Ain’t That A VHIT
By Von C. Howard
There is a question that has been quietly following me lately:
Am I building influence, or am I managing impressions?
It’s not a question with a quick answer. It lingers. It shows up in different seasons, in moments of growth, recognition, transition, and self-evaluation. And the more I sit with it, the more I realize it belongs to all of us. Because at some point, we all become aware of how we are perceived.
We learn that presentation matters. We refine how we speak, how we show up, how we carry ourselves. We want to represent well, honor opportunities, and reflect growth. There is nothing wrong with that. But there is a subtle shift that can happen if we’re not careful; we can begin to measure our value by how well we impress others.
Impressions are powerful, but they are also momentary. They open doors, create visibility, and spark initial trust. Yet impressions live in moments. Influence lives in patterns.
Influence is built slowly, through consistency, integrity, and presence. It grows in relationships. It deepens through time. It is not about being seen once, but about being known over time.
As life expands, many of us enter new spaces, new roles, new circles, new levels of responsibility. With expansion comes visibility, and with visibility comes a quiet temptation: prioritizing unfamiliar faces over familiar ones. We invest energy into being respected in new environments while unintentionally drifting from the people who first knew us without titles, achievements, or introductions.
The “faces that look like yours” can mean different things for each of us. Family who knew you before success. Friends who supported you before recognition. Communities that shaped your values. Colleagues who walked beside you when things were uncertain. People who see you beyond performance.
These faces don’t require polish. They value presence.
There is something grounding about being known without explanation, about being recognized not for what you do, but for who you are. And reflection invites us to ask: as we grow, are we still reachable? Are we still connected? Are we still present where we were once planted?
This reflection is ongoing for me.
Because influence builds, it invests, returns, mentors, and stays accessible.
Impression performs, curates, presents, and seeks validation.
Neither success nor visibility is the problem. The risk is forgetting connection while pursuing recognition. True impact is not measured only by how many people are impressed by us, but by how many people still feel seen, supported, and strengthened because of us.
In the end, impressions may introduce us, but influence is what remains. And the people who knew us early should still be able to recognize us fully, not just our image, but our spirit, as we continue to grow.