_2873756.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/aad/mark-owen-41650_anxiety_just-get-to-lunch-i-muttered-to-myself-i_2873756.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/aad/mark-owen-41650_anxiety_just-get-to-lunch-i-muttered-to-myself-i_2873756.jpg) > ““Just get to lunch,” I muttered to myself. It was the only way I could control my anxiety. In 1998, I’d made it through Basic Underwater Demolition/SEAL, or BUD/S, by focusing on just making it to the next meal. It didn’t matter if I couldn’t feel my arms as we hoisted logs over our heads or if the cold surf soaked me to the core. It wasn’t going to last forever. There is a saying: “How do you eat an elephant?” The answer is simple: “One bite at a time.” Only my bites were separated by meals: Make it to breakfast, train hard until lunch, and focus until dinner. Repeat.”” [Mark Owen](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mark-owen/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. Breaking overwhelming tasks into small, timed goals eases anxiety and sustains effort. **In simple terms:** Take one step at a time to manage stress. Key Takeaway Use incremental milestones to cope with challenges. Themes mental health resilience goal‑setting Mood reflective encouraging Type motivational self‑help When to use this quote - combat training - high‑stress jobs - personal recovery plans Key Concepts anxiety management military training habit formation Questions to Reflect On - What small goal can you set today? - How does pacing affect long‑term endurance? A Different Perspective Focusing on meals may ignore underlying issues. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Anxiety](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/anxiety/) [Humour](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/humour/) [Motivational](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/motivational/) [Train hard](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/train-hard/) ## Related quotes > [I dont have a huge breakfast, and I sometimes forget to have lunch, so I focus on dinner. I love Thai and Japanese food.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/saffron-aldridge/i-dont-have-a-huge-breakfast-and-i-sometimes-forget-to-have-lunch-so/) [Saffron Aldridge](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/saffron-aldridge/) > [I don't have a huge breakfast, and I sometimes forget to have lunch, so I focus on dinner. I love Thai and Japanese food.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/saffron-aldridge/i-don-t-have-a-huge-breakfast-and-i-sometimes-forget-to-have-lunch-so/) [Saffron Aldridge](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/saffron-aldridge/) > [Just had lunch with the president who seems pensive, slightly deflated, realistic, aggravated and resolute. Didn't eat his pie.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/katie-couric/just-had-lunch-with-the-president-who-seems-pensive-slightly-deflated/) [Katie Couric](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/katie-couric/) > [“It’s just lunch Sophie. I’m not going to force you to elope with me in a restaurant.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/somi-ekhasomhi/it-s-just-lunch-sophie-i-m-not-going-to-force-you-to-elope-with-me-in/) [Somi Ekhasomhi](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/somi-ekhasomhi/) > [I just go to lunch. And I never know when something is going into the file and something is not.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/donna-leon/i-just-go-to-lunch-and-i-never-know-when-something-is-going-into-the/) [Donna Leon](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/donna-leon/) > [“I'm not going to die with you just because you made lunch for me. Of course, if it had been dinner...”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/haruki-murakami/i-m-not-going-to-die-with-you-just-because-you-made-lunch-for-me-of/) [Haruki Murakami](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/haruki-murakami/) > [I've learned to control my anxiety.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bert-kreischer/i-ve-learned-to-control-my-anxiety/) [Bert Kreischer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bert-kreischer/) > [“ “I Think I’m Ugly” Social anxiety can lead to distorted perceptions, and the fear of outright rejection based on looks diminishes as self-help…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jonathan-berent/i-think-i-m-ugly-social-anxiety-can-lead-to-distorted-perceptions-and/) [Jonathan Berent](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jonathan-berent/) > [“In a world where so much is 'facticity' and outside our control, anxiety makes us aware of our possibilities. It is, so to speak,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/hans-w-cohn/in-a-world-where-so-much-is-facticity-and-outside-our-control-anxiety/) Hans W. Cohn > [As I write, I control my anxiety and anguish thanks to the invaluable aid of irony and humor. But every night I am subdued…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/enrique-vila-matas/as-i-write-i-control-my-anxiety-and-anguish-thanks-to-the-invaluable/) [Enrique Vila-Matas](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/enrique-vila-matas/) > [I just have never been a drinker. No matter how much I try I just can't stand the taste of it or the way…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/stacey-solomon/i-just-have-never-been-a-drinker-no-matter-how-much-i-try-i-just-can/) [Stacey Solomon](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/stacey-solomon/) > [“Anxiety does not exist to control you. You exist to control it. It is, as I said, a simple fact of life that can…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jonathan-berent/anxiety-does-not-exist-to-control-you-you-exist-to-control-it-it-is/) [Jonathan Berent](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jonathan-berent/) > [“The Japanese have a saying, “Eat until you are 80 percent full.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/robert-h-lustig/the-japanese-have-a-saying-eat-until-you-are-80-percent-full/) [Robert H. Lustig](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/robert-h-lustig/) > [I meditate.' That's like saying 'I eat.' Think of all the food there is! And there are almost as many varieties of mediation.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/devendra-banhart/i-meditate-that-s-like-saying-i-eat-think-of-all-the-food-there-is/) [Devendra Banhart](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/devendra-banhart/) > [I have a big appetite, and staying on top of that is about knowing myself and saying, 'I can eat that today, but tomorrow…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kim-cattrall/i-have-a-big-appetite-and-staying-on-top-of-that-is-about-knowing/) [Kim Cattrall](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kim-cattrall/) ## More by Mark Owen > [ “\[to Navy SEALs\] Quite frankly, I didn't even want to use you guys, with your dip and velcro and all your gear bullshit. I… ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mark-owen/to-navy-seals-quite-frankly-i-didn-t-even-want-to-use-you-guys-with/) [Mark Owen](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mark-owen/) > [“There is no honor in sending people to die for something you won’t even fight for yourself.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mark-owen/there-is-no-honor-in-sending-people-to-die-for-something-you-won-t/) [Mark Owen](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mark-owen/) > [“The higher up the food chain the targeted individual was, the bigger a pussy he was.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mark-owen/the-higher-up-the-food-chain-the-targeted-individual-was-the-bigger-a/) [Mark Owen](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mark-owen/) > [“Politics are for the Washington, D.C., policy makers who safely watched the action on a video monitor from thousands of miles away.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mark-owen/politics-are-for-the-washington-d-c-policy-makers-who-safely-watched/) [Mark Owen](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mark-owen/) > [“There is no honor in sending men to die for something you won't even fight for yourself”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mark-owen/there-is-no-honor-in-sending-men-to-die-for-something-you-won-t-even/) [Mark Owen](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mark-owen/) > [“Don't just live, but live for a purpose bigger than yourself. Be an asset to your family, community, and country.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mark-owen/don-t-just-live-but-live-for-a-purpose-bigger-than-yourself-be-an/) [Mark Owen](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mark-owen/) > [“The leaders were less willing to fight. It is always the young and impressionable who strap on the explosives and blow themselves up.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mark-owen/the-leaders-were-less-willing-to-fight-it-is-always-the-young-and/) [Mark Owen](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mark-owen/) > [“The rule is, “When in doubt, load it out.” Of course the more you carry, the greater a toll it takes on your body,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mark-owen/the-rule-is-when-in-doubt-load-it-out-of-course-the-more-you-carry/) [Mark Owen](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mark-owen/) > [“We were tools in their toolbox, and when things go well they promote it. They inflate their roles.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mark-owen/we-were-tools-in-their-toolbox-and-when-things-go-well-they-promote/) [Mark Owen](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mark-owen/) [Explore all 10 Mark Owen quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mark-owen/) ## More Anxiety quotes > [“Anything that you find yourself worrying about regularly may find you suddenly wanting unrealistic changes.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nagisa-tatsumi/anything-that-you-find-yourself-worrying-about-regularly-may-find-you/) Nagisa Tatsumi > [Bein Crazy is the least of my worries.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jack-kerouac/bein-crazy-is-the-least-of-my-worries/) [Jack Kerouac](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jack-kerouac/) > [The answer to deep anxiety is the deep adoration of God.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ann-voskamp/the-answer-to-deep-anxiety-is-the-deep-adoration-of-god/) [Ann Voskamp](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ann-voskamp/) > [“Fear of seeing a police car pull into the drive. Fear of falling asleep at night. Fear of not falling asleep. Fear of the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/raymond-carver/fear-of-seeing-a-police-car-pull-into-the-drive-fear-of-falling/) [Raymond Carver](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/raymond-carver/) > [I get nervous when I don't get nervous. If I'm nervous I know I'm going to have a good show.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/beyonce-knowles/i-get-nervous-when-i-don-t-get-nervous-if-i-m-nervous-i-know-i-m/) [Beyonce Knowles](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/beyonce-knowles/) > [“Every invention comes through anxiousness.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rakesh-wadhwani/every-invention-comes-through-anxiousness/) [Rakesh Wadhwani](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rakesh-wadhwani/) > [“Do Not Be Anxious 25 e “Therefore I tell you,  f do not be anxious about your life, what you will eat or what you will drink,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/do-not-be-anxious-25-e-therefore-i-tell-you-f-do-not-be-anxious-about/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [“Nothing happens on its own, you have to make things happen. If you really want to come out of your stressful situation than you…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/subodh-gupta/nothing-happens-on-its-own-you-have-to-make-things-happen-if-you/) [Subodh Gupta](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/subodh-gupta/) > [“I guess if we're talking about my anxiety, the even truthier truth is it started way before that.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kerry-winfrey/i-guess-if-we-re-talking-about-my-anxiety-the-even-truthier-truth-is/) [Kerry Winfrey](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kerry-winfrey/) > [I was a very good student. Procrastinating gives me anxiety, and getting a B really ticked me off. Sure, I didn't always want to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/josie-loren/i-was-a-very-good-student-procrastinating-gives-me-anxiety-and/) [Josie Loren](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/josie-loren/) > [“The suspense: the fearful, acute suspense: of standing idly by while the life of one we dearly love, is trembling in the balance; the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/charles-dickens/the-suspense-the-fearful-acute-suspense-of-standing-idly-by-while-the/) [Charles Dickens](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/charles-dickens/) > [The party in Alobar’s head, which agitation and anxiety were throwing, now was crashed by a notion: existence can be rearranged.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tom-robbins/the-party-in-alobar-s-head-which-agitation-and-anxiety-were-throwing/) [Tom Robbins](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tom-robbins/) > [As you know, I have been very open about my struggle with social anxiety.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/summer-walker/as-you-know-i-have-been-very-open-about-my-struggle-with-social/) [Summer Walker](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/summer-walker/) > [Anxiety is not to be managed it is a sin that needs to be repented of](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mark-driscoll/anxiety-is-not-to-be-managed-it-is-a-sin-that-needs-to-be-repented-of/) [Mark Driscoll](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mark-driscoll/) > [“I’ve always seen this in you, ever since you were a little girl — this hunger to love other people into their highest selves…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jennifer-elisabeth/i-ve-always-seen-this-in-you-ever-since-you-were-a-little-girl-this/) [Jennifer Elisabeth](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jennifer-elisabeth/) [Browse all 4,944 Anxiety quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/anxiety/) ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "“Just get to lunch,” I muttered to myself. 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