“The man with insight enough to admit his limitations comes nearest to perfection.”
~Johann Wolfgang von Goethe
Humility is often equated with a low self-regard, bowing and scraping to others.
The actual definition of humility is “an accurate assessment of one’s own abilities.”
To be humble, a person needs to:
– Know and own their strengths and their weaknesses. They must have the experience and wisdom to understand and accept their limitations.
– Be willing to share credit and accept blame. They are confident enough to do both.
– Switch from a “me” to a “we” perspective. Humility switches your perspective from “me” to “we,” and increases a willingness to learn from others. How can we grow if we’re not willing to learn, if we think we know it all already?
Throughout the ages, philosophers have regarded true humility as a rich, multifaceted characteristic that requires “an accurate assessment of one’s characteristics, an ability to acknowledge limitations, and a forgetting of the self.”
Humility doesn’t need to be quiet to be sincere, but it also doesn’t need to be loud to be believed.
One might say that humility is an external display of internal strength.
And when you’re strong enough to admit your failings, you’re also strong enough to share your successes without hope you’ll be admired for them.
A humble person doesn’t need your admiration.
They already have their own.
“Pride makes us artificial and humility makes us real.” ~Thomas Merton
