
BEING IMPRESSED & NOT IMPRESSIVE – Most of the time people think that if they can be impressive to others, they can gain influence. It’s one of those wrong intentions to begin with. I’ve been in that situation before where being impressive with the material possessions that we have are our calling card. Heck, I was called Mr. Sole Slam, not for the brand I created back in 2011, but for the collection of sneakers that I amassed through the years. Most of us want to become the heroes of other people. We want to be larger than life.
Here’s the problem with trying to be impressive and not being impressed instead.
We are not heroes, we are real life human beings. People can see the true us, for who we really are. Making it our goal to impress other people turns off people. A lot of them. And that’s how I discovered the term “haters” as my prominence and influence grew. It was great for business, not for me personally. I never had the attention that I garnered before all this influence grew. And I can see and understand why a lot of people who rose to fame so quickly are struggling not just emotionally, but also mentally.
As heroes of many, we “puff” up our pride and end up being pretentious humans. It was such a turn off for a lot of people, and more importantly to myself. Today, I’m happy to be called and be known by my name by any person. I’m still struggling to this day to have the strength to tell people I don’t know personally and to correct them, when they call me by my popular nickname Mr. Sole Slam. Maybe this is this moment. So if you’re reading this, and you know me by my nickname only, please just call me Antonio or Antonio Aguirre. I’d be so much grateful if you do. And please, don’t shorten my first name to “Anton” or “Ton” or “Tonio”. Someone just called me “Tons” and “Antz”. Those are not any of my names.
Going back to the topic, pride is nothing really more than just a form of selfishness, a pretense. It’s only a way to keep people at arm’s length so that they can’t see who you truly are as a person. Instead of impressing other people, let them impress you.
I’ve seen so many of my peers in the industry that I was a huge part of for almost a decade struggle to keep up with trying to be “impressive”, that they lose sight of who they really are. And I feel really bad for them because I know how fucking tiring it was to keep a reputation intact, instead of keeping your character intact.
It’s all a matter of attitude adjustment towards yourself and others. Those that are charismatic, those that are attractive (based on attitude) to others, they’re the ones who focus on other people, not themselves. That’s going to impress someone like me. They know how to ask questions about others and how to listen. These people don’t try to act like they’re the center of attention. They also never try to pretend they’re perfect.
This is also one of the reasons why I came to love and embrace myself even more. I find myself a lot more happier with what I do now. I love being a teacher, a coach and just doing what brings value to people that need them. This makes me really excited to go to sleep and wake up each morning. I really do.
I spend each day listening to other people and let them impress me instead with their growth or progress. This is what’s great about being a coach for me. I get to ask the best and the right questions to people I want to see grow.
As a final word, I want to remind you something. People shouldn’t be impressed with money, fame, material wealth, title or degrees. What I find really impressive today is how someone treats another person: With kindness, integrity, humility and generosity. Generosity need not be in terms of financial wealth, but of knowledge. Don’t let anything hinder you from being a kind person.
Book a 1-on-1 coaching session with me here: Coach Antonio Aguirre
Visit my Instagram account and my YouTube channel. Check out the Life Deck Podcast also.
TOPIC: BEING IMPRESSED & NOT IMPRESSIVE
January 11, 2021 Author rhona
Too often we think that if we can impress others, we will gain influence with them. We want to become others’ heroes to be larger than life. That creates a problem because we’re real live human beings. People can see us for who we really are. If we make it our goal to impress them, we puff up our pride and end up being pretentious and that turns people off
January 11, 2021 Author Joseph
On the off chance that you need to impact others, don’t attempt to intrigue them. Pride is actually simply a type of narrow-mindedness, and affectation is just an approach to avoid individuals at all costs so they can’t see who you truly are. Rather than dazzling others, let them impress you.
It’s actually a matter of attitude. The individuals with allure, the individuals who pull in others to themselves, are people who focus around others, not themselves. They pose inquiries of others. They tune in. They don’t attempt to be the focal point of attention. Furthermore, they never attempt to imagine or pretend they’re great.
January 11, 2021 Author edward
Spend today listening to others and letting them impress you.
January 11, 2021 Author jocelyn
I think if you are in a situation where you need to be impressive, a job interview, a sales call, a negotiation, a presentation — one of the worst things you can do is to try, on purpose to be impressive.
When you think about trying to be impressive you immediately put yourself in a defensive mode, and you immediately put yourself in mode that is not-authentic.
Trying to be impressive makes you behave in a way that you are “trying” vs. “being”
January 11, 2021 Author Poging Pinoy
You are always better off starting from an authentic place because you are never actually more impressive when you are trying to be impressive!
January 11, 2021 Author aldwin
The first step in actually impressing someone is to give them something useful or valuable. The value is what creates the impression. So before you walk into the siutation, put some thought into what the person or audience will truly value and prepare to deliver that.
January 13, 2021 Author Khel Lawrence
Well, we have to face reality that Asians are more into “titles”. The higher your title, the more you feel that you are “entitled”. For me, it is not bad at all, as long as you look and demonstrate what your titles are. Titles are not there for you to impress everyone that you already have this title. What would be more impressive is on how you act on your title.
Let’s say that you earned a doctorate degree in philosophy or business. Automatically, people would think that you are a doctor. You could be called a doctor if you earn it and at the same time, you are demonstrating your expertise in the field. Some would just use this as a sorry excuse that they have this certain title and they can already demand. This is just a load of bull crap.
Just some end noted, whomever you are, whatever you finished, always stay humble and don’t use your titles just for the luxury of it.