--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: Appear as you may wish to be" description: "\"Appear as you may wish to be\" — Niccolo Machiavelli" image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/378/niccolo-machiavelli-368_appear_appear-as-you-may-wish-to-be-767855_767855.jpg" --- # Appear as you may wish to be ![“Appear as you may wish to be” quote by Niccolo Machiavelli](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/378/niccolo-machiavelli-368_appear_appear-as-you-may-wish-to-be-767855_767855.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/378/niccolo-machiavelli-368_appear_appear-as-you-may-wish-to-be-767855_767855.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/378/niccolo-machiavelli-368_appear_appear-as-you-may-wish-to-be-767855_767855.jpg) > “Appear as you may wish to be” [Niccolo Machiavelli](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/niccolo-machiavelli/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. Projecting a desired image can shape how others perceive and treat you. **In simple terms:** Appear as you wish to influence perception. Key Takeaway Craft your presentation deliberately. Themes image perception power Mood strategic calm Type advisory political When to use this quote - leadership meetings - social media profiles - networking events Key Concepts political strategy self‑presentation Questions to Reflect On - How does your projected image align with your true self? - What risks arise from misrepresentation? A Different Perspective If authenticity is lacking, trust erodes over time. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Wish](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/wish/) ## Related quotes > [Everyone sees what you appear to be, few experience what you really are.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/niccolo-machiavelli/everyone-sees-what-you-appear-to-be-few-experience-what-you-really-are/) [Niccolo Machiavelli](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/niccolo-machiavelli/) > [Though the world may often appear to be more charitable than the church, it is crucial to remember that, for the church, the care…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/stanley-hauerwas/though-the-world-may-often-appear-to-be-more-charitable-than-the/) [Stanley Hauerwas](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/stanley-hauerwas/) > [Newspapers are not free and they never have been. They can appear to be so, but someone, somewhere is covering the costs whether that…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/heather-brooke/newspapers-are-not-free-and-they-never-have-been-they-can-appear-to/) [Heather Brooke](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/heather-brooke/) > [There's not much difference between what I appear to be on stage and what I am. I think people like that, that I'm not…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tom-waits/there-s-not-much-difference-between-what-i-appear-to-be-on-stage-and/) [Tom Waits](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tom-waits/) > [“You need a third option," he said. "Yeah. I guess i do." He nodded, absorbing this. "Well," he said,"For what it's worth, it's been…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sarah-dessen/you-need-a-third-option-he-said-yeah-i-guess-i-do-he-nodded-absorbing/) [Sarah Dessen](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sarah-dessen/) > [Growing up as a singer, and a cast member, and now as an adult, a songwriter, I get the luxury of choosing the kinds…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jason-mraz/growing-up-as-a-singer-and-a-cast-member-and-now-as-an-adult-a/) [Jason Mraz](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jason-mraz/) > [Who are you?" "I am Death," said the creature. "I thought that was obvious." "But you're so small!" "Only because you are small. You…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/catherynne-m-valente/who-are-you-i-am-death-said-the-creature-i-thought-that-was-obvious/) [Catherynne M. Valente](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/catherynne-m-valente/) > [My face frowns by default, so when I'm most calm is when I appear the least approachable.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ken-leung/my-face-frowns-by-default-so-when-i-m-most-calm-is-when-i-appear-the/) [Ken Leung](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ken-leung/) > [Usually, the leaders appear in the moment of the highest stress, when it is time, speaking symbolically, to go to the barricades. Then people,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/vladimir-bukovsky/usually-the-leaders-appear-in-the-moment-of-the-highest-stress-when/) [Vladimir Bukovsky](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/vladimir-bukovsky/) > [Whatever the reason, American Muslims appear far less inclined to support the global jihad than their European counterparts.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/timothy-noah/whatever-the-reason-american-muslims-appear-far-less-inclined-to/) [Timothy Noah](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/timothy-noah/) > [War is big and there are only so many reporters and only so many places for their words and images to appear. Choices are…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bruce-jackson/war-is-big-and-there-are-only-so-many-reporters-and-only-so-many/) [Bruce Jackson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bruce-jackson/) > [“A might force, a consummate power lieth concealed in the world of being. Fix your gaze upon it and upon its unifying influences, and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/baha-u-llah/a-might-force-a-consummate-power-lieth-concealed-in-the-world-of/) [Baha'u'llah](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/baha-u-llah/) > [“Appear On Your Fear, It Will Disappear”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/syed-sharukh/appear-on-your-fear-it-will-disappear/) [Syed Sharukh](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/syed-sharukh/) > [“Give someone more time and they'll appear to have done more with it.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kate-morton/give-someone-more-time-and-they-ll-appear-to-have-done-more-with-it/) [Kate Morton](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kate-morton/) > [I know of not one Republican candidate that would not appear publicly with Mitt Romney and I know many Democrats that don't even want…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/pete-sessions/i-know-of-not-one-republican-candidate-that-would-not-appear-publicly/) [Pete Sessions](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/pete-sessions/) ## More by Niccolo Machiavelli > [Men generally decide upon a middle course, which is most hazardous, for they know neither how to be entirely good nor entirely bad.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/niccolo-machiavelli/men-generally-decide-upon-a-middle-course-which-is-most-hazardous-for/) [Niccolo Machiavelli](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/niccolo-machiavelli/) > [Because there are three classes of intellects: one which comprehends by itself; another which appreciates what others comprehend; and a third which neither comprehends…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/niccolo-machiavelli/because-there-are-three-classes-of-intellects-one-which-comprehends/) [Niccolo Machiavelli](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/niccolo-machiavelli/) > [It is the duty of a man of honor to teach others the good which he has not been able to do himself because…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/niccolo-machiavelli/it-is-the-duty-of-a-man-of-honor-to-teach-others-the-good-which-he/) [Niccolo Machiavelli](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/niccolo-machiavelli/) > [“Anyone who believes that new benefits make men of high station forget old injuries deceives himself.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/niccolo-machiavelli/anyone-who-believes-that-new-benefits-make-men-of-high-station-forget/) [Niccolò Machiavelli](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/niccolo-machiavelli/) > [He who has once begun to live by rapine always finds reasons for taking what is not his.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/niccolo-machiavelli/he-who-has-once-begun-to-live-by-rapine-always-finds-reasons-for/) [Niccolo Machiavelli](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/niccolo-machiavelli/) > [Everyone who wants to know what will happen ought to examine what has happened: everything in this world in any epoch has their replicas…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/niccolo-machiavelli/everyone-who-wants-to-know-what-will-happen-ought-to-examine-what-has/) [Niccolo Machiavelli](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/niccolo-machiavelli/) > [Speaking generally, men are ungrateful, fickle, hypocritical, fearful odanger and covetous ogain.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/niccolo-machiavelli/speaking-generally-men-are-ungrateful-fickle-hypocritical-fearful/) [Niccolo Machiavelli](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/niccolo-machiavelli/) > [There is nothing as likely to succeed as what the enemy believes you cannot attempt.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/niccolo-machiavelli/there-is-nothing-as-likely-to-succeed-as-what-the-enemy-believes-you/) [Niccolo Machiavelli](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/niccolo-machiavelli/) > [For the great majority of mankind are satisfied with appearance, as though they were realities and are often more influenced by the things that…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/niccolo-machiavelli/for-the-great-majority-of-mankind-are-satisfied-with-appearance-as/) [Niccolo Machiavelli](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/niccolo-machiavelli/) > [That prince is highly esteemed who conveys this impression of himself, and he who is highly esteemed is not easily conspired against; for, provided…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/niccolo-machiavelli/that-prince-is-highly-esteemed-who-conveys-this-impression-of-himself/) [Niccolo Machiavelli](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/niccolo-machiavelli/) > [“Anyone who studies present and ancient affairs will easily see how in all cities and all peoples there still exist, and have always existed,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/niccolo-machiavelli/anyone-who-studies-present-and-ancient-affairs-will-easily-see-how-in/) [Niccolò Machiavelli](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/niccolo-machiavelli/) > [I believe that it is possible for one to praise, without concern, any man after he is dead since every reason and supervision for…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/niccolo-machiavelli/i-believe-that-it-is-possible-for-one-to-praise-without-concern-any/) [Niccolo Machiavelli](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/niccolo-machiavelli/) > [Men are always averse to enterprises in which they foresee difficulties.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/niccolo-machiavelli/men-are-always-averse-to-enterprises-in-which-they-foresee/) [Niccolo Machiavelli](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/niccolo-machiavelli/) > [“He who causes another to become powerful ruins himself, for he brings such a power into being either by design or by force, and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/niccolo-machiavelli/he-who-causes-another-to-become-powerful-ruins-himself-for-he-brings/) [Niccolo Machiavelli](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/niccolo-machiavelli/) > [One never finds anything perfectly pure and ... exempt from danger.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/niccolo-machiavelli/one-never-finds-anything-perfectly-pure-and-exempt-from-danger/) [Niccolo Machiavelli](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/niccolo-machiavelli/) [Explore all 590 Niccolo Machiavelli quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/niccolo-machiavelli/) ## More Appear quotes > [I know of not one Republican candidate that would not appear publicly with Mitt Romney and I know many Democrats that don't even want…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/pete-sessions/i-know-of-not-one-republican-candidate-that-would-not-appear-publicly/) [Pete Sessions](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/pete-sessions/) > [“Give someone more time and they'll appear to have done more with it.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kate-morton/give-someone-more-time-and-they-ll-appear-to-have-done-more-with-it/) [Kate Morton](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kate-morton/) > [“Appear On Your Fear, It Will Disappear”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/syed-sharukh/appear-on-your-fear-it-will-disappear/) [Syed Sharukh](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/syed-sharukh/) > [Though the world may often appear to be more charitable than the church, it is crucial to remember that, for the church, the care…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/stanley-hauerwas/though-the-world-may-often-appear-to-be-more-charitable-than-the/) [Stanley Hauerwas](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/stanley-hauerwas/) > [“A might force, a consummate power lieth concealed in the world of being. Fix your gaze upon it and upon its unifying influences, and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/baha-u-llah/a-might-force-a-consummate-power-lieth-concealed-in-the-world-of/) [Baha'u'llah](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/baha-u-llah/) > [War is big and there are only so many reporters and only so many places for their words and images to appear. Choices are…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bruce-jackson/war-is-big-and-there-are-only-so-many-reporters-and-only-so-many/) [Bruce Jackson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bruce-jackson/) > [Whatever the reason, American Muslims appear far less inclined to support the global jihad than their European counterparts.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/timothy-noah/whatever-the-reason-american-muslims-appear-far-less-inclined-to/) [Timothy Noah](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/timothy-noah/) > [Usually, the leaders appear in the moment of the highest stress, when it is time, speaking symbolically, to go to the barricades. Then people,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/vladimir-bukovsky/usually-the-leaders-appear-in-the-moment-of-the-highest-stress-when/) [Vladimir Bukovsky](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/vladimir-bukovsky/) > [My face frowns by default, so when I'm most calm is when I appear the least approachable.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ken-leung/my-face-frowns-by-default-so-when-i-m-most-calm-is-when-i-appear-the/) [Ken Leung](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ken-leung/) > [Who are you?" "I am Death," said the creature. "I thought that was obvious." "But you're so small!" "Only because you are small. You…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/catherynne-m-valente/who-are-you-i-am-death-said-the-creature-i-thought-that-was-obvious/) [Catherynne M. Valente](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/catherynne-m-valente/) > [Growing up as a singer, and a cast member, and now as an adult, a songwriter, I get the luxury of choosing the kinds…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jason-mraz/growing-up-as-a-singer-and-a-cast-member-and-now-as-an-adult-a/) [Jason Mraz](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jason-mraz/) > [“You need a third option," he said. "Yeah. I guess i do." He nodded, absorbing this. "Well," he said,"For what it's worth, it's been…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sarah-dessen/you-need-a-third-option-he-said-yeah-i-guess-i-do-he-nodded-absorbing/) [Sarah Dessen](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sarah-dessen/) > [There's not much difference between what I appear to be on stage and what I am. I think people like that, that I'm not…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tom-waits/there-s-not-much-difference-between-what-i-appear-to-be-on-stage-and/) [Tom Waits](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tom-waits/) > [Newspapers are not free and they never have been. They can appear to be so, but someone, somewhere is covering the costs whether that…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/heather-brooke/newspapers-are-not-free-and-they-never-have-been-they-can-appear-to/) [Heather Brooke](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/heather-brooke/) > [I won't divulge the details, but there's a way to call somebody's phone and have whatever number you want appear on the caller I.D.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/joshua-malina/i-won-t-divulge-the-details-but-there-s-a-way-to-call-somebody-s/) [Joshua Malina](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/joshua-malina/) Browse all 401 Appear quotes ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "Appear as you may wish to be", "creator": { "@type": "Person", "name": "Niccolo Machiavelli" }, "isPartOf": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website" }, "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/niccolo-machiavelli/appear-as-you-may-wish-to-be/", "about": { "@type": "Thing", "name": "Appear" }, "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/niccolo-machiavelli/appear-as-you-may-wish-to-be/#quotation", "image": { "@type": "ImageObject", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/378/niccolo-machiavelli-368_appear_appear-as-you-may-wish-to-be-767855_767855.jpg", "contentUrl": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/378/niccolo-machiavelli-368_appear_appear-as-you-may-wish-to-be-767855_767855.jpg", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/378/niccolo-machiavelli-368_appear_appear-as-you-may-wish-to-be-767855_767855.jpg", "width": 1080, "height": 1080, "caption": "“Appear as you may wish to be” — Niccolo Machiavelli", "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": "Niccolo Machiavelli", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/niccolo-machiavelli/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 4, "name": "Appear as you may wish to...", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/niccolo-machiavelli/appear-as-you-may-wish-to-be/" } ], "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/niccolo-machiavelli/appear-as-you-may-wish-to-be/#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 } } ] } ```