I’ve been seeing this phrase a lot lately on twitter…
“If the whole world was blind who would you impress?”
It just doesn’t sit well with me so I’m going to tell you why.
I get that it’s trying to make you think about your success in life beyond the visual world we live in, but what’s so wrong with being extremely good and talented at visual things? What’s wrong with a visual artist living and breathing what they do? Where all of their merit and clout carries extreme weight for them. So what if they aren’t a very inspiring person with words. Maybe they aren’t the most social type of person. You can’t hold that against them.
They are visual artists for a reason because that is what they are great at and what they love to do. You can’t blame them for having the rest of their life being full of flaws and imperfections. That’s not where they try to impress themselves or others for that matter.
That’s like asking some one from an orchestra, “If the whole world was deaf, who would you impress?” It just isn’t a fair thing to ask. It excludes a specific population of people.
Maybe you should just say this….
“If the whole world didn’t understand you and what you are skilled at who would you impress?”
It almost seems like it your merits of impression now lay in the hands of some sort of governed system. It seems impractical to compare impressiveness between a skilled and wise craftsman and someone that is highly educated.
Since when did we have to impress those who do not understand us to be content with who we are and what we have done?
Let’s stop focusing on pleasing everyone else and start focusing on enjoying who we are. It’s great to strive for success, become better and prove to others we are capable of great things, but without our own happiness in the equation, what’s the damn point?
Be more worried about impressing yourself and those that do understand you before trying to impress those that don’t. I believe the correct term is “like chasing the wind.” No sense in chasing the wind. That’s a path without any worth.
Let’s make impressions on the world that make us happy. Not ones that leave us empty. If someone doesn’t understand that’s ok. That’s just a part of life.
Hello there, I guess you took the phrase too literally…It’s a beautiful phrase..To me this phrase simply means polish your innerself make your soul beautiful..outer beauty may impress people or attract them towards you but what if the world was blind ? Then only you behaviour will be a tool to impress someone or your kind words will leave a mark upon other souls..the whole world will be in search of beautiful souls.. So I guess the phrase simply aims at highlighting the importance of inner goodness and not attach undue importance to how someone appears on the outside.. it’s a remark for all people who desperately try hard to beautify their outerself with what not but forget to be kind and gentle in treating others.. so it says if the whole world was blind who would you impress ? Eventually only your beautiful nature can impress people :)
Thanks for the comment. I’m glad this article got you thinking about this concept like it inspired me to think differently. Finding your true voice in your own work is what truly makes us happy. No matter the format. Thanks for reading and sharing your thoughts!