--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: We cannot see anything until we are…" description: "\"We cannot see anything until we are possessed with the idea of it, take it into our heads,--and then we can hardly see anything else.\" — Henry David Th..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/53d/henry-david-thoreau-20_experience_we-cannot-see-anything-until-we-are-poss_2646182.jpg" --- # We cannot see anything until we are possessed with the… ![“We cannot see anything until we are possessed with the idea of it, take it into our heads,--and then we can hardly see anything else.” quote by Henry David Thoreau](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/53d/henry-david-thoreau-20_experience_we-cannot-see-anything-until-we-are-poss_2646182.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/53d/henry-david-thoreau-20_experience_we-cannot-see-anything-until-we-are-poss_2646182.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/53d/henry-david-thoreau-20_experience_we-cannot-see-anything-until-we-are-poss_2646182.jpg) > “We cannot see anything until we are possessed with the idea of it, take it into our heads,--and then we can hardly see anything else.” [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. Ideas must first be imagined before they can be perceived; once fixed, they dominate attention, limiting perception of other things. **In simple terms:** Ideas shape perception. Key Takeaway Balance focus with openness. Themes perception ideas focus Mood thoughtful introspective Type philosophical advice When to use this quote - creative brainstorming - learning new - mindfulness practice Key Concepts cognitive psychology philosophy mindfulness Questions to Reflect On - What ideas dominate your thoughts? - How can you broaden your awareness? A Different Perspective Overfixation can blind you to alternatives. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Experience](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/experience/) [Idea](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/idea/) [Ideas](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/ideas/) [Observation](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/observation/) ## Related quotes > [A person possessed with an idea cannot be reasoned with.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/james-anthony-froude/a-person-possessed-with-an-idea-cannot-be-reasoned-with/) [James Anthony Froude](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/james-anthony-froude/) > [The first - the most obvious test of a true social entrepreneur - is are they possessed, really possessed by an idea.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bill-drayton/the-first-the-most-obvious-test-of-a-true-social-entrepreneur-is-are/) [Bill Drayton](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bill-drayton/) > [If you are possessed by an idea, you find it expressed everywhere, you even smell it.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/thomas-mann/if-you-are-possessed-by-an-idea-you-find-it-expressed-everywhere-you/) [Thomas Mann](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/thomas-mann/) > [The artist should have a powerful will. 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The United States…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/noam-chomsky/the-u-s-the-idea-that-the-u-s-has-introduced-and-imposed-principles/) [Noam Chomsky](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/noam-chomsky/) > [What demon possessed me that I behaved so well?](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/henry-david-thoreau/what-demon-possessed-me-that-i-behaved-so-well/) [Henry David Thoreau](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/henry-david-thoreau/) > [True, there are architects so called in this country, and I have heard of one at least possessed with the idea of making architectural…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/henry-david-thoreau/true-there-are-architects-so-called-in-this-country-and-i-have-heard/) [Henry David Thoreau](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/henry-david-thoreau/) > [The natural historian is not a fisherman who prays for cloudy days and good luck merely; but as fishing has been styled "a contemplative…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/henry-david-thoreau/the-natural-historian-is-not-a-fisherman-who-prays-for-cloudy-days/) [Henry David Thoreau](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/henry-david-thoreau/) > [For my own part, I commonly attend more to nature than to man, but any affecting human event may blind our eyes to natural…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/henry-david-thoreau/for-my-own-part-i-commonly-attend-more-to-nature-than-to-man-but-any/) [Henry David Thoreau](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/henry-david-thoreau/) > [The Artist is he who detects and applies the law from observation of the works of Genius, whether of man or Nature. The Artisan…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/henry-david-thoreau/the-artist-is-he-who-detects-and-applies-the-law-from-observation-of/) [Henry David Thoreau](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/henry-david-thoreau/) > [We must look a long time before we can see](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/henry-david-thoreau/we-must-look-a-long-time-before-we-can-see/) [Henry David Thoreau](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/henry-david-thoreau/) > [Almost any mode of observation will be successful at last, for what is most wanted is method.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/henry-david-thoreau/almost-any-mode-of-observation-will-be-successful-at-last-for-what-is/) [Henry David Thoreau](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/henry-david-thoreau/) ## 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 Experience quotes > [Experience makes a lesson to us.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/experience-makes-a-lesson-to-us/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [The Derby experience had not been good for me and the way it finished left a very bad taste in my mouth so I…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nigel-pearson/the-derby-experience-had-not-been-good-for-me-and-the-way-it-finished/) [Nigel Pearson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nigel-pearson/) > [Well, I've been politically involved for a really long time. Growing up in the segregated South, it was a very painful experience for me…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/cybill-shepherd/well-i-ve-been-politically-involved-for-a-really-long-time-growing-up/) [Cybill Shepherd](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/cybill-shepherd/) > [From my experience of having served for 3000 days, I can say that anything can be achieved.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/narendra-modi/from-my-experience-of-having-served-for-3000-days-i-can-say-that/) [Narendra Modi](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/narendra-modi/) > [My favorite job is the next one. Its such a gratifying experience getting to creatively keep trying something new and push things in a…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/roger-craig-smith/my-favorite-job-is-the-next-one-its-such-a-gratifying-experience/) [Roger Craig Smith](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/roger-craig-smith/) > [I happen to think it's the politics that makes you electable, but the reason for that is politicians sometimes talk about electability as if…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tony-blair/i-happen-to-think-it-s-the-politics-that-makes-you-electable-but-the/) [Tony Blair](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tony-blair/) > [Iranians hate Arabs. They're a fairly well-educated population and they have centuries of experience with self-government.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/michael-ledeen/iranians-hate-arabs-they-re-a-fairly-well-educated-population-and/) [Michael Ledeen](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/michael-ledeen/) > [Education is a lifelong experience. Experience is a lifelong education. Education plus experience equals expertise.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/michael-bugeja/education-is-a-lifelong-experience-experience-is-a-lifelong-education/) Michael Bugeja > [Prison experience puts distance between me and any person who hasn't been there, done that.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/patricia-mcconnell/prison-experience-puts-distance-between-me-and-any-person-who-hasn-t/) [Patricia McConnell](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/patricia-mcconnell/) > [Experience is a thorough teacher.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mary-jane-holmes/experience-is-a-thorough-teacher/) [Mary Jane Holmes](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mary-jane-holmes/) > [It definitely helps to have the acting experience going into singing, because when you're singing, you have to portray the emotion you were feeling…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ryan-newman/it-definitely-helps-to-have-the-acting-experience-going-into-singing/) Ryan Newman > [I have no physical genius about me. I can't dribble a ball and run at the same time, I can't do lay-ups - I'm…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rich-mullins/i-have-no-physical-genius-about-me-i-can-t-dribble-a-ball-and-run-at/) [Rich Mullins](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rich-mullins/) > [I've had a great experience with pretty much everybody I've worked with.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mia-wasikowska/i-ve-had-a-great-experience-with-pretty-much-everybody-i-ve-worked/) [Mia Wasikowska](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mia-wasikowska/) > [It wasn't a mistake, it was a fun learning experience.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/it-wasn-t-a-mistake-it-was-a-fun-learning-experience/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [I worked a lot in Chicago's theater scene as a fight choreographer. And so I do have a lot of experience in stage combat…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nick-offerman/i-worked-a-lot-in-chicago-s-theater-scene-as-a-fight-choreographer/) [Nick Offerman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nick-offerman/) [Browse all 11,792 Experience quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/experience/) ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "We cannot see anything until we are possessed with the idea of it, take it into our heads,--and then we can hardly see anything else.", "creator": { "@type": "Person", "name": "Henry David Thoreau" }, "isPartOf": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website" }, "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/henry-david-thoreau/we-cannot-see-anything-until-we-are-possessed-with-the-idea-of-it/", "about": { "@type": "Thing", "name": "Experience" }, "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/henry-david-thoreau/we-cannot-see-anything-until-we-are-possessed-with-the-idea-of-it/#quotation", "image": { "@type": "ImageObject", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/53d/henry-david-thoreau-20_experience_we-cannot-see-anything-until-we-are-poss_2646182.jpg", "contentUrl": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/53d/henry-david-thoreau-20_experience_we-cannot-see-anything-until-we-are-poss_2646182.jpg", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/53d/henry-david-thoreau-20_experience_we-cannot-see-anything-until-we-are-poss_2646182.jpg", "width": 1080, "height": 1080, "caption": "“We cannot see anything until we are possessed with the idea of it, take it into our heads,--and then we can…” — 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": "We cannot see anything until we...", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/henry-david-thoreau/we-cannot-see-anything-until-we-are-possessed-with-the-idea-of-it/" } ], "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/henry-david-thoreau/we-cannot-see-anything-until-we-are-possessed-with-the-idea-of-it/#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 } } ] } ```