--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: It's not what you look that matters, it's…" description: "\"It's not what you look that matters, it's what you see.\" — Henry David Thoreau" image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/1b6/henry-david-thoreau-20_inspirational_it-s-not-what-you-look-that-matters-it-s_452952.jpg" --- # It's not what you look that matters, it's what you see. ![“It's not what you look that matters, it's what you see.” quote by Henry David Thoreau](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/1b6/henry-david-thoreau-20_inspirational_it-s-not-what-you-look-that-matters-it-s_452952.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/1b6/henry-david-thoreau-20_inspirational_it-s-not-what-you-look-that-matters-it-s_452952.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/1b6/henry-david-thoreau-20_inspirational_it-s-not-what-you-look-that-matters-it-s_452952.jpg) > “It's not what you look that matters, it's what you see.” [Henry David Thoreau](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/henry-david-thoreau/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. True understanding comes from perception, not superficial appearance. **In simple terms:** Seeing is deeper than looking. Key Takeaway Focus on perception over appearance. Themes perception mindfulness philosophy Mood thoughtful analytical Type philosophical reflective When to use this quote - art critique - personal relationships - problem solving Key Concepts subjectivity awareness interpretation Questions to Reflect On - How do you verify what you truly see? - What role does intuition play? A Different Perspective Perception can be biased; appearances sometimes convey essential info. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Inspirational](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/inspirational/) [Look](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/look/) [Look Matters](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/look-matters-245450/) [Matters](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/matters/) [See](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/see/) ## Related quotes > [It's not what you look at that matters, it's what you see.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/it-s-not-what-you-look-at-that-matters-it-s-what-you-see/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [As long as you're feeling good with your weight and the way you look, that's what matters.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alessandra-ambrosio/as-long-as-you-re-feeling-good-with-your-weight-and-the-way-you-look/) [Alessandra Ambrosio](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alessandra-ambrosio/) > [It's not what you look at that matters, it's what you see - i.e. compare it to, something worse or better, that determines whether…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/henry-david-thoreau/it-s-not-what-you-look-at-that-matters-it-s-what-you-see-i-e-compare/) [Henry David Thoreau](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/henry-david-thoreau/) > [It seems totally unfair that the way we look matters so much. I mean, why can't we just get over this gotta-be-thin-and-beautiful thing? Why…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/melody-carlson/it-seems-totally-unfair-that-the-way-we-look-matters-so-much-i-mean/) [Melody Carlson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/melody-carlson/) > [No matter what I face, I must have a mindset that 'it must go this way.' Although it gets to the point where I…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/yunho/no-matter-what-i-face-i-must-have-a-mindset-that-it-must-go-this-way/) [Yunho](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/yunho/) > [Its not what you look at that matters, its what you see.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/its-not-what-you-look-at-that-matters-its-what-you-see/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [If u don't like how I look then love me for my personality not looks. it doesn't matter how I look it matters how…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/destiny-meador/if-u-don-t-like-how-i-look-then-love-me-for-my-personality-not-looks/) [Destiny Meador](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/destiny-meador/) > [I can get up in the morning and look myself in the mirror and my family can look at me too and that's all…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lance-armstrong/i-can-get-up-in-the-morning-and-look-myself-in-the-mirror-and-my/) [Lance Armstrong](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lance-armstrong/) > [“What makes me say these things is that I see how much you care about the way people look at you. It matters too…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/saul-bellow/what-makes-me-say-these-things-is-that-i-see-how-much-you-care-about/) [Saul Bellow](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/saul-bellow/) > [“it doesn't matter how you are looking.. but how you want to look …it matters.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/marco/it-doesn-t-matter-how-you-are-looking-but-how-you-want-to-look-it/) [Marco](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/marco/) > [Does not matter how you look it matters how you feel you look](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/does-not-matter-how-you-look-it-matters-how-you-feel-you-look/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [Every1 say in love look dsnt matters 4 him/her. thts a lie coz look matters 4 every1 diffrence is hw much it matters 4 u.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nick-bhardwaj/every1-say-in-love-look-dsnt-matters-4-him-her-thts-a-lie-coz-look/) [NICK BHARDWAJ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nick-bhardwaj/) > [It is very distressing that anyone would look at these matters from a political viewpoint. Core beliefs about when life begins and ends are…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mac-thornberry/it-is-very-distressing-that-anyone-would-look-at-these-matters-from-a/) [Mac Thornberry](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mac-thornberry/) > [I'm competitive, I'll look to do my job on the field, and that's all that matters.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/owen-farrell/i-m-competitive-i-ll-look-to-do-my-job-on-the-field-and-that-s-all/) [Owen Farrell](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/owen-farrell/) > [I have a large watch collection, and classic watches are especially important to me. I had a silver Rolex, and I actually gave it…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nate-berkus/i-have-a-large-watch-collection-and-classic-watches-are-especially/) [Nate Berkus](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nate-berkus/) ## More by Henry David Thoreau > [If ever I did a man any goodof course it was something exceptional and insignificant compared with the good or evil which I am…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/henry-david-thoreau/if-ever-i-did-a-man-any-goodof-course-it-was-something-exceptional/) [Henry David Thoreau](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/henry-david-thoreau/) > [Our inventions are wont to be pretty toys, which distract our attention from serious things. They are but improved means to an unimproved end.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/henry-david-thoreau/our-inventions-are-wont-to-be-pretty-toys-which-distract-our/) [Henry David Thoreau](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/henry-david-thoreau/) > [“Men say they know many things; But lo! they have taken wings, — The arts and sciences, And a thousand appliances; The wind that…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/henry-david-thoreau/men-say-they-know-many-things-but-lo-they-have-taken-wings-the-arts/) [Henry David Thoreau](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/henry-david-thoreau/) > [I am not afraid of praise, for I have practiced it on myself.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/henry-david-thoreau/i-am-not-afraid-of-praise-for-i-have-practiced-it-on-myself/) [Henry David Thoreau](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/henry-david-thoreau/) > [“All voting is a sort of gaming, like checkers or back gammon, with a slight moral tinge to it, a playing with right and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/henry-david-thoreau/all-voting-is-a-sort-of-gaming-like-checkers-or-back-gammon-with-a/) [Henry David Thoreau](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/henry-david-thoreau/) > [“This spending of the best part of one's life earning money in order to enjoy a questionable liberty during the least valuable part of…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/henry-david-thoreau/this-spending-of-the-best-part-of-one-s-life-earning-money-in-order/) [Henry David Thoreau](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/henry-david-thoreau/) > [As for doing good; that is one of the professions which is full. Moreover I have tried it fairly and, strange as it may…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/henry-david-thoreau/as-for-doing-good-that-is-one-of-the-professions-which-is-full/) [Henry David Thoreau](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/henry-david-thoreau/) > [A traveler who looks at things with an impartial eye may see what the oldest inhabitant has not observed.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/henry-david-thoreau/a-traveler-who-looks-at-things-with-an-impartial-eye-may-see-what-the/) [Henry David Thoreau](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/henry-david-thoreau/) > [In proportion as our inward life fails, we go more constantly and desperately to the post office. You may depend on it, that the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/henry-david-thoreau/in-proportion-as-our-inward-life-fails-we-go-more-constantly-and/) [Henry David Thoreau](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/henry-david-thoreau/) > [I had three chairs in my house; one for solitude, two for friendship, three for society.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/henry-david-thoreau/i-had-three-chairs-in-my-house-one-for-solitude-two-for-friendship/) [Henry David Thoreau](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/henry-david-thoreau/) > [The still youthful energies of the globe have only to be directed in their proper channel.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/henry-david-thoreau/the-still-youthful-energies-of-the-globe-have-only-to-be-directed-in/) [Henry David Thoreau](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/henry-david-thoreau/) > [Concord's little arch does not span all our fate, nor is what transpires under it law for the universe.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/henry-david-thoreau/concord-s-little-arch-does-not-span-all-our-fate-nor-is-what/) [Henry David Thoreau](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/henry-david-thoreau/) > [The lumberers rarely trouble themselves to put out their fires, such is the dampness of the primitive forest; and this is one cause, no…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/henry-david-thoreau/the-lumberers-rarely-trouble-themselves-to-put-out-their-fires-such/) [Henry David Thoreau](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/henry-david-thoreau/) > [“When he has obtained those things which are necessary to life, there is another alternative than to obtain the superfluities; and that is, to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/henry-david-thoreau/when-he-has-obtained-those-things-which-are-necessary-to-life-there/) [Henry David Thoreau](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/henry-david-thoreau/) > [Wealth is measured by the level of experience in all aspects of life](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/henry-david-thoreau/wealth-is-measured-by-the-level-of-experience-in-all-aspects-of-life/) [Henry David Thoreau](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/henry-david-thoreau/) [Explore all 3,376 Henry David Thoreau quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/henry-david-thoreau/) ## More Inspirational quotes > [Life is full of change. That's how we learn and grow.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/life-is-full-of-change-that-s-how-we-learn-and-grow/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [We talk to God--that is prayer; God talks to us--that is inspiration.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/h-emilie-cady/we-talk-to-god-that-is-prayer-god-talks-to-us-that-is-inspiration/) [H. Emilie Cady](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/h-emilie-cady/) > [You cant be controlling in improv.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/matt-walsh/you-cant-be-controlling-in-improv/) [Matt Walsh](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/matt-walsh/) > [The man who can master his time can master nearly anything.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/winston-churchill/the-man-who-can-master-his-time-can-master-nearly-anything/) [Winston Churchill](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/winston-churchill/) > [You'll seldom experience regret for anything that you've done. It is what you haven't done that will torment you. The message, therefore, is clear.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/you-ll-seldom-experience-regret-for-anything-that-you-ve-done-it-is/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [Just understand that the good that you want is already here. All you have to do is get in harmony with it. And you…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bob-proctor/just-understand-that-the-good-that-you-want-is-already-here-all-you/) [Bob Proctor](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bob-proctor/) > [“If you want to build a ship, don’t drum up the men to gather wood, divide the work, and give orders. Instead, teach them…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/antoine-de-saint-exup-ry/if-you-want-to-build-a-ship-don-t-drum-up-the-men-to-gather-wood/) [Antoine de Saint-Exupéry](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/antoine-de-saint-exup-ry/) > [Obviously, if you don't love life, you can't enjoy an oyster.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/eleanor-clark/obviously-if-you-don-t-love-life-you-can-t-enjoy-an-oyster/) [Eleanor Clark](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/eleanor-clark/) > [It's not the method, it's the mindset.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/andy-gilbert/it-s-not-the-method-it-s-the-mindset/) [Andy Gilbert](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/andy-gilbert/) > [It's a hard thing to describe. It's just this sense that you got something to say.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jonah-lehrer/it-s-a-hard-thing-to-describe-it-s-just-this-sense-that-you-got/) [Jonah Lehrer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jonah-lehrer/) > [Too much familiarity breeds contempt.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/vikrant-parsai/too-much-familiarity-breeds-contempt/) [Vikrant Parsai](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/vikrant-parsai/) > [We never really perceive what color is physically!](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/josef-albers/we-never-really-perceive-what-color-is-physically/) [Josef Albers](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/josef-albers/) > [Politics is not an issue whether you like or dislike , but every citizen must involve.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/khem-veasna/politics-is-not-an-issue-whether-you-like-or-dislike-but-every/) [Khem Veasna](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/khem-veasna/) > [God reveals Himself through surprises.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/pope-francis/god-reveals-himself-through-surprises/) [Pope Francis](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/pope-francis/) > [Never underestimate the power of the human mind to believe what it wants to believe, no matter the conflicting evidence.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/brian-herbert/never-underestimate-the-power-of-the-human-mind-to-believe-what-it/) [Brian Herbert](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/brian-herbert/) [Browse all 114,561 Inspirational quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/inspirational/) ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "It's not what you look that matters, it's what you see.", "creator": { "@type": "Person", "name": "Henry David Thoreau" }, "isPartOf": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website" }, "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/henry-david-thoreau/it-s-not-what-you-look-that-matters-it-s-what-you-see/", "about": { "@type": "Thing", "name": "Inspirational" }, "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/henry-david-thoreau/it-s-not-what-you-look-that-matters-it-s-what-you-see/#quotation", "image": { "@type": "ImageObject", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/1b6/henry-david-thoreau-20_inspirational_it-s-not-what-you-look-that-matters-it-s_452952.jpg", "contentUrl": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/1b6/henry-david-thoreau-20_inspirational_it-s-not-what-you-look-that-matters-it-s_452952.jpg", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/1b6/henry-david-thoreau-20_inspirational_it-s-not-what-you-look-that-matters-it-s_452952.jpg", "width": 1080, "height": 1080, "caption": "“It's not what you look that matters, it's what you see.” — Henry David Thoreau", "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": "Henry David Thoreau", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/henry-david-thoreau/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 4, "name": "It's not what you look that...", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/henry-david-thoreau/it-s-not-what-you-look-that-matters-it-s-what-you-see/" } ], "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/henry-david-thoreau/it-s-not-what-you-look-that-matters-it-s-what-you-see/#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 } } ] } ```