To appear is to have power: what Machiavelli can teach us about Personal Branding

The Prince is one of my favourite books. I have read it several times, and each time I find something new — a detail about human behaviour, power, and image that still feels incredibly relevant today.

Many still see Machiavelli as a symbol of manipulation, yet anyone who reads him carefully understands he was speaking about something much deeper: perception.

In The Prince (1532), Machiavelli wrote that “it is necessary to appear to be”. A simple sentence, yet one that explains more about personal branding than many modern marketing theories. He understood that power does not arise from truth but from how people perceive what they see.

Society has always judged with its eyes

In Chapter XVIII, Machiavelli states:

“Men in general judge more by the eye than by the hand, for everyone can see, but few can feel. Everyone sees what you appear to be, few know what you really are.”

This may be one of the most brutal and realistic observations about human behaviour. Society has always functioned this way. Before listening, it observes. Before knowing you, it interprets you.

And that is precisely why the image has always been a tool of power. The way you present yourself shapes the way the world reads you.

The modern quote and Machiavellian essence

In recent years, a phrase has circulated online, often attributed to Machiavelli:

“Never appear poor, even if you are. Society does not investigate, it presumes. It lives on appearances, reflections, and masks.”

Historically, this line does not appear in The Prince. It is a modern interpretation, a symbolic summary of his central idea: appearance shapes destiny. Even if it is not authentic, it captures the spirit of his work.

What Machiavelli truly teaches us is that image is narrative. Those who do not understand this end up being narrated by others.

Image is not deceit, it is a strategy

Many people confuse personal branding with pretending. But it is not about lying, it is about structuring perception. It means knowing what you communicate before you even speak. It means projecting coherence between who you are, what you show and what you deliver.

Your image is your first public reading. It comes before your voice, your résumé, or your talent. Once formed, it is difficult to reshape.

In practice, this means that how you dress, behave, position yourself and communicate are part of one symbolic system. It is what separates those perceived as authorities from those who go unnoticed, even when they are equally capable.

To appear is the first step to becoming

Ultimately, Machiavelli only verbalised what still rules the social and professional game: appearance matters. The way you are perceived defines the space you are given.

Your posture, presence, and communication are your symbolic armour. Not to hide who you are, but to protect what you represent.

Authenticity is essential, but perception is what determines who gets heard. And in the theatre of life, as Machiavelli suggested, “whoever controls appearances, controls the game.”

Truth may be a virtue, but perception continues to define power.

📘 Reference: Niccolò Machiavelli, The Prince, 1532, Chapters XVIII and XIX.