--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: The power of imagination created the…" description: "\"The power of imagination created the illusion that my vision went much farther than the naked eye could actually see.\" — Nelson Mandela" image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/60c/nelson-mandela-248_dreams_the-power-of-imagination-created-the-ill_2510325.jpg" --- # The power of imagination created the illusion that my… ![“The power of imagination created the illusion that my vision went much farther than the naked eye could actually see.” quote by Nelson Mandela](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/60c/nelson-mandela-248_dreams_the-power-of-imagination-created-the-ill_2510325.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/60c/nelson-mandela-248_dreams_the-power-of-imagination-created-the-ill_2510325.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/60c/nelson-mandela-248_dreams_the-power-of-imagination-created-the-ill_2510325.jpg) > “The power of imagination created the illusion that my vision went much farther than the naked eye could actually see.” [Nelson Mandela](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nelson-mandela/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. Imagination expands perception beyond what the eyes can see, creating possibilities that reality alone cannot reveal. **In simple terms:** Imagination widens vision. Key Takeaway Cultivate creative thinking. Themes imagination vision potential Mood hopeful inspired Type philosophical motivational When to use this quote - strategic planning - education reform - artistic creation - problem solving Key Concepts creative thinking leadership innovation Questions to Reflect On - How to balance imagination with practicality? - What limits should be set? A Different Perspective Risk of unrealistic expectations. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Dreams](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/dreams/) [Illusion](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/illusion/) [Imagination](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/imagination/) [Power of imagination](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/power-of-imagination/) [Vision](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/vision/) ## Related quotes > [“Perception requires imagination because the data people encounter in their lives are never complete and always equivocal. For example, most people consider that the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/leonard-mlodinow/perception-requires-imagination-because-the-data-people-encounter-in/) [Leonard Mlodinow](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/leonard-mlodinow/) > [There were times when it appeared to Dorian Gray that the whole of history was merely the record of his own life, not as…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/oscar-wilde/there-were-times-when-it-appeared-to-dorian-gray-that-the-whole-of/) [Oscar Wilde](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/oscar-wilde/) > [Imagination is sublime. Imagination has created some of the greatest inventions, buildings and art. Let your imagination run wild and see the impossible happen.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/isiahnunn/imagination-is-sublime-imagination-has-created-some-of-the-greatest/) Isiahnunn > [Comme l'imagination a cre e le monde, elle le gouverne. Because imagination created the world, it governs it.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/charles-baudelaire/comme-l-imagination-a-cre-e-le-monde-elle-le-gouverne-because/) [Charles Baudelaire](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/charles-baudelaire/) > [I was well traveled, and I created this illusion of literacy through reading and writing. I wrote a book of short stories.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tom-t-hall/i-was-well-traveled-and-i-created-this-illusion-of-literacy-through/) [Tom T. Hall](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tom-t-hall/) > [Where the Old Masters created an illusion of space into which one could imagine walking, the illusion created by a Modernist is one into…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/clement-greenberg/where-the-old-masters-created-an-illusion-of-space-into-which-one/) [Clement Greenberg](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/clement-greenberg/) > [“The vision that had emerged from the invisible was returning to the invisible. It was no more an appearance that was fading away, having…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mile-zola/the-vision-that-had-emerged-from-the-invisible-was-returning-to-the/) [Émile Zola](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mile-zola/) > [The Charlie Manson that you've created, that's not me. That's only an illusion in your minds, it hasn't got anything to do with me.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/charles-manson/the-charlie-manson-that-you-ve-created-that-s-not-me-that-s-only-an/) [Charles Manson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/charles-manson/) > [Electricity is actually made up of extremely tiny particles called electrons, that you cannot see with the naked eye unless you have been drinking.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dave-barry/electricity-is-actually-made-up-of-extremely-tiny-particles-called/) [Dave Barry](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dave-barry/) > [We are, in a certain way, defined as much by our potential as by its expression. There is a great difference between an acorn…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rachel-naomi-remen/we-are-in-a-certain-way-defined-as-much-by-our-potential-as-by-its/) [Rachel Naomi Remen](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rachel-naomi-remen/) > [What goes down on film is different to what you see with the naked eye.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/christopher-eccleston/what-goes-down-on-film-is-different-to-what-you-see-with-the-naked-eye/) [Christopher Eccleston](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/christopher-eccleston/) > [As for garden photographers, how differently they see things. With what ease the camera seems to compose a picture of great beauty with its…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mirabel-osler/as-for-garden-photographers-how-differently-they-see-things-with-what/) [Mirabel Osler](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mirabel-osler/) > [Some coaches believed they could judge a player's performance simply by watching it. In this they were deeply mistaken. The naked eye was an…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/michael-lewis/some-coaches-believed-they-could-judge-a-player-s-performance-simply/) [Michael Lewis](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/michael-lewis/) > [The illusions it had woven for me had taken place only in my head. The battle had been invisible to the naked eye, but…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/karen-marie-moning/the-illusions-it-had-woven-for-me-had-taken-place-only-in-my-head-the/) [Karen Marie Moning](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/karen-marie-moning/) > [The objects that are of moderate energy, like our sun or most of the stars that we see in the night sky with the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/claude-nicollier/the-objects-that-are-of-moderate-energy-like-our-sun-or-most-of-the/) [Claude Nicollier](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/claude-nicollier/) ## More by Nelson Mandela > [We must work together to ensure the equitable distribution of wealth, opportunity and power in our society.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nelson-mandela/we-must-work-together-to-ensure-the-equitable-distribution-of-wealth/) [Nelson Mandela](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nelson-mandela/) > [Especially for those of us who lived in single cells, you had the time to sit down and think, and we discovered that sitting…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nelson-mandela/especially-for-those-of-us-who-lived-in-single-cells-you-had-the-time/) [Nelson Mandela](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nelson-mandela/) > [If you don't allow people to contribute, to offer their point of view, or to criticize what has been put before them, then they…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nelson-mandela/if-you-don-t-allow-people-to-contribute-to-offer-their-point-of-view/) [Nelson Mandela](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nelson-mandela/) > [Courageous people do not fear forgiving, for the sake of peace.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nelson-mandela/courageous-people-do-not-fear-forgiving-for-the-sake-of-peace/) [Nelson Mandela](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nelson-mandela/) > [As a leader... I have always endeavored to listen to what each and every person in a discussion had to say before venturing my…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nelson-mandela/as-a-leader-i-have-always-endeavored-to-listen-to-what-each-and-every/) [Nelson Mandela](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nelson-mandela/) > [Some of the mission groups that have been responsible for our education have not been part of the government. In fact, they acted contrary…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nelson-mandela/some-of-the-mission-groups-that-have-been-responsible-for-our/) [Nelson Mandela](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nelson-mandela/) > [“I believed that I would become a counsellor to the Thembu king,”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nelson-mandela/i-believed-that-i-would-become-a-counsellor-to-the-thembu-king/) [Nelson Mandela](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nelson-mandela/) > [What he means by this is that instead of saying you'll "try", you need to "do". And as we let our light shine, we…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nelson-mandela/what-he-means-by-this-is-that-instead-of-saying-you-ll-try-you-need/) [Nelson Mandela](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nelson-mandela/) > [I learned that courage was not the absence of fear, but the triumph over it. The brave man is not he who does not…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nelson-mandela/i-learned-that-courage-was-not-the-absence-of-fear-but-the-triumph/) [Nelson Mandela](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nelson-mandela/) > [We need to exert ourselves that much more, and break out of the vicious cycle of dependence imposed on us by the financially powerful:…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nelson-mandela/we-need-to-exert-ourselves-that-much-more-and-break-out-of-the/) [Nelson Mandela](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nelson-mandela/) > [“Prison is a still point in a turning world, and it is very easy to remain in the same place in jail while the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nelson-mandela/prison-is-a-still-point-in-a-turning-world-and-it-is-very-easy-to/) [Nelson Mandela](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nelson-mandela/) > [A fundamental concern for others in our individual and community lives would go a long way in making the world the better place we…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nelson-mandela/a-fundamental-concern-for-others-in-our-individual-and-community/) [Nelson Mandela](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nelson-mandela/) > [I am aware of what the position is in the United States of America. If somebody gives to charity, then he gets a tax…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nelson-mandela/i-am-aware-of-what-the-position-is-in-the-united-states-of-america-if/) [Nelson Mandela](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nelson-mandela/) > [It is our duty to give support to the brother leader ... especially in regards to the sanctions which are not hitting just him,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nelson-mandela/it-is-our-duty-to-give-support-to-the-brother-leader-especially-in/) [Nelson Mandela](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nelson-mandela/) > [It was during those long and lonely years that my hunger for the freedom of our own people became a hunger for the freedom…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nelson-mandela/it-was-during-those-long-and-lonely-years-that-my-hunger-for-the/) [Nelson Mandela](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nelson-mandela/) [Explore all 809 Nelson Mandela quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nelson-mandela/) ## More Dreams quotes > [“Cine a ucis stelele? Cine a surpat drumul spre viitor al celor din morminte?”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ionel-teodoreanu/cine-a-ucis-stelele-cine-a-surpat-drumul-spre-viitor-al-celor-din/) [Ionel Teodoreanu](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ionel-teodoreanu/) > [“Once we become sensitive to dreams, we discover that every dynamic in a dream is manifesting itself in some way in our practical lives”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/robert-a-johnson/once-we-become-sensitive-to-dreams-we-discover-that-every-dynamic-in/) [Robert A. Johnson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/robert-a-johnson/) > [“Now you’re wet. You’re so wet you’re leaking down your ass. You’re soaking my pillow. I don’t think I’m ever washing it. I want…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/susan-stoker/now-you-re-wet-you-re-so-wet-you-re-leaking-down-your-ass-you-re/) [Susan Stoker](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/susan-stoker/) > [“Not that it matters, when you dream, there's no outside or in. Your mind is an unimaginable bloom. A willow catkin as big as…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rich-shapero/not-that-it-matters-when-you-dream-there-s-no-outside-or-in-your-mind/) [Rich Shapero](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rich-shapero/) > [Sometimes we wish for the feel but we never understand that we have to give a lot to get the feel !](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/robert-reynolds/sometimes-we-wish-for-the-feel-but-we-never-understand-that-we-have/) [Robert Reynolds](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/robert-reynolds/) > [The vision of the left, full of envy and resentment, takes its worst toll on those at the bottom - whether black or white…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/thomas-sowell/the-vision-of-the-left-full-of-envy-and-resentment-takes-its-worst/) [Thomas Sowell](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/thomas-sowell/) > [It’s so important to create in your own voice, to hold onto what makes you unique, and have faith in your vision.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-lasseter/it-s-so-important-to-create-in-your-own-voice-to-hold-onto-what-makes/) [John Lasseter](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-lasseter/) > [“As dreams are the healing songs from the wilderness of our unconscious - So wild animals, wild plants, wild landscapes are the healing dreams…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dale-pendell/as-dreams-are-the-healing-songs-from-the-wilderness-of-our/) [Dale Pendell](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dale-pendell/) > [Alone in a world, With millions of souls Walking in circles Trapped in their dreams unhealthy, unclean walking in circles, now do not disturb…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/chester-bennington/alone-in-a-world-with-millions-of-souls-walking-in-circles-trapped-in/) [Chester Bennington](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/chester-bennington/) > [“Doing the work to transform your dreams into reality is like walking across the earth. It can be that hard, and it can take…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dragos-bratasanu/doing-the-work-to-transform-your-dreams-into-reality-is-like-walking/) [Dragos Bratasanu](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dragos-bratasanu/) > [As far as Im concerned, I didnt dream - ever.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/theodore-sturgeon/as-far-as-im-concerned-i-didnt-dream-ever/) [Theodore Sturgeon](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/theodore-sturgeon/) > [I guess, it's a father's dream for his daughter to be known around the world.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/liza-soberano/i-guess-it-s-a-father-s-dream-for-his-daughter-to-be-known-around-the/) [Liza Soberano](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/liza-soberano/) > [I am just enjoying the dream of being Milan coach at the age of 40.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gennaro-gattuso/i-am-just-enjoying-the-dream-of-being-milan-coach-at-the-age-of-40/) [Gennaro Gattuso](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gennaro-gattuso/) > [Sometimes life seems like a dream, especially when I look down and see that I forgot to put on my pants.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jack-handey/sometimes-life-seems-like-a-dream-especially-when-i-look-down-and-see/) [Jack Handey](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jack-handey/) > [“I had a dream. I had an awesome dream.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/i-had-a-dream-i-had-an-awesome-dream/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) [Browse all 40,599 Dreams quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/dreams/) ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "The power of imagination created the illusion that my vision went much farther than the naked eye could actually see.", "creator": { "@type": "Person", "name": "Nelson Mandela" }, "isPartOf": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website" }, "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nelson-mandela/the-power-of-imagination-created-the-illusion-that-my-vision-went/", "about": { "@type": "Thing", "name": "Dreams" }, "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nelson-mandela/the-power-of-imagination-created-the-illusion-that-my-vision-went/#quotation", "image": { "@type": "ImageObject", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/60c/nelson-mandela-248_dreams_the-power-of-imagination-created-the-ill_2510325.jpg", "contentUrl": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/60c/nelson-mandela-248_dreams_the-power-of-imagination-created-the-ill_2510325.jpg", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/60c/nelson-mandela-248_dreams_the-power-of-imagination-created-the-ill_2510325.jpg", "width": 1080, "height": 1080, "caption": "“The power of imagination created the illusion that my vision went much farther than the naked eye could…” — Nelson Mandela", "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": "Nelson Mandela", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nelson-mandela/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 4, "name": "The power of imagination created the...", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nelson-mandela/the-power-of-imagination-created-the-illusion-that-my-vision-went/" } ], "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nelson-mandela/the-power-of-imagination-created-the-illusion-that-my-vision-went/#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 } } ] } ```