--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: A man can be so busy making a living that…" description: "\"A man can be so busy making a living that he forgets to make a life.\" — William Barclay" image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/377/william-barclay-7864_busy_a-man-can-be-so-busy-making-a-living-tha_2833012.png" --- # A man can be so busy making a living that he forgets to… ![“A man can be so busy making a living that he forgets to make a life.” quote by William Barclay](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/377/william-barclay-7864_busy_a-man-can-be-so-busy-making-a-living-tha_2833012.png) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/377/william-barclay-7864_busy_a-man-can-be-so-busy-making-a-living-tha_2833012.png) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/377/william-barclay-7864_busy_a-man-can-be-so-busy-making-a-living-tha_2833012.png) > “A man can be so busy making a living that he forgets to make a life.” [William Barclay](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/william-barclay/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. Being overly focused on earning can cause us to neglect living fully. **In simple terms:** Work can eclipse life. Key Takeaway Prioritize life beyond work. Themes work‑life balance priorities meaning spirituality Mood contemplative encouraging Type ethical motivational When to use this quote - career planning - family time - hobbies - volunteering Key Concepts time management mindfulness Questions to Reflect On - How do you define a fulfilling life? - What steps can you take to balance work and living? A Different Perspective May ignore economic necessities. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Inspirational life](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/inspirational-life/) [Life](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/life/) [Making a living](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/making-a-living/) [Men](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/men/) ## Related quotes > [“Too many people are too busy making a living to make a life.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/roy-t-bennett/too-many-people-are-too-busy-making-a-living-to-make-a-life/) [Roy T. Bennett](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/roy-t-bennett/) > [Never get so busy making a living that you cannot make your life .](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/never-get-so-busy-making-a-living-that-you-cannot-make-your-life/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [All busy making a living and have forgotten to live life !!!!](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/senoraroy/all-busy-making-a-living-and-have-forgotten-to-live-life/) Senoraroy > [Don't get so busy making a living that you forget to make a life.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dolly-parton/don-t-get-so-busy-making-a-living-that-you-forget-to-make-a-life/) [Dolly Parton](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dolly-parton/) > [Never get so busy making a living that you forget to make a life.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/never-get-so-busy-making-a-living-that-you-forget-to-make-a-life/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [If you love writing or making music or blogging or any sort of performing art, then do it. Do it with everything you've got.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/seth-godin/if-you-love-writing-or-making-music-or-blogging-or-any-sort-of/) [Seth Godin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/seth-godin/) > [I'm fortunate that I'm making a living at it now because I'm not equipped to do anything else.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sonny-rollins/i-m-fortunate-that-i-m-making-a-living-at-it-now-because-i-m-not/) [Sonny Rollins](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sonny-rollins/) > [“There’s a common misconception that work is necessary. You will meet people working at miserable jobs. They tell you they are “making a living”.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/adrian-tan/there-s-a-common-misconception-that-work-is-necessary-you-will-meet/) [Adrian Tan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/adrian-tan/) > [Before I became a writer, I was running a jazz bar in the center of Tokyo, which means that I worked in filthy air…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/haruki-murakami/before-i-became-a-writer-i-was-running-a-jazz-bar-in-the-center-of/) [Haruki Murakami](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/haruki-murakami/) > [Why should I stop working? If I do, I'll die and it'll all be finished. 'm lucky to work in the most perfect of…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/karl-lagerfeld/why-should-i-stop-working-if-i-do-i-ll-die-and-it-ll-all-be-finished/) [Karl Lagerfeld](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/karl-lagerfeld/) > [I always felt that making a living wasn't the easiest thing in the world, and I decided I was going straight ahead and try…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/doris-day/i-always-felt-that-making-a-living-wasn-t-the-easiest-thing-in-the/) [Doris Day](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/doris-day/) > [“No difference making a living with what’s between your ears and making one with what’s between your legs.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dennis-vickers/no-difference-making-a-living-with-what-s-between-your-ears-and/) [Dennis Vickers](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dennis-vickers/) > [Any time you're making a living at what you love to do, you're blessed.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tom-petty/any-time-you-re-making-a-living-at-what-you-love-to-do-you-re-blessed/) [Tom Petty](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tom-petty/) > [I've learned that you can tell a lot about a person by the way he/she handles these three things: a rainy day, lost luggage…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/maya-angelou/i-ve-learned-that-you-can-tell-a-lot-about-a-person-by-the-way-he-she/) [Maya Angelou](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/maya-angelou/) > [It isn't called TV money for nothing. There was a time where I paid my rent by doing theater for years, and I was…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jim-parsons/it-isn-t-called-tv-money-for-nothing-there-was-a-time-where-i-paid-my/) [Jim Parsons](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jim-parsons/) ## More by William Barclay > [The Christian man must aim at that complete obedience to God in which life finds its highest happiness, its greatest good, its perfect consummation,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/william-barclay/the-christian-man-must-aim-at-that-complete-obedience-to-god-in-which/) [William Barclay](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/william-barclay/) > [Real repentance means coming not only to be sorry for the consequences of sin but to hate sin itself.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/william-barclay/real-repentance-means-coming-not-only-to-be-sorry-for-the/) [William Barclay](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/william-barclay/) > [There is a time when to avoid trouble is to store up trouble, and when to seek for a lazy and a cowardly peace…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/william-barclay/there-is-a-time-when-to-avoid-trouble-is-to-store-up-trouble-and-when/) [William Barclay](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/william-barclay/) > [When we believe that God is Father, we also believe that such a father's hand will never cause his child a needless tear. We…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/william-barclay/when-we-believe-that-god-is-father-we-also-believe-that-such-a-father/) [William Barclay](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/william-barclay/) > [The only way to get our values right is to see, not the beginning, but the end of the way, to see things not…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/william-barclay/the-only-way-to-get-our-values-right-is-to-see-not-the-beginning-but/) [William Barclay](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/william-barclay/) > [The Christian is called upon to be the partner of God in the work of the conversion of men.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/william-barclay/the-christian-is-called-upon-to-be-the-partner-of-god-in-the-work-of/) [William Barclay](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/william-barclay/) > [Pride is the ground in which all the other sins grow, and the parent from which all the other sins come.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/william-barclay/pride-is-the-ground-in-which-all-the-other-sins-grow-and-the-parent/) [William Barclay](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/william-barclay/) > [Every discouraging sermon is a wicked sermon... There could hardly be a more un-Christian way of living than to go about in such a…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/william-barclay/every-discouraging-sermon-is-a-wicked-sermon-there-could-hardly-be-a/) [William Barclay](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/william-barclay/) > [God does not choose a person for ease and comfort and selfish joy but for a task that will take all that head and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/william-barclay/god-does-not-choose-a-person-for-ease-and-comfort-and-selfish-joy-but/) [William Barclay](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/william-barclay/) > [Instead of our petulant, fretful, irritable human hastiness we should cultivate in our souls the patience which has learned to wait on God.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/william-barclay/instead-of-our-petulant-fretful-irritable-human-hastiness-we-should/) [William Barclay](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/william-barclay/) > [In the time we have it is surely our duty to do all the good we can to all the people we can in…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/william-barclay/in-the-time-we-have-it-is-surely-our-duty-to-do-all-the-good-we-can/) [William Barclay](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/william-barclay/) > [Religion fails if it cannot speak to men as they are.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/william-barclay/religion-fails-if-it-cannot-speak-to-men-as-they-are/) [William Barclay](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/william-barclay/) > [We have a duty to encourage one another. Many a time a word of praise or thanks or appreciation or cheer has kept a…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/william-barclay/we-have-a-duty-to-encourage-one-another-many-a-time-a-word-of-praise/) [William Barclay](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/william-barclay/) > [True prayer is asking God what He wants.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/william-barclay/true-prayer-is-asking-god-what-he-wants/) [William Barclay](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/william-barclay/) > [Christian freedom does not mean being free to do as we like; it means being free to do as we ought.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/william-barclay/christian-freedom-does-not-mean-being-free-to-do-as-we-like-it-means/) [William Barclay](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/william-barclay/) [Explore all 86 William Barclay quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/william-barclay/) ## More Busy quotes > [Success doesn't have a downside for me. I'm busy, but I've always been busy whatever job I've had. My very first job working in…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/victoria-derbyshire/success-doesn-t-have-a-downside-for-me-i-m-busy-but-i-ve-always-been/) Victoria Derbyshire > [I remember till 997th film, but after that I got so busy with multiple projects; I'm not sure which one released as my 1,000th…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/brahmanandam/i-remember-till-997th-film-but-after-that-i-got-so-busy-with-multiple/) [Brahmanandam](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/brahmanandam/) > [I love to work in football, so for me it's not work. I'm not here first in the morning and last in the evening…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/daniel-farke/i-love-to-work-in-football-so-for-me-it-s-not-work-i-m-not-here-first/) [Daniel Farke](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/daniel-farke/) > [We all have time away from football to get our head down. At the same time it is a very busy schedule.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/reece-james/we-all-have-time-away-from-football-to-get-our-head-down-at-the-same/) [Reece James](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/reece-james/) > [I am on sabbatical as of right now, been too busy to think of about my OWN needs as of late.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jim-diamond/i-am-on-sabbatical-as-of-right-now-been-too-busy-to-think-of-about-my/) [Jim Diamond](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jim-diamond/) > [“I don't envy "busy." Busy means having a schedule, not living life. What I really covet is leisure and peace of mind. Those who…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/donna-lynn-hope/i-don-t-envy-busy-busy-means-having-a-schedule-not-living-life-what-i/) [Donna Lynn Hope](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/donna-lynn-hope/) > [Focus on being productive instead of busy.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tim-ferriss/focus-on-being-productive-instead-of-busy/) [Tim Ferriss](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tim-ferriss/) > [I do spend a lot of weekends on the road. I have to pace myself. It can be pretty busy, but I'm not out…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gary-sinise/i-do-spend-a-lot-of-weekends-on-the-road-i-have-to-pace-myself-it-can/) [Gary Sinise](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gary-sinise/) > [Our civilization, bequeathed to us by fierce adventurers, eaters of meat and hunters, is so full of hurry and combat, so busy about many…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/james-joyce/our-civilization-bequeathed-to-us-by-fierce-adventurers-eaters-of/) [James Joyce](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/james-joyce/) > [I have no social life. There is no time for one. Once in a while I may go to dinner with a friend but…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/liz-halliday/i-have-no-social-life-there-is-no-time-for-one-once-in-a-while-i-may/) [Liz Halliday](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/liz-halliday/) > [I like acting too much and it's too, I'm just too busy doing that and I'm too hungry for it, to get behind the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rachel-weisz/i-like-acting-too-much-and-it-s-too-i-m-just-too-busy-doing-that-and/) [Rachel Weisz](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rachel-weisz/) > [The hollow horn plays wasted words, proves to warn that he not busy being born is busy dying.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bob-dylan/the-hollow-horn-plays-wasted-words-proves-to-warn-that-he-not-busy/) [Bob Dylan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bob-dylan/) > [Films are tricky because for years you're getting told you're about to make it and you're about to be busy for four or six…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mike-mills/films-are-tricky-because-for-years-you-re-getting-told-you-re-about/) [Mike Mills](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mike-mills/) > [Never be too busy for the people you love. Never allow pursuits or possessions to become bigger priorities than your relationships. Love is what…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dave-willis/never-be-too-busy-for-the-people-you-love-never-allow-pursuits-or/) [Dave Willis](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dave-willis/) > [“Get busy live'n, or get busy die'n”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/the-shawshank-redemption/get-busy-live-n-or-get-busy-die-n/) The Shawshank Redemption Browse all 3,372 Busy quotes ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "A man can be so busy making a living that he forgets to make a life.", "creator": { "@type": "Person", "name": "William Barclay" }, "isPartOf": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website" }, "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/william-barclay/a-man-can-be-so-busy-making-a-living-that-he-forgets-to-make-a-life/", "about": { "@type": "Thing", "name": "Busy" }, "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/william-barclay/a-man-can-be-so-busy-making-a-living-that-he-forgets-to-make-a-life/#quotation", "image": { "@type": "ImageObject", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/377/william-barclay-7864_busy_a-man-can-be-so-busy-making-a-living-tha_2833012.png", "contentUrl": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/377/william-barclay-7864_busy_a-man-can-be-so-busy-making-a-living-tha_2833012.png", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/377/william-barclay-7864_busy_a-man-can-be-so-busy-making-a-living-tha_2833012.png", "width": 1080, "height": 1080, "caption": "“A man can be so busy making a living that he forgets to make a life.” — William Barclay", "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": "William Barclay", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/william-barclay/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 4, "name": "A man can be so busy...", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/william-barclay/a-man-can-be-so-busy-making-a-living-that-he-forgets-to-make-a-life/" } ], "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/william-barclay/a-man-can-be-so-busy-making-a-living-that-he-forgets-to-make-a-life/#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 } } ] } ```