Be Seen or Be Forgotten: The Brutal Truth About Visibility and Impact

 Being visible doesn’t just mean posting on social media or being loud in meetings. Visibility is about showing up with intention, making your values, ideas, and contributions known.

This thought has been constantly crossing my mind over the past few weeks. It further amplified when I spotted someone's WhatsApp status like this:

Let’s get straight to it. In this world, it’s not enough to be good. You have to be seen as being good. People don’t reward effort. They reward exposure.

People don’t remember the silent genius in the back. They remember the one who spoke up, showed up, and made an impression, even if that impression was just louder confidence with less competence. (Quite frustrating, isn't it?)

If that pisses you off, good. It should. That anger? That’s your inner potential getting sick of your own silence.

I have selfish reasons!!

I have a personal story centered on this, and suddenly, I realized that this quote is real.

Back in my junior college years, when there were annual fests or events, I stayed back most of the time. I used to top the class every semester, and I thought I was above the law!! (not kidding guys!). In the final year, when I was nominated as Class Representative, I was invited to a meeting to discuss whether the annual day should be 1 day or 2 days. To everyone's shock, I told them it should be only a matter of 3-4 hours, and the decision was finalized. I have made countless enemies that day, as I am not the one who attends annual days. I will sit at home and relax. But little did I know, it was a deadly mistake.

The people who attended the event started getting more attention from teachers. Even though I was the best, they were the visible ones. That time I realised how much it is to remain visible.

It was this moment I realised the brutal truth of life: 

"What is not seen, doesn’t exist."

Life Lately post realization

You could be brilliant. Talented. Morally upright. But if no one knows what you’ve done. If you’re not strategically visible, then in most systems, you don’t count.

This isn’t fair. It’s just true.

I have been reading Robert Greene's 48 Laws of Power, and one of its parts I felt relates nicely to this case.

Power Law #6: Court Attention at All Costs.

Robert Greene didn’t sugarcoat it. Attention is power. Visibility is power. If you blend in, you are forgotten. If you're invisible, your value decays in silence.

Want to win? Then don’t just work, be seen working. Don’t just speak; be heard speaking. Don’t just try own the damn spotlight while you’re at it.

Also, the post where I hosted my organization's Annual event also participated in a SKIT which I directed. Both of those things were my first time, but it turned out great!!! This was the first time I was starting to get noticed, and this is what I wanted from the bottom of my heart.

What about those who hide

A Strange Comfort isn't it?

As per Law 6 discussed above, the reason is simple: attention brings opportunity, power, and influence. Without attention, you’re irrelevant, no matter how capable. You might hate that, but it’s the battlefield you’re in. Either play the game, or get sidelined.

Now let’s talk about the people who do show up, the few who dare to break patterns, lead initiatives, or take the first step. These are the builders. The creators. The ones who turn vague ideas into working systems, bold thoughts into action. And what happens the moment they do?

They get criticized.

Relentlessly. Repeatedly. And almost always by people who’ve done nothing of substance themselves.

Criticism, today, is the easiest thing to do. It takes zero skin in the game, zero accountability, and zero effort. That’s why it’s so popular. You’ll rarely find a critic who’s also a builder. Why? Because those who are in the trenches building something don’t have the time or need to tear others down. They’re too busy working on their own mission.

The psychology behind criticism is simple. It’s a projection. When someone sees you daring to step into visibility, take risks, and possibly even fail, it triggers something in them. Your courage makes them uncomfortable because it exposes their comfort. Your action reminds them of their inaction. So they do what’s easy: they critique. They scoff. They downplay. Not because you’re doing something wrong, but because you’re doing something they’re too scared to even attempt.

Let’s talk again about the builders. The real ones. The ones who stop waiting for permission and start building. The people who create something new, launch a fresh initiative, start a podcast, run a side project, lead an experimental task force, or try to shift the status quo. These are the ones making an impact.

But they don’t always win right away. In fact, they often get criticized, misunderstood, and even mocked at first. That’s part of the price. But over time, they develop resilience, mastery, and influence. While the critics stay static, recycling the same complaints, the builders evolve.

There’s a reason most legendary careers are built by people who weren’t the most loved at the beginning. Because they were too busy doing, while others were busy doubting.

Why people hide - the psychological analysis

Forgive me but I have been reading 

A simple answer - It's just the tyranny of the comfort zone, isn't it?

People hide because hiding is safe. When you stay low, you can’t be criticized, mocked, or challenged. No eyes on you, no expectations. Just silence. But that silence comes at a cost: obscurity, regret, and untapped potential.

Here’s the brutal truth:
Most people don’t fear failure.
They fear being seen failing.

They’re terrified of looking stupid. Of being judged. Of hearing, “Who does this guy think he is?” So, instead of stepping forward, they build walls of “later,” “not ready,” or “I’m still figuring it out.” These are just polished lies that keep them from growth.

What my internal philosopher says

“You don’t get to call someone’s idea boring if you’ve never had the courage to pitch your own.”

Straight and simple. Nothing else.

Conclusion 

Here’s the final truth: the world doesn’t owe you recognition. You have to claim it. And you claim it through consistent value, delivered visibly.

If you’re not visible, you’re not remembered.
If you’re not bold, you’re not respected.
If you’re not building, you’re not growing.

And if you’re not ready to face criticism, then you’re not ready to lead. Because leadership comes with eyes on you. It comes with whispers. It comes with mockery, doubt, misunderstanding, and pressure. But it also comes with impact. With legacy. With influence. With the power to shift not just your world, but the world around you.

As Aristotle famously said, “The only way to avoid criticism is to say nothing, do nothing, be nothing.”

So what’s it going to be?

Hide and play it safe, letting the critics stay loud while you stay irrelevant? Or build loudly, lead boldly, and let the discomfort of growth carve your name into a space only real ones occupy?

You weren’t born to be background noise.
You were born to be the signal.

So show up. Speak up. And make sure they remember your name, not because you asked them to, but because you earned it.

I believe this post is enough for the day. Steal the spotlight, peeps !!! Signing off.