The Balance Between Humility and Pride
Let’s be honest—sometimes it’s tough to stay humble when you want to share all your accomplishments. You’ve reached milestones, completed challenging tasks, achieved a promotion, written incredible editorials, and received glowing testimonials for your performance. And the list can go on and on… I totally hear you.
Why Humility Matters
So, how do you keep humility in check? Perhaps the most important question is: Why be humble? Here is a quick unedited response from Dorice–It is hard to truly like and forever support someone who is the extreme opposite of humble….am I right, guys?
Consider your team or your family. Is there someone you can wholeheartedly say is humble? Or someone who is the opposite of humble? How do you feel about them? I once worked with someone who always believed their opinion was the only right one. Humility stands in stark contrast to intellectual arrogance. A humble person admits they don’t know everything, which can bring tremendous benefits to every scenario.
Embracing Humility with an Open Mind
Approaching topics with humility does not mean that you do not share your knowledge and expertise. It means coming with an open mind and embracing the future with a fresh perspective. It means allowing other people to also bring forth their expertise!
In the Bible, Moses is described as the most humble person in the world. Despite leading over three million people out of slavery and through the desert for 40 years, facing complaints and wars, he is known for his humility. He spoke of his accomplishments, yet remained humble. C.S. Lewis wisely stated that “Humility isn’t thinking less of yourself but thinking of yourself less.”
5 Ways to Celebrate Success with Humility
Can you be both proud of your achievements and humble? Absolutely! Inspired by this week’s Torah portion title, Emor, which means “say,” here are 5 ways to be humble while celebrating your successes:
- Speak Less and Listen More: Engage with others by truly hearing their perspectives. Sometimes it is ok not to say much…
- Say “I don’t know” and “I want to learn”: Being a student is a humbling experience at any age! When I left my work in education to do what I do now, this was my go-to stance… And I still feel it today… The older I get, the less I know for sure! There is always more to know. Curiosity is a sure way to foster humility.
- Share Success with Others: Acknowledge the contributions of those around you. Moses could not do it alone; he needed his brother Aaron, his sister Miriam, his judges, and so forth.
- Delegate: Trust others with responsibilities, showing confidence in their abilities…just like Moses did when he chose the judges and had Joshua as his right hand.
- Inspire Others: Encourage those around you to reach their full potential. Support them when they need you, and show empathy when they struggle.
The Importance of Staying Grounded
I love the phrase, “What one knows is only a handful, whereas the unknown is the size of the world,” by the ancient Tamil poet Avvaiyar. Humility is not allowing the ego to take over wisdom. What don’t you know? Can you admit it to one person today?
This reminds me of Brené Brown’s teaching that humility comes from the Latin word humilitas, meaning groundedness. In Positive Intelligence, we achieve this groundedness daily with our practice of PQ! Humility doesn’t mean you don’t share your accomplishments; it means you do so with balance, acknowledging both your strengths and weaknesses. Your achievements, as well as opportunities for growth.
Brené Brown in her book Dare to Lead said that humility is, “I am here to get it right, not to be right.” What do you get right? Can you celebrate that?
Patrick Lencioni describes humility as the absence of excessive ego or concern about status. Can we be more humble this week? Let’s try it!
Explore more insights and tools on building resilience by visiting the rest of my blog. Interested in coaching or speaking engagements? Schedule a time on my calendar.
Until next time, have a wonderful weekend and remember– Be Positive, Be Yourself, Be the Champion You Want to See!
