--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: You can impress from a distance, but you…" description: "\"You can impress from a distance, but you can only impact up close.\" — Howard G. Hendricks" image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/77b/howard-g-hendricks-7887_discipleship_you-can-impress-from-a-distance-but-you_295741.png" --- # You can impress from a distance, but you can only impact… ![“You can impress from a distance, but you can only impact up close.” quote by Howard G. Hendricks](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/77b/howard-g-hendricks-7887_discipleship_you-can-impress-from-a-distance-but-you_295741.png) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/77b/howard-g-hendricks-7887_discipleship_you-can-impress-from-a-distance-but-you_295741.png) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/77b/howard-g-hendricks-7887_discipleship_you-can-impress-from-a-distance-but-you_295741.png) > “You can impress from a distance, but you can only impact up close.” [Howard G. Hendricks](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/howard-g-hendricks/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. Influence requires proximity; distant admiration cannot substitute for personal impact. **In simple terms:** Close contact creates real change. Key Takeaway Prioritize personal engagement. Themes influence relationships impact Mood thoughtful motivational Type advice inspirational When to use this quote - networking - mentoring - leadership - customer service Key Concepts proximity authenticity Questions to Reflect On - How can you bridge distance to increase influence? - What relationships need more personal attention? A Different Perspective Impact may be limited by physical or emotional distance. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Discipleship](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/discipleship/) [Epic](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/epic/) [Impact](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/impact/) ## Related quotes > [The places I've been, or passed through, or seen at a distance, have had as much an impact on my life as the people…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bryan-lee-o-malley/the-places-i-ve-been-or-passed-through-or-seen-at-a-distance-have-had/) [Bryan Lee O'Malley](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bryan-lee-o-malley/) > [Jesus never discipled one-on-one.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/howard-g-hendricks/jesus-never-discipled-one-on-one/) [Howard G. Hendricks](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/howard-g-hendricks/) > [You cannot impart what you do not possess.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/howard-g-hendricks/you-cannot-impart-what-you-do-not-possess/) [Howard G. Hendricks](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/howard-g-hendricks/) > [Your strengths develop your confidence; your weaknesses develop your faith.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/howard-g-hendricks/your-strengths-develop-your-confidence-your-weaknesses-develop-your/) [Howard G. Hendricks](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/howard-g-hendricks/) > [The goal is not to make you a smarter sinner but to make you like the Savior.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/howard-g-hendricks/the-goal-is-not-to-make-you-a-smarter-sinner-but-to-make-you-like-the/) [Howard G. Hendricks](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/howard-g-hendricks/) > [Our problem is that we are in the Word but not under the Word.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/howard-g-hendricks/our-problem-is-that-we-are-in-the-word-but-not-under-the-word/) [Howard G. Hendricks](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/howard-g-hendricks/) > [Most people don't think, they just rearrange their prejudices.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/howard-g-hendricks/most-people-don-t-think-they-just-rearrange-their-prejudices/) [Howard G. Hendricks](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/howard-g-hendricks/) > [You never graduate from the school of discipleship.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/howard-g-hendricks/you-never-graduate-from-the-school-of-discipleship/) [Howard G. Hendricks](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/howard-g-hendricks/) > [If you cannot be accused of exclusivity, you are not discipling.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/howard-g-hendricks/if-you-cannot-be-accused-of-exclusivity-you-are-not-discipling/) [Howard G. Hendricks](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/howard-g-hendricks/) > [When God measures a man he puts the tape around the heart, not the head.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/howard-g-hendricks/when-god-measures-a-man-he-puts-the-tape-around-the-heart-not-the-head/) [Howard G. Hendricks](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/howard-g-hendricks/) > [My greatest fear is not your failure, but your success.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/howard-g-hendricks/my-greatest-fear-is-not-your-failure-but-your-success/) [Howard G. Hendricks](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/howard-g-hendricks/) > [Nothing is more common than unfulfilled potential.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/howard-g-hendricks/nothing-is-more-common-than-unfulfilled-potential/) [Howard G. Hendricks](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/howard-g-hendricks/) > [You can control your choices but you can't control the outcome of those choices.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/howard-g-hendricks/you-can-control-your-choices-but-you-can-t-control-the-outcome-of/) [Howard G. Hendricks](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/howard-g-hendricks/) > [If you want to continue leading, you must continue changing.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/howard-g-hendricks/if-you-want-to-continue-leading-you-must-continue-changing/) [Howard G. Hendricks](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/howard-g-hendricks/) > [It is a sin to bore a child with the Word of God.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/howard-g-hendricks/it-is-a-sin-to-bore-a-child-with-the-word-of-god/) [Howard G. Hendricks](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/howard-g-hendricks/) ## More by Howard G. Hendricks > [My great concern for you in life is not that you will fail, but that you will succeed in doing the wrong things.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/howard-g-hendricks/my-great-concern-for-you-in-life-is-not-that-you-will-fail-but-that/) [Howard G. Hendricks](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/howard-g-hendricks/) > [Jesus never discipled one-on-one.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/howard-g-hendricks/jesus-never-discipled-one-on-one/) [Howard G. Hendricks](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/howard-g-hendricks/) > [The Bible was written not to satisfy your curiosity but to help you conform to Christ's image. Not to make you a smarter sinner…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/howard-g-hendricks/the-bible-was-written-not-to-satisfy-your-curiosity-but-to-help-you/) [Howard G. Hendricks](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/howard-g-hendricks/) > [It is a sin to bore a child with the Word of God.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/howard-g-hendricks/it-is-a-sin-to-bore-a-child-with-the-word-of-god/) [Howard G. Hendricks](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/howard-g-hendricks/) > [You cannot impart what you do not possess.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/howard-g-hendricks/you-cannot-impart-what-you-do-not-possess/) [Howard G. Hendricks](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/howard-g-hendricks/) > [Your strengths develop your confidence; your weaknesses develop your faith.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/howard-g-hendricks/your-strengths-develop-your-confidence-your-weaknesses-develop-your/) [Howard G. Hendricks](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/howard-g-hendricks/) > [It is not about where you are but in what direction you're moving. God is into character, not credentials.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/howard-g-hendricks/it-is-not-about-where-you-are-but-in-what-direction-you-re-moving-god/) [Howard G. Hendricks](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/howard-g-hendricks/) > [Maybe you've attended church for five, ten, or even twenty years, but you've never cracked open the Bible to prepare yourself for effectiveness as…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/howard-g-hendricks/maybe-you-ve-attended-church-for-five-ten-or-even-twenty-years-but/) [Howard G. Hendricks](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/howard-g-hendricks/) > [There is no fear of judgment for the man who judges himself according to the Word of God.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/howard-g-hendricks/there-is-no-fear-of-judgment-for-the-man-who-judges-himself-according/) [Howard G. Hendricks](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/howard-g-hendricks/) > [The Bible is the divine means of developing spiritual maturity. There is no other way.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/howard-g-hendricks/the-bible-is-the-divine-means-of-developing-spiritual-maturity-there/) [Howard G. Hendricks](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/howard-g-hendricks/) > [That's the way to come to the Word of God. Read it as though it were His love letter to you.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/howard-g-hendricks/that-s-the-way-to-come-to-the-word-of-god-read-it-as-though-it-were/) [Howard G. Hendricks](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/howard-g-hendricks/) > [There was no identity crisis in the life of Jesus Christ. He knew who He was. He knew where He had come from, and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/howard-g-hendricks/there-was-no-identity-crisis-in-the-life-of-jesus-christ-he-knew-who/) [Howard G. Hendricks](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/howard-g-hendricks/) > [The will of God is found in the Word of God. The more a person grows, the more he begins to think instinctively and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/howard-g-hendricks/the-will-of-god-is-found-in-the-word-of-god-the-more-a-person-grows/) [Howard G. Hendricks](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/howard-g-hendricks/) > [It's essential to growth. It's essential to maturity. It's essential for equipping you, training you, so that you might be an available, clean, sharp…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/howard-g-hendricks/it-s-essential-to-growth-it-s-essential-to-maturity-it-s-essential/) [Howard G. Hendricks](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/howard-g-hendricks/) > [Don't put eggs under dead chickens.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/howard-g-hendricks/don-t-put-eggs-under-dead-chickens/) [Howard G. Hendricks](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/howard-g-hendricks/) [Explore all 86 Howard G. Hendricks quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/howard-g-hendricks/) ## More Discipleship quotes > [“every church can treat each discipleship class and each worship service as an opportunity for continual rehearsal of what the words, stories, symbols, rituals,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sarah-arthur/every-church-can-treat-each-discipleship-class-and-each-worship/) [Sarah Arthur](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sarah-arthur/) > [“It is one thing being disciplined to plan and it is another thing being a disciple of great work. Be your own disciplinarian.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/israelmore-ayivor/it-is-one-thing-being-disciplined-to-plan-and-it-is-another-thing/) [Israelmore Ayivor](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/israelmore-ayivor/) > [I have no disciples, being myself an aspirant after discipleship and in search of a guru.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mahatma-gandhi/i-have-no-disciples-being-myself-an-aspirant-after-discipleship-and/) [Mahatma Gandhi](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mahatma-gandhi/) > [Most neuroses and some psychoses can be traced to the unnecessary and unhealthy habit of daily wallowing in the troubles and sins of five…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/robert-a-heinlein/most-neuroses-and-some-psychoses-can-be-traced-to-the-unnecessary-and/) [Robert A. Heinlein](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/robert-a-heinlein/) > [“There are two choices: to be human, made in the image of God, with Jesus; warp to be in human, consumed with greed and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/megan-mckenna/there-are-two-choices-to-be-human-made-in-the-image-of-god-with-jesus/) [Megan McKenna](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/megan-mckenna/) > [“There is no shortcut for hard work that leads to effectiveness. You must stay disciplined because most of the work is behind the scenes.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/germany-kent/there-is-no-shortcut-for-hard-work-that-leads-to-effectiveness-you/) [Germany Kent](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/germany-kent/) > [“Christian discipleship is a decision to walk in his ways, steadily and firmly, and then finding that the way integrates all our interests, passions,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/eugene-peterson/christian-discipleship-is-a-decision-to-walk-in-his-ways-steadily-and/) [Eugene Peterson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/eugene-peterson/) > [“(Bonhoeffer's) change was not an ungainly, embarrassing leap from which he would have to retreat slightly when he gained more maturity and perspective. It…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/eric-metaxas/bonhoeffer-s-change-was-not-an-ungainly-embarrassing-leap-from-which/) [Eric Metaxas](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/eric-metaxas/) > [“The evangelical wing of the Church spends a lot of energy on being "born again" but little time on "growing up" again. There is…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/steve-stockman/the-evangelical-wing-of-the-church-spends-a-lot-of-energy-on-being/) [Steve Stockman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/steve-stockman/) > [Jesus never discipled one-on-one.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/howard-g-hendricks/jesus-never-discipled-one-on-one/) [Howard G. Hendricks](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/howard-g-hendricks/) > [We even talked like Hemingway characters, though in travesty, as if to deny our discipleship: That is your bed, and it is a good…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tobias-wolff/we-even-talked-like-hemingway-characters-though-in-travesty-as-if-to/) [Tobias Wolff](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tobias-wolff/) > [You cannot impart what you do not possess.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/howard-g-hendricks/you-cannot-impart-what-you-do-not-possess/) [Howard G. Hendricks](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/howard-g-hendricks/) > [Your strengths develop your confidence; your weaknesses develop your faith.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/howard-g-hendricks/your-strengths-develop-your-confidence-your-weaknesses-develop-your/) [Howard G. Hendricks](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/howard-g-hendricks/) > [Discipleship' as a term has lost its content, and this is one reason why it has been moved aside. I've tried to redeem the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dallas-willard/discipleship-as-a-term-has-lost-its-content-and-this-is-one-reason/) [Dallas Willard](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dallas-willard/) > [“Being saved by discipleship is not a human possibility, but for God all things are possible.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rodney-combs/being-saved-by-discipleship-is-not-a-human-possibility-but-for-god/) Rodney Combs [Browse all 545 Discipleship quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/discipleship/) ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "You can impress from a distance, but you can only impact up close.", "creator": { "@type": "Person", "name": "Howard G. 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