Sometimes you have to take the focus off of you and put it on someone else and it’s funny what you can accomplish and how much strength you really have.

Kotb’s remark frames resilience as something often unlocked through outward attention rather than inward preoccupation. By “taking the focus off of you,” she points to a practical shift: when energy is redirected toward helping, listening, or showing up for another person, self-doubt and rumination can loosen their grip. The “funny” surprise is that capability and stamina become visible in action—strength is discovered by doing, not by measuring oneself. The quote also suggests a relational ethic: personal growth and accomplishment are not purely individual achievements but can be catalyzed by care, responsibility, and connection to others.