---
title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: Whenever we look at “successful people,”…"
description: "\"“Whenever we look at “successful people,” we imagine we are seeing the whole picture, but it is only the tip of the iceberg that interests us and that ..."
image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/494/mwanandeke-kindembo-1107_attraction-quotes_whenever-we-look-at-successful-people-we_2019075.jpg"
---

#  Whenever we look at “successful people,” we imagine we are…

![“Whenever we look at “successful people,” we imagine we are seeing the whole picture, but it is only the tip of the iceberg that interests us and that we observe.” quote by Mwanandeke Kindembo](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/494/mwanandeke-kindembo-1107_attraction-quotes_whenever-we-look-at-successful-people-we_2019075.jpg)   [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/494/mwanandeke-kindembo-1107_attraction-quotes_whenever-we-look-at-successful-people-we_2019075.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/494/mwanandeke-kindembo-1107_attraction-quotes_whenever-we-look-at-successful-people-we_2019075.jpg)

> ““Whenever we look at “successful people,” we imagine we are seeing the whole picture, but it is only the tip of the iceberg that interests us and that we observe.””

[Mwanandeke Kindembo](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mwanandeke-kindembo/)

## About This Quote

This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation.

Public perception of success shows only a small part, ignoring deeper effort and unseen challenges

**In simple terms:** Success visible is just a tip of the iceberg

Key Takeaway

Recognize hidden effort behind success

Themes

perception effort success

Mood

inspired critical

Type

philosophical motivational

When to use this quote

- career advancement
- team performance
- media analysis

Key Concepts

leadership motivation psychology

Questions to Reflect On

- How do you uncover unseen work?
- What can you do to appreciate hidden effort?

A Different Perspective

Visible success can create unrealistic standards

★ ★ ★ ★ ★   5.0 out of 5 (1 rating)

[Attraction-quotes](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/attraction-quotes/) [Decision-quotes](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/decision-quotes/) [Favour-quotes](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/favour-quotes/) [Health quotes](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/health-quotes/) [Heart quotes](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/heart-quotes/) [Life quotes](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/life-quotes/) [Mentalism-quotes](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/mentalism-quotes/) [Success](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/success/) [Success quotes](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/success-quotes/) [Successful people](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/successful-people/) [Tip of the iceberg](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/tip-of-the-iceberg/)

## Related quotes

> [“True detachment begins the moment you overcome your fear of being replaced.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mwanandeke-kindembo/true-detachment-begins-the-moment-you-overcome-your-fear-of-being/)

[Mwanandeke Kindembo](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mwanandeke-kindembo/)

> [“Politics is personal—hating it is to deny a piece of your own identity.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mwanandeke-kindembo/politics-is-personal-hating-it-is-to-deny-a-piece-of-your-own-identity/)

[Mwanandeke Kindembo](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mwanandeke-kindembo/)

> [“It is that fear of being replaced that keeps us striving forward.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mwanandeke-kindembo/it-is-that-fear-of-being-replaced-that-keeps-us-striving-forward/)

[Mwanandeke Kindembo](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mwanandeke-kindembo/)

> [“When it comes to decision-making and opportunities: most will see them, few will start and even fewer will complete them.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mwanandeke-kindembo/when-it-comes-to-decision-making-and-opportunities-most-will-see-them/)

[Mwanandeke Kindembo](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mwanandeke-kindembo/)

> [“You cannot define anything that is beyond your sight and imagination.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mwanandeke-kindembo/you-cannot-define-anything-that-is-beyond-your-sight-and-imagination/)

[Mwanandeke Kindembo](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mwanandeke-kindembo/)

> [“We do not win through idleness. Victory comes only through engagement—offence or attack remains the greatest defence.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mwanandeke-kindembo/we-do-not-win-through-idleness-victory-comes-only-through-engagement/)

[Mwanandeke Kindembo](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mwanandeke-kindembo/)

> [“Every moment of self-doubt serves someone — ask yourself who.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mwanandeke-kindembo/every-moment-of-self-doubt-serves-someone-ask-yourself-who/)

[Mwanandeke Kindembo](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mwanandeke-kindembo/)

> [It is difficult, but intriguing, to imagine seeing the world as a fly might. First, flies don't have nearly the same visual resolution that…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/michael-dickinson/it-is-difficult-but-intriguing-to-imagine-seeing-the-world-as-a-fly/)

[Michael Dickinson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/michael-dickinson/)

> [“Seeing this, I can’t imagine seeing it again and not thinking that the world is a gift.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/matt-greene/seeing-this-i-can-t-imagine-seeing-it-again-and-not-thinking-that-the/)

[Matt Greene](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/matt-greene/)

> [Just going along with this, what I did, or what I do is I imagine not being myself seeing it, but imagine somebody else…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dennis-muren/just-going-along-with-this-what-i-did-or-what-i-do-is-i-imagine-not/)

[Dennis Muren](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dennis-muren/)

> [It is their nature, beautiful and simple. That you would destroy such beings, Mr. Lincoln, such superior creatures, seems madness to me.” “That you…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/seth-grahame-smith/it-is-their-nature-beautiful-and-simple-that-you-would-destroy-such/)

[Seth Grahame-Smith](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/seth-grahame-smith/)

> [“If a person is missing someone for a very long time, he can imagine seeing the one that he misses.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/riitta-jalonen/if-a-person-is-missing-someone-for-a-very-long-time-he-can-imagine/)

Riitta Jalonen

> [“I'm afraid of waking up to a world where you see and I am not what you saw”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ali-nuri/i-m-afraid-of-waking-up-to-a-world-where-you-see-and-i-am-not-what/)

Ali Nuri

> [We tend to look at successful athletes and make them almost bigger than life. I have seen many young men who have achieved greatness.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lavell-edwards/we-tend-to-look-at-successful-athletes-and-make-them-almost-bigger/)

[LaVell Edwards](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lavell-edwards/)

> [I often tell my daughter that it is very easy to handle failure because when you are a failure, nobody is bothered about you.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/chunky-pandey/i-often-tell-my-daughter-that-it-is-very-easy-to-handle-failure/)

[Chunky Pandey](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/chunky-pandey/)

## More by Mwanandeke Kindembo

> [“In school you are taught to obey and not to think straight for your own good. Otherwise the world would be full of millionaires…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mwanandeke-kindembo/in-school-you-are-taught-to-obey-and-not-to-think-straight-for-your/)

[Mwanandeke Kindembo](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mwanandeke-kindembo/)

> [“I understand that you are claiming it is almost impossible to forgive, but only easier to forget. The truth is that, you can only…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mwanandeke-kindembo/i-understand-that-you-are-claiming-it-is-almost-impossible-to-forgive/)

[Mwanandeke Kindembo](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mwanandeke-kindembo/)

> [“I admire all the great people who have dedicated their free time to helping humanity move forward.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mwanandeke-kindembo/i-admire-all-the-great-people-who-have-dedicated-their-free-time-to/)

[Mwanandeke Kindembo](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mwanandeke-kindembo/)

> [“Transition or transformation are the correct and softest words to describe death.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mwanandeke-kindembo/transition-or-transformation-are-the-correct-and-softest-words-to/)

[Mwanandeke Kindembo](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mwanandeke-kindembo/)

> [“Citizen depression has always been the fuel of all marketing strategies throughout the ages.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mwanandeke-kindembo/citizen-depression-has-always-been-the-fuel-of-all-marketing/)

[Mwanandeke Kindembo](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mwanandeke-kindembo/)

> [“When monks deny the existence of the I, they are not denying the existence of humanity or of man in general; but that of…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mwanandeke-kindembo/when-monks-deny-the-existence-of-the-i-they-are-not-denying-the/)

[Mwanandeke Kindembo](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mwanandeke-kindembo/)

> [“Politics is a matter of desires and personal feelings or emotions, only parliament tries to bring reason into the state.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mwanandeke-kindembo/politics-is-a-matter-of-desires-and-personal-feelings-or-emotions/)

[Mwanandeke Kindembo](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mwanandeke-kindembo/)

> [“Necessity is simply a prioritised task, while choices are usually unnecessary and playful in nature.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mwanandeke-kindembo/necessity-is-simply-a-prioritised-task-while-choices-are-usually/)

[Mwanandeke Kindembo](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mwanandeke-kindembo/)

> [“If our people truly believed someone had already died for their sins, none would have dared die for our independence.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mwanandeke-kindembo/if-our-people-truly-believed-someone-had-already-died-for-their-sins/)

[Mwanandeke Kindembo](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mwanandeke-kindembo/)

> [“I don't usually read popular books. Because I know how powerful promotion can be. Most of the time, the great books are hidden from…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mwanandeke-kindembo/i-don-t-usually-read-popular-books-because-i-know-how-powerful/)

[Mwanandeke Kindembo](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mwanandeke-kindembo/)

> [“In reality, you don't become happy because of your appearance. Instead, you might gain confidence from it.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mwanandeke-kindembo/in-reality-you-don-t-become-happy-because-of-your-appearance-instead/)

[Mwanandeke Kindembo](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mwanandeke-kindembo/)

> [“There is only one giver and that is God. Even the laws of gravity justify this concept. Therefore, God always gives us without expecting…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mwanandeke-kindembo/there-is-only-one-giver-and-that-is-god-even-the-laws-of-gravity/)

[Mwanandeke Kindembo](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mwanandeke-kindembo/)

> [“In the case of seeking knowledge, don't do it to brag and don't give up because you think you are not worthy of becoming…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mwanandeke-kindembo/in-the-case-of-seeking-knowledge-don-t-do-it-to-brag-and-don-t-give/)

[Mwanandeke Kindembo](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mwanandeke-kindembo/)

> [“We can all create through imagination, but our reality is often blocked by our doubts.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mwanandeke-kindembo/we-can-all-create-through-imagination-but-our-reality-is-often/)

[Mwanandeke Kindembo](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mwanandeke-kindembo/)

> [“The advice to love yourself may sound beautiful to the ear, but it was the only sin committed by the first narcissist.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mwanandeke-kindembo/the-advice-to-love-yourself-may-sound-beautiful-to-the-ear-but-it-was/)

[Mwanandeke Kindembo](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mwanandeke-kindembo/)

[Explore all 291 Mwanandeke Kindembo quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mwanandeke-kindembo/)

## More Attraction-quotes quotes

> [“Citizen depression has always been the fuel of all marketing strategies throughout the ages.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mwanandeke-kindembo/citizen-depression-has-always-been-the-fuel-of-all-marketing/)

[Mwanandeke Kindembo](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mwanandeke-kindembo/)

> [“The advice to love yourself may sound beautiful to the ear, but it was the only sin committed by the first narcissist.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mwanandeke-kindembo/the-advice-to-love-yourself-may-sound-beautiful-to-the-ear-but-it-was/)

[Mwanandeke Kindembo](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mwanandeke-kindembo/)

> [“Love would have been great if money had never been created. But since it exists, we ought to wisely use both to our advantage.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mwanandeke-kindembo/love-would-have-been-great-if-money-had-never-been-created-but-since/)

[Mwanandeke Kindembo](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mwanandeke-kindembo/)

> [“If you feed a bird, you don't have to force it to come to you.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/matshona-dhliwayo/if-you-feed-a-bird-you-don-t-have-to-force-it-to-come-to-you/)

[Matshona Dhliwayo](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/matshona-dhliwayo/)

> [“The highest virtue lies in self-learning or self-taught education. For it is the path that all the greatest men or those who have decided…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mwanandeke-kindembo/the-highest-virtue-lies-in-self-learning-or-self-taught-education-for/)

[Mwanandeke Kindembo](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mwanandeke-kindembo/)

> [“Your mindset is the level of the subconscious, the origin of thought, before reaching the level of consciousness or reasoning.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mwanandeke-kindembo/your-mindset-is-the-level-of-the-subconscious-the-origin-of-thought/)

[Mwanandeke Kindembo](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mwanandeke-kindembo/)

> [“Everyday, there’s always something new to power you forward. Sow daily to attract goodness and favor in your life. Learn how to respect and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/germany-kent/everyday-there-s-always-something-new-to-power-you-forward-sow-daily/)

[Germany Kent](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/germany-kent/)

> [“The more you offer, the more generously you make yourself known. Isn't that a great exchange?”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mwanandeke-kindembo/the-more-you-offer-the-more-generously-you-make-yourself-known-isn-t/)

[Mwanandeke Kindembo](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mwanandeke-kindembo/)

> [“We needed nothing but presence.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/silvia-heuer/we-needed-nothing-but-presence/)

Silvia Heuer

> [“We should seek improvements in life and not pretend to be satisfied with our miserable lives.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mwanandeke-kindembo/we-should-seek-improvements-in-life-and-not-pretend-to-be-satisfied/)

[Mwanandeke Kindembo](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mwanandeke-kindembo/)

> [“We were only breath, heat, and a yes.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/silvia-heuer/we-were-only-breath-heat-and-a-yes/)

Silvia Heuer

> [“Politics is personal—hating it is to deny a piece of your own identity.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mwanandeke-kindembo/politics-is-personal-hating-it-is-to-deny-a-piece-of-your-own-identity/)

[Mwanandeke Kindembo](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mwanandeke-kindembo/)

> [“I am not here to teach you about patience. But I'm here to teach you how you can easily predict the right timing, so…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mwanandeke-kindembo/i-am-not-here-to-teach-you-about-patience-but-i-m-here-to-teach-you/)

[Mwanandeke Kindembo](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mwanandeke-kindembo/)

> [“It is that fear of being replaced that keeps us striving forward.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mwanandeke-kindembo/it-is-that-fear-of-being-replaced-that-keeps-us-striving-forward/)

[Mwanandeke Kindembo](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mwanandeke-kindembo/)

> [“If a man boast of his attractiveness, he is unattractive.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tamerlan-kuzgov/if-a-man-boast-of-his-attractiveness-he-is-unattractive/)

[Tamerlan Kuzgov](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tamerlan-kuzgov/)

[Browse all 32 Attraction-quotes quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/attraction-quotes/)

```json
{
    "@context": "https://schema.org",
    "@graph": [
        {
            "@type": "Quotation",
            "text": "“Whenever we look at “successful people,” we imagine we are seeing the whole picture, but it is only the tip of the iceberg that interests us and that we observe.”",
            "creator": {
                "@type": "Person",
                "name": "Mwanandeke Kindembo"
            },
            "isPartOf": {
                "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website"
            },
            "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mwanandeke-kindembo/whenever-we-look-at-successful-people-we-imagine-we-are-seeing-the/",
            "about": {
                "@type": "Thing",
                "name": "Attraction-quotes"
            },
            "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mwanandeke-kindembo/whenever-we-look-at-successful-people-we-imagine-we-are-seeing-the/#quotation",
            "image": {
                "@type": "ImageObject",
                "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/494/mwanandeke-kindembo-1107_attraction-quotes_whenever-we-look-at-successful-people-we_2019075.jpg",
                "contentUrl": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/494/mwanandeke-kindembo-1107_attraction-quotes_whenever-we-look-at-successful-people-we_2019075.jpg",
                "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/494/mwanandeke-kindembo-1107_attraction-quotes_whenever-we-look-at-successful-people-we_2019075.jpg",
                "width": 1080,
                "height": 1080,
                "caption": "“Whenever we look at “successful people,” we imagine we are seeing the whole picture, but it is only the tip…” — Mwanandeke Kindembo",
                "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": "Mwanandeke Kindembo",
                    "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mwanandeke-kindembo/"
                },
                {
                    "@type": "ListItem",
                    "position": 4,
                    "name": "“Whenever we look at “successful people,”...",
                    "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mwanandeke-kindembo/whenever-we-look-at-successful-people-we-imagine-we-are-seeing-the/"
                }
            ],
            "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mwanandeke-kindembo/whenever-we-look-at-successful-people-we-imagine-we-are-seeing-the/#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
            }
        }
    ]
}
```