--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: You never look at the backside of a…" description: "\"You never look at the backside of a mirror because when you do, it'll affect your future because you're looking at yourself backwards. No, you're looki..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/869/gus-van-sant-5023_backsides_you-never-look-at-the-backside-of-a-mirr_1564665.jpg" --- # You never look at the backside of a mirror because when… ![“You never look at the backside of a mirror because when you do, it'll affect your future because you're looking at yourself backwards. No, you're looking at your inner self and you don't recognize it because you've never seen it before.” quote by Gus Van Sant](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/869/gus-van-sant-5023_backsides_you-never-look-at-the-backside-of-a-mirr_1564665.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/869/gus-van-sant-5023_backsides_you-never-look-at-the-backside-of-a-mirr_1564665.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/869/gus-van-sant-5023_backsides_you-never-look-at-the-backside-of-a-mirr_1564665.jpg) > “You never look at the backside of a mirror because when you do, it'll affect your future because you're looking at yourself backwards. No, you're looking at your inner self and you don't recognize it because you've never seen it before.” [Gus Van Sant](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gus-van-sant/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. Seeing oneself in reverse reveals hidden aspects of identity that we normally ignore. **In simple terms:** Seeing yourself backwards shows hidden self. Key Takeaway Reflect on inner self beyond surface image. Themes identity self‑awareness reflection Mood introspective thoughtful Type philosophical inspirational When to use this quote - personal growth - therapy - creative work - self‑exploration Key Concepts psychology philosophy Questions to Reflect On - What parts of yourself have you never recognized? - How does confronting your inner self change your actions? A Different Perspective Self‑reflection can be unsettling and may distort perception. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Backside Mirror](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/backside-mirror-5877430/) [Backsides](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/backsides/) [Backwards](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/backwards/) [Inner self](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/inner-self/) [Look Backside](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/look-backside-5877431/) [Looking Backwards](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/looking-backwards-263719/) [Looking Inner](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/looking-inner-2169020/) [Looks](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/looks/) [Mirror](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/mirror/) [Mirrors](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/mirrors/) [Our future](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/our-future/) [Self](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/self/) [Time](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/time/) [Your future](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/your-future/) ## Related quotes > [If you're looking for inner peace from the outside world, you're not going to get that. The inner peace starts with looking at you…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mary-j-blige/if-you-re-looking-for-inner-peace-from-the-outside-world-you-re-not-2/) [Mary J. Blige](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mary-j-blige/) > [If you're looking for inner peace from the outside world, you're not going to get that. The inner peace starts with looking at you…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mary-j-blige/if-you-re-looking-for-inner-peace-from-the-outside-world-you-re-not/) [Mary J. Blige](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mary-j-blige/) > [Walt Disney and I always said we were two children looking for our inner adults.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dick-van-dyke/walt-disney-and-i-always-said-we-were-two-children-looking-for-our/) [Dick Van Dyke](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dick-van-dyke/) > [I think, in some ways, that is the balm of stories, of fables, of tales: it's the way we're wired. We have always needed…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/debra-granik/i-think-in-some-ways-that-is-the-balm-of-stories-of-fables-of-tales/) [Debra Granik](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/debra-granik/) > [Looking backwards, I look at my resume and I look at the things I've accomplished, but quite honestly there's just that word, 'Mother', I…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/michele-bachmann/looking-backwards-i-look-at-my-resume-and-i-look-at-the-things-i-ve/) [Michele Bachmann](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/michele-bachmann/) > [If you keep looking backwards, you don't go anywhere.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jeff-ross/if-you-keep-looking-backwards-you-don-t-go-anywhere/) [Jeff Ross](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jeff-ross/) > [Of course it was impossible to connect the dots looking forward when I was in college. But it was very, very clear looking backwards…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/steve-jobs/of-course-it-was-impossible-to-connect-the-dots-looking-forward-when/) [Steve Jobs](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/steve-jobs/) > [Don't waste your time looking backwards at what you've lost.. Move on, life is not meant to be traveled backwards..](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mohamad-idrus/don-t-waste-your-time-looking-backwards-at-what-you-ve-lost-move-on/) [Mohamad Idrus](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mohamad-idrus/) > [“You can't connect the dots looking forward; you can only connect them looking backwards. So you have to trust that the dots will somehow…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/steve-jobs/you-can-t-connect-the-dots-looking-forward-you-can-only-connect-them-3/) [Steve Jobs](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/steve-jobs/) > [You don't realize that if you stop looking backwards craving the love and acceptance which you didn't receive from your parents, then you might…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/leonard-jacobson/you-don-t-realize-that-if-you-stop-looking-backwards-craving-the-love/) [Leonard Jacobson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/leonard-jacobson/) > [“You can't move forward looking backwards.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/delores-thornton/you-can-t-move-forward-looking-backwards/) [Delores Thornton](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/delores-thornton/) > [You cant connect the dots looking forward, you can only connect them looking backwards](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/you-cant-connect-the-dots-looking-forward-you-can-only-connect-them/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [I have no intention of retaliating or looking backwards. We are going to forget the past and look forward to the future.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jomo-kenyatta/i-have-no-intention-of-retaliating-or-looking-backwards-we-are-going/) [Jomo Kenyatta](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jomo-kenyatta/) > [It is, from my perspective, less important today looking backwards as to why these militants decided they did it than to find them and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/hillary-clinton/it-is-from-my-perspective-less-important-today-looking-backwards-as/) [Hillary Clinton](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/hillary-clinton/) > [I'm just always looking forwards. I spend very little time, looking backwards.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gary-vaynerchuk/i-m-just-always-looking-forwards-i-spend-very-little-time-looking/) [Gary Vaynerchuk](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gary-vaynerchuk/) ## More by Gus Van Sant > [The things that inform student culture are created and controlled by the unseen culture, the sociological aspects of our climbing culture, our 'me' generation,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gus-van-sant/the-things-that-inform-student-culture-are-created-and-controlled-by/) [Gus Van Sant](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gus-van-sant/) > [I mean, I think I'm pretty sentimental.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gus-van-sant/i-mean-i-think-i-m-pretty-sentimental/) [Gus Van Sant](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gus-van-sant/) > [Usually people just hire me.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gus-van-sant/usually-people-just-hire-me/) [Gus Van Sant](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gus-van-sant/) > [My family moved a lot as a kid. We started in Colorado, where I lived for five years. We moved to Chicago for two…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gus-van-sant/my-family-moved-a-lot-as-a-kid-we-started-in-colorado-where-i-lived/) [Gus Van Sant](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gus-van-sant/) > [No construction stiff working overtime takes more stress and straining than we did just to stay high.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gus-van-sant/no-construction-stiff-working-overtime-takes-more-stress-and/) [Gus Van Sant](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gus-van-sant/) > [I've told people who have just started to make a film that the one thing you might experience is this feeling that everybody is…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gus-van-sant/i-ve-told-people-who-have-just-started-to-make-a-film-that-the-one/) [Gus Van Sant](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gus-van-sant/) > [A lot of times, I relied on connections through my agency, just for financing and things like that. Even when I'm looking for a…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gus-van-sant/a-lot-of-times-i-relied-on-connections-through-my-agency-just-for/) [Gus Van Sant](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gus-van-sant/) > [I'm a junkie. I like drugs, I like the whole lifestyle, but it just didn't pay off.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gus-van-sant/i-m-a-junkie-i-like-drugs-i-like-the-whole-lifestyle-but-it-just-didn/) [Gus Van Sant](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gus-van-sant/) > [There are all kinds of ways that people present their films, but that's kind of a good feeling, if you can make it seem…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gus-van-sant/there-are-all-kinds-of-ways-that-people-present-their-films-but-that/) [Gus Van Sant](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gus-van-sant/) > [I find it interesting, the different rules that apply to journalism and drama, even though journalism has become more and more about entertainment, and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gus-van-sant/i-find-it-interesting-the-different-rules-that-apply-to-journalism/) [Gus Van Sant](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gus-van-sant/) > [As I do with most films, I try and find some music that you could use throughout, not just a sampling of lots of…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gus-van-sant/as-i-do-with-most-films-i-try-and-find-some-music-that-you-could-use/) [Gus Van Sant](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gus-van-sant/) > [When you're on a film and you're doubting something, it's usually because you don't think the audience is going to like it.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gus-van-sant/when-you-re-on-a-film-and-you-re-doubting-something-it-s-usually/) [Gus Van Sant](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gus-van-sant/) > [I don't usually direct actors in the classic sense of that word. Instead, I try to remind the characters before the shoot what's going…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gus-van-sant/i-don-t-usually-direct-actors-in-the-classic-sense-of-that-word/) [Gus Van Sant](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gus-van-sant/) > [When you get to be 23, 24 or 25, you start to freeze up and become an adult.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gus-van-sant/when-you-get-to-be-23-24-or-25-you-start-to-freeze-up-and-become-an/) [Gus Van Sant](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gus-van-sant/) > [The artist himself is actually the subject in everything after, say, 1900. Eventually, art becomes so removed from the community that you have to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gus-van-sant/the-artist-himself-is-actually-the-subject-in-everything-after-say/) [Gus Van Sant](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gus-van-sant/) [Explore all 102 Gus Van Sant quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gus-van-sant/) ## More Backsides quotes > [ I always resented Tom \[Hardy\] for turning up on Band Of Brothers and getting the girl — in fact, the only girl in a… ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/damian-lewis/i-always-resented-tom-hardy-for-turning-up-on-band-of-brothers-and/) [Damian Lewis](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/damian-lewis/) > [Prizes do not mean anything to me. I think it is more important to make a child aware of the existence of a weird…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/hayao-miyazaki/prizes-do-not-mean-anything-to-me-i-think-it-is-more-important-to/) [Hayao Miyazaki](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/hayao-miyazaki/) > [God,' she cried, 'what is love? Man seeking his own head? The human head, so rented by misery that even the teeth weigh! She…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/djuna-barnes/god-she-cried-what-is-love-man-seeking-his-own-head-the-human-head-so/) [Djuna Barnes](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/djuna-barnes/) > [Well, if you're talking about perfection, I'll show you the image of my backside.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/onew/well-if-you-re-talking-about-perfection-i-ll-show-you-the-image-of-my/) [Onew](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/onew/) > [As I have found out, recognition has its upside, its downside and – you may say – its backside.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/pippa-middleton/as-i-have-found-out-recognition-has-its-upside-its-downside-and-you/) [Pippa Middleton](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/pippa-middleton/) > [The human backside is a dimension architects seem to have forgotten.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/william-h-whyte/the-human-backside-is-a-dimension-architects-seem-to-have-forgotten/) [William H. Whyte](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/william-h-whyte/) > [So remember it, lad. If your head thinks up mischief, your backside's going to pay for it. Brian Fraser to young Jamie](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/diana-gabaldon/so-remember-it-lad-if-your-head-thinks-up-mischief-your-backside-s/) [Diana Gabaldon](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/diana-gabaldon/) > [To win the Kentucky Derby is the goal of every trainer, every hot-walker, every backside person. They may be just rubbing on a horse,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bob-lewis/to-win-the-kentucky-derby-is-the-goal-of-every-trainer-every-hot/) [Bob Lewis](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bob-lewis/) > [My backside and my privates. I’m stuck so full of prickers, it makes me smart just to think on it.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/robert-newton-peck/my-backside-and-my-privates-i-m-stuck-so-full-of-prickers-it-makes-me/) [Robert Newton Peck](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/robert-newton-peck/) > [Both my parents came from Russia and suddenly they wound up in Boston, Massachusetts, Brookline, Massachusetts and they felt the sun rose and set…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mike-wallace/both-my-parents-came-from-russia-and-suddenly-they-wound-up-in-boston/) [Mike Wallace](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mike-wallace/) > [If you turned the fabric of our lives over, I imagined the design on the backside would be woven in the bleak grays of…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/stephenie-meyer/if-you-turned-the-fabric-of-our-lives-over-i-imagined-the-design-on/) [Stephenie Meyer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/stephenie-meyer/) > [Faces can lie. Backsides can't.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/yoko-ono/faces-can-lie-backsides-can-t/) [Yoko Ono](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/yoko-ono/) > [If this bloke's a Test match bowler, then my backside is a fire engine](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-lloyd/if-this-bloke-s-a-test-match-bowler-then-my-backside-is-a-fire-engine/) [David Lloyd](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-lloyd/) > [Rather than argue, Amanda smiled at him. “And then what will you do while your son or daughter is in charge of your store…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lisa-kleypas/rather-than-argue-amanda-smiled-at-him-and-then-what-will-you-do/) [Lisa Kleypas](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lisa-kleypas/) > [My history of lending money from banks is that they want to know the ins and outs of the backside of a duck.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alan-sugar/my-history-of-lending-money-from-banks-is-that-they-want-to-know-the/) [Alan Sugar](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alan-sugar/) [Browse all 61 Backsides quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/backsides/) ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "You never look at the backside of a mirror because when you do, it'll affect your future because you're looking at yourself backwards. 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