Humility
Humility is one of the most underrated qualities in today's world of self promotions. It is often misinterpreted as a sign of weakness in a world where we are bombarded daily by photo-filtered insta-perfect lifestyle & braggadocio. But, in reality, this quality gives us immense inner strength with far-reaching mental, emotional & social benefits. Surprised? If you are thinking humility is old-fashioned & not relevant in the modern age, it's time to rethink. So, let’s try to understand humility first.
One of the best quotes that define humility is from the famous British writer C.S. Lewis that says, “humility is not thinking less of yourself; it is thinking about yourself less.” Humble people have a deeper understanding of their strengths & limitations. They are confident about themselves & their abilities & accept their flawed self. This enables them to take on-board their self-improvement journey. So, if you think humility is a lack of self-confidence or competence, then it's a myth you need to debunk right now. Confidence & humility actually go together.
A lot of studies are being done recently on this powerful quality and you will be amazed to know the results that show how humility can impact different aspects of our lives.
Humility to climb your ladder of success
One such aspect is our career success. Did you know that business schools have now started calling humility as the key ingredient for excellent leadership? Does it sound a bit counter-intuitive? Jim Collins, the American author focused on the subject of 'business management and company sustainability and growth' stated that the “X-Factor of great leadership is not personality, it's humility.” Years ago, a group of HR professionals in IBM coined the term “humibition” that combines humility & ambition to define excellent leaders. Recent studies have concluded that humble leaders listen more effectively, inspire great teamwork and focus everyone (including themselves) on organizational goals better than leaders who don’t score high on humility. So, if you are an aspiring business leader, you know which character trait you should cultivate.
Humility for your personal growth
We have only started unfolding the power of this virtue. Let’s see how much humility can contribute to improving our mental & emotional wellbeing. Did you know humility helps us to handle stress & anxiety more effectively? Here is a quote by Mother Teresa on humility: “ if you are humble, nothing will touch you, neither praise nor disgrace, because you know what you are".
We all know that our life is like a roller coaster ride with ups and downs. It's how you deal with these ups and downs that define you. If you are not able to keep your ego in check in your times of success, it can dangerously affect your individuality & hinder your personal growth. Humility will help you stay grounded and not get carried away during your these times. Humility embodies a kind of self-acceptance that arises from noble qualities rather than on six-figure salaries, celebrity-like bodies, material possessions, friends & followers on social media. So, when life tries to kick you down, humility can give you the power to stand up and smile at life again. It enables you to be resilient & see life as a never ending journey of learning & growing. So, now you know the best medicine for your mental & emotional wellness journey.
Let’s now move to the role of humility in fostering healthy relationships. Haven’t you noticed how you feel relaxed, accepted, appreciated & encouraged when you are around some people? Aren’t we attracted to those kinds of people like bees to flowers? Yes, humble people are good at handling relationships as they can accept people & healthy differences. We feel we are heard and accepted when we are around them. It is because humility equips them with a greater sense of self worth that frees them from jealousy, desire for control, judgement and blaming others for their own imperfections. This helps them to empathize with others & respect other viewpoints. This can contribute greatly to improving dynamics in all kinds of human connections, be it with your partner, kids, parents, siblings, friends, colleagues or acquaintances.
The British poet Tennyson once said that humility is, “the highest virtue, the mother of them all.” It is indeed the mother of all virtues that can empower you to develop other virtues like empathy, resilience, acceptance, kindness & integrity.
So, let us join hand in hand and help our kids to understand the virtue of humility by reading them some short stories & help them develop this super powerful character trait.