Appearances (Are Deceptive)

All that is gold does not glitter,
Not all those who wander are lost;
The old that is strong does not wither,
Deep roots are not reached by the frost.

J.R.R. Tolkien

We often judge things from their external appearance. It is a natural human tendency.

First impressions are especially important; they have an outsized influence on our attitude and predispose us toward a particular opinion.

No wonder we pay so much attention to our appearance, and appearance in general; regardless, if one digs deeper, the situation may be much less ideal.

If you’ve ever experienced an inspection of a facility or equipment from some higher authority, then you have a good idea of what I’m referring to. What matters most is that it all looks good or as desired. The fact that, under the surface, there may be a lot of corrosion and faulty, non-functional, or unreliable equipment is secondary.

Similarly, in the days of mobile phones, connectedness, and social media, it is common for people to enact an online persona that doesn’t represent their true self and/or reality. They may be depressed, but their online persona will always seem confident and happy. They may struggle to get by each month financially, but their persona will seem well-to-do and successful.

We are visual creatures who place utmost significance on what we see with our eyes. And we often rush to conclusions without having the prudence to ask questions and look deeper. We commonly say, “I must see it, to believe it”.

Your eyes can deceive you; don’t trust them.

Obi-Wan Kenobi

Even many of our preconceived notions and beliefs are deceptive, as they are commonly based on appearances.

It is, then, easy to be deceived by appearances. And not only can it be self-sabotaging, but other people can also take advantage of this weakness. It can be a means to misguide you and control you. It’s not that hard either, not in our days at least.

Effects in Building An Online Business

In the context of building an online business and online entrepreneurship in general, deceiving appearances and erroneous, misleading preconceived ideas are abundant.

People regularly present themselves, or a product they are promoting, in a false light to make a profit.

A common misconception is that you can be making good earnings from one day to the next without too much hustle. It appears to be so, other people seem to achieve this, but the not-so-obvious part we fail to see is the long and hard work behind the success.

Another misconception is that it is so difficult to succeed in building an online business that it is only for the few. On the other side of the spectrum, we may think that it is so easy anyone can do it, just by following a step-by-step guide. The truth, as usual, is somewhere in the middle.

All this is very unfortunate as it can hold us back from our dream of building an online business or/and hinder our success.

That is why it is crucial for us to develop our analytical thinking and reasoning; to be able to judge people, objects, and situations based not on external appearances or prejudice but their inner qualities and true nature.

Either you repeat the same conventional doctrines everybody is saying, or else you say something true, and it will sound like it’s from Neptune.

Noam Chomsky

Most people can achieve building a successful, profitable online business. And there’s never been a better time; with so much activity and so much opportunity online.
But while it can be largely straightforward, it is not easy; it will take patience and perseverance. It will also take good guidance.