---
title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: Promise me you will not spend so much…"
description: "\"Promise me you will not spend so much time treading water and trying to keep your head above the waves that you forget, truly forget, how much you have..."
image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/c12/tyler-knott-gregson-11115_forget_promise-me-you-will-not-spend-so-much-ti_2265053.jpg"
---

#  Promise me you will not spend so much time treading water…

![“Promise me you will not spend so much time treading water and trying to keep your head above the waves that you forget, truly forget, how much you have always loved to swim.” quote by Tyler Knott Gregson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/c12/tyler-knott-gregson-11115_forget_promise-me-you-will-not-spend-so-much-ti_2265053.jpg)   [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/c12/tyler-knott-gregson-11115_forget_promise-me-you-will-not-spend-so-much-ti_2265053.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/c12/tyler-knott-gregson-11115_forget_promise-me-you-will-not-spend-so-much-ti_2265053.jpg)

> “Promise me you will not spend so much time treading water and trying to keep your head above the waves that you forget, truly forget, how much you have always loved to swim.”

[Tyler Knott Gregson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tyler-knott-gregson/)

## About This Quote

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

The quote warns against getting stuck in survival mode, forgetting the joy of fully engaging with one's passions.

**In simple terms:** Don’t let coping replace thriving.

Key Takeaway

Remember and pursue what you love.

Themes

balance passion mindset

Mood

reflective motivational

Type

inspirational philosophical

When to use this quote

- career burnout
- creative projects
- personal growth

Key Concepts

self‑care flow purpose

Questions to Reflect On

- What passions have you sidelined?
- How can you balance survival and joy?

A Different Perspective

Neglecting practical duties can have consequences.

★ ★ ★ ★ ★   No ratings yet

[Positive psychology](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/positive-psychology/) [Promise](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/promise/) [Psychology](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/psychology/) [Time](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/time/) [Treading water](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/treading-water/) [Water](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/water/)

## Related quotes

> [It is easy to believe we are each waves and forget we are also the ocean.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jon-j-muth/it-is-easy-to-believe-we-are-each-waves-and-forget-we-are-also-the/)

[Jon J Muth](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jon-j-muth/)

> [“,,,we forget our good actions only slowly, and in fact never truly forget them.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/machado-de-assis/we-forget-our-good-actions-only-slowly-and-in-fact-never-truly-forget/)

[Machado de Assis](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/machado-de-assis/)

> [1st of April is the only day I can finally say I truly forget you](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/chip/1st-of-april-is-the-only-day-i-can-finally-say-i-truly-forget-you/)

CHip

> [The problem with catching dreams is you forget how truly incredible they are when you live with them everyday](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/stacey-t-hunt/the-problem-with-catching-dreams-is-you-forget-how-truly-incredible/)

[Stacey T. Hunt](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/stacey-t-hunt/)

> [“It is up to us to never forget who we truly are.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tamuna-tsertsvadze/it-is-up-to-us-to-never-forget-who-we-truly-are/)

Tamuna Tsertsvadze

> [“We spend so much time creating a façade of what we want to project to the world, we almost forget what we ourselves are…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jason-r-thrift/we-spend-so-much-time-creating-a-fa-ade-of-what-we-want-to-project-to/)

Jason R. Thrift

> [“I was treading water, trying neither to drown nor to swim to safety, just staying in place, because here was the truth - even…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/andre-aciman/i-was-treading-water-trying-neither-to-drown-nor-to-swim-to-safety/)

[André Aciman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/andre-aciman/)

> [“in the end she had not wanted a life spent treading water in his story. She still did not—and yet she regarded herself in…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kij-johnson/in-the-end-she-had-not-wanted-a-life-spent-treading-water-in-his/)

[Kij Johnson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kij-johnson/)

> [“ Sean was watching me, though. And Sean wiped the bryozoa residue from his hand across my stomach. This was the third time a…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jennifer-echols/sean-was-watching-me-though-and-sean-wiped-the-bryozoa-residue-from/)

[Jennifer Echols](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jennifer-echols/)

> [“As the sun rose I could see Etna, a truncated cone with a plume of smoke over it like the quill of a pen…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/eric-newby/as-the-sun-rose-i-could-see-etna-a-truncated-cone-with-a-plume-of/)

[Eric Newby](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/eric-newby/)

> [One of the reasons for putting yourself on the line, is that life is not simply treading water... I always felt that once you…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dick-button/one-of-the-reasons-for-putting-yourself-on-the-line-is-that-life-is/)

[Dick Button](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dick-button/)

> [“Indonesia is just treading water when we are supposed to be bringing about change”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/joesoef-isak/indonesia-is-just-treading-water-when-we-are-supposed-to-be-bringing/)

Joesoef Isak

> [“my arms around his shoulders. I try to grab a hold of my bearings and attempt to open my eyes, and when I do,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jodi-ellen-malpas/my-arms-around-his-shoulders-i-try-to-grab-a-hold-of-my-bearings-and/)

[Jodi Ellen Malpas](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jodi-ellen-malpas/)

> [It was like treading water all through the '60s, and when 1970 kicked in, I thought "We're here. Right." God, this is exciting. I'm…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-bowie/it-was-like-treading-water-all-through-the-60s-and-when-1970-kicked/)

[David Bowie](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-bowie/)

> [“By any numerical measure, humanity is becoming rapidly less poor. But between half and two-thirds of people in the West have been treading water…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/edward-luce/by-any-numerical-measure-humanity-is-becoming-rapidly-less-poor-but/)

[Edward Luce](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/edward-luce/)

## More by Tyler Knott Gregson

> [“Somewhere someone thinks they love someone else exactly like I love you. Somewhere someone shakes from the ripple of a thousand butterflies inside a…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tyler-knott-gregson/somewhere-someone-thinks-they-love-someone-else-exactly-like-i-love/)

[Tyler Knott Gregson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tyler-knott-gregson/)

> [“I promise to plant kisses like seeds on your body, so in time you can grow to love yourself as I love you.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tyler-knott-gregson/i-promise-to-plant-kisses-like-seeds-on-your-body-so-in-time-you-can/)

[Tyler Knott Gregson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tyler-knott-gregson/)

> [“You are exactly Precisely and perfectly What I waited for.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tyler-knott-gregson/you-are-exactly-precisely-and-perfectly-what-i-waited-for/)

[Tyler Knott Gregson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tyler-knott-gregson/)

> [“I overheard the man whisper "I am a lover not a fighter," and to myself I thought I, am in fact, both. For is…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tyler-knott-gregson/i-overheard-the-man-whisper-i-am-a-lover-not-a-fighter-and-to-myself/)

[Tyler Knott Gregson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tyler-knott-gregson/)

> [I would love to say that you make me Weak at the Knees... But to be quite upfront and completely truthful... You make my…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tyler-knott-gregson/i-would-love-to-say-that-you-make-me-weak-at-the-knees-but-to-be/)

[Tyler Knott Gregson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tyler-knott-gregson/)

> [“I am this, and I’ve never been that, I’ve no plans to remedy the broken bits.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tyler-knott-gregson/i-am-this-and-i-ve-never-been-that-i-ve-no-plans-to-remedy-the-broken/)

[Tyler Knott Gregson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tyler-knott-gregson/)

> [Come here and take off your clothes and with them every single worry you have ever carried. My fingertips on your back will be…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tyler-knott-gregson/come-here-and-take-off-your-clothes-and-with-them-every-single-worry/)

[Tyler Knott Gregson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tyler-knott-gregson/)

> [“I believe in love at first sight but I will always believe that the people we love we have loved before. Many, many, many…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tyler-knott-gregson/i-believe-in-love-at-first-sight-but-i-will-always-believe-that-the/)

[Tyler Knott Gregson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tyler-knott-gregson/)

> [Be kind. Always. Give love freely and never wait for it to come back. If it breathes, grows, or has even a single cell…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tyler-knott-gregson/be-kind-always-give-love-freely-and-never-wait-for-it-to-come-back-if/)

[Tyler Knott Gregson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tyler-knott-gregson/)

> [“What an utter disgrace it would be to find something truly magic and spend any time at all pretending and trying to convince yourself…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tyler-knott-gregson/what-an-utter-disgrace-it-would-be-to-find-something-truly-magic-and/)

[Tyler Knott Gregson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tyler-knott-gregson/)

> [For those of you with a guy best friend, ask yourself this: is he really just been your best friend? Has he always been…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tyler-knott-gregson/for-those-of-you-with-a-guy-best-friend-ask-yourself-this-is-he/)

[Tyler Knott Gregson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tyler-knott-gregson/)

> [Run. For your life, for your joy, for your calm and peace of mind. Run. Because your legs are strong and your lungs are…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tyler-knott-gregson/run-for-your-life-for-your-joy-for-your-calm-and-peace-of-mind-run/)

[Tyler Knott Gregson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tyler-knott-gregson/)

> [“Part those sheets like holy waters and I will worship you skin like a born-again believer.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tyler-knott-gregson/part-those-sheets-like-holy-waters-and-i-will-worship-you-skin-like-a/)

[Tyler Knott Gregson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tyler-knott-gregson/)

> [“Will you let me in, in to the heart of your life, the beat of your days?”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tyler-knott-gregson/will-you-let-me-in-in-to-the-heart-of-your-life-the-beat-of-your-days/)

[Tyler Knott Gregson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tyler-knott-gregson/)

> [“I am made from the creaking beams and rusted nails of a lonely vessel on a lonely sea. I am covered and coated, dusted…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tyler-knott-gregson/i-am-made-from-the-creaking-beams-and-rusted-nails-of-a-lonely-vessel/)

[Tyler Knott Gregson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tyler-knott-gregson/)

[Explore all 61 Tyler Knott Gregson quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tyler-knott-gregson/)

## More Forget quotes

> [I Never met her,i never talked to her,but in my whole day I am either thinking about her or trying to forget her.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/subhananda/i-never-met-her-i-never-talked-to-her-but-in-my-whole-day-i-am-either/)

[Subhananda](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/subhananda/)

> [What people tend to forget is the journey that I had getting to Formula One. There were plenty of years where I had to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lewis-hamilton/what-people-tend-to-forget-is-the-journey-that-i-had-getting-to/)

[Lewis Hamilton](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lewis-hamilton/)

> [Once upon a time. Ah forget it.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/once-upon-a-time-ah-forget-it/)

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

> [Forget the credit, they (male actors) take all the money as well. We don't get paid even one-third of what male actors get. It's…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kangana-ranaut/forget-the-credit-they-male-actors-take-all-the-money-as-well-we-don/)

[Kangana Ranaut](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kangana-ranaut/)

> [It goes to show you how we in the press so often miss the big stories that are right under our noses. There is…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/roger-ebert/it-goes-to-show-you-how-we-in-the-press-so-often-miss-the-big-stories/)

[Roger Ebert](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/roger-ebert/)

> [Your memory is a monster; you forget - it doesn't. It simply files things away. It keeps things for you, or hides things from…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-irving/your-memory-is-a-monster-you-forget-it-doesn-t-it-simply-files-things/)

[John Irving](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-irving/)

> [“Which people take the time to care for their souls, these days? I reckon not many. But...hear this: I think that maybe in our…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/susan-fletcher/which-people-take-the-time-to-care-for-their-souls-these-days-i/)

[Susan Fletcher](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/susan-fletcher/)

> [The problem with people is they forget that most of the time it's the small things that count.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jennifer-niven/the-problem-with-people-is-they-forget-that-most-of-the-time-it-s-the/)

[Jennifer Niven](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jennifer-niven/)

> [Remind a man of what he remembers, and you will make him forget it.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/plautus/remind-a-man-of-what-he-remembers-and-you-will-make-him-forget-it/)

[Plautus](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/plautus/)

> [“So you try, and try, to move past it and forget about them, but it's like they're stuck in your head -- you can't…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/abby-mcdonald/so-you-try-and-try-to-move-past-it-and-forget-about-them-but-it-s/)

[Abby McDonald](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/abby-mcdonald/)

> [People forget that there is a big difference between coercion and persuasion. The idea that evangelism is coercive is nonsense.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mark-dever/people-forget-that-there-is-a-big-difference-between-coercion-and/)

[Mark Dever](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mark-dever/)

> [People are disturbed not by things but by the view they take of them. They may forget what you said, but they will never…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/frederick-buechner/people-are-disturbed-not-by-things-but-by-the-view-they-take-of-them/)

[Frederick Buechner](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/frederick-buechner/)

> [I don't think people will ever forget I was an 'Angel,' anymore than they'll forget Sally Field was 'The Flying Nun.'](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/cheryl-ladd/i-don-t-think-people-will-ever-forget-i-was-an-angel-anymore-than/)

[Cheryl Ladd](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/cheryl-ladd/)

> [If God knows me I will never forget him](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/trunxbeats/if-god-knows-me-i-will-never-forget-him/)

Trunxbeats

> [Our memory is a monster; you forget it - it does not.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-irving/our-memory-is-a-monster-you-forget-it-it-does-not/)

[John Irving](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-irving/)

Browse all 11,315 Forget quotes

```json
{
    "@context": "https://schema.org",
    "@graph": [
        {
            "@type": "Quotation",
            "text": "Promise me you will not spend so much time treading water and trying to keep your head above the waves that you forget, truly forget, how much you have always loved to swim.",
            "creator": {
                "@type": "Person",
                "name": "Tyler Knott Gregson"
            },
            "isPartOf": {
                "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website"
            },
            "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tyler-knott-gregson/promise-me-you-will-not-spend-so-much-time-treading-water-and-trying-2/",
            "about": {
                "@type": "Thing",
                "name": "Forget"
            },
            "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tyler-knott-gregson/promise-me-you-will-not-spend-so-much-time-treading-water-and-trying-2/#quotation",
            "image": {
                "@type": "ImageObject",
                "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/c12/tyler-knott-gregson-11115_forget_promise-me-you-will-not-spend-so-much-ti_2265053.jpg",
                "contentUrl": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/c12/tyler-knott-gregson-11115_forget_promise-me-you-will-not-spend-so-much-ti_2265053.jpg",
                "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/c12/tyler-knott-gregson-11115_forget_promise-me-you-will-not-spend-so-much-ti_2265053.jpg",
                "width": 1080,
                "height": 1080,
                "caption": "“Promise me you will not spend so much time treading water and trying to keep your head above the waves that…” — Tyler Knott Gregson",
                "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": "Tyler Knott Gregson",
                    "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tyler-knott-gregson/"
                },
                {
                    "@type": "ListItem",
                    "position": 4,
                    "name": "Promise me you will not spend...",
                    "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tyler-knott-gregson/promise-me-you-will-not-spend-so-much-time-treading-water-and-trying-2/"
                }
            ],
            "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tyler-knott-gregson/promise-me-you-will-not-spend-so-much-time-treading-water-and-trying-2/#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
            }
        }
    ]
}
```
