The Hard Part About Humility

Humility.  There, I said it.  As you read that word I'm guessing several thoughts and emotions enter your mind.  I'm assuming most of them are negative.  There aren't many leadership classes, books or seminars devoted to teaching the fine points of humility.  In fact, we are programmed to be aggressive, vocal, out front and BOLD.  Not to mention to look out for Number 1.

Thanks to my teenage kids I have become reluctantly exposed to a term recently that summarizes how I am afraid many in our society justify everything from rudeness to reckless abandon.  YOLO - You Only Live Once.  It is true obviously but I believe that living the kind of lifestyle that YOLO encourages is a dangerous path to walk on, even though many if not most do.  The path of humility is a much less crowded path and one that I hope I can convince you is worth checking out.

As with any idea or plan that goes against what the vocal majority thinks you should do be prepared to encounter some questions and criticisms.  As with many noble endeavors you have to ignore your critics and do what you know is right.  Easy to say and hard to do?  Of course.  In most struggles though it is my experience that once you have thwarted the initial attack from an adversary or enemy they tend to either quiet down or go away.  Besides which, ideas and plans always become better and more clear when they are challenged internally and externally.  We may have to change directions but we don't have to change paths to conform with everyone else's ideas. 

This leads to the hard part about humility.  If you know you're right and yet everyone is challenging you or questioning you, how do you remain strong in the face of adversity?  It's human nature to sink back in to old, easy (and presumably bad) habits.  The good news is, everyone likes you again.  The bad news is you have betrayed yourself and your values and none of us want to live a dual lifestyle.

So why not go for it and be courageous?  Get out of your comfort zone and get busy making a difference in your small corner of the world.  I believe in the good in every person and I believe everyone is born with an innate desire to be successful and grow even though the definitions of those words are as different for each person as we all are individually.  Think about the people you know that have a positive influence on you.  A teacher, a coach, a mentor a sibling.  Whoever that person is they bring out the best in you.  And I bet any negative feelings I created earlier in this post have been overtaken by the positive feelings you have when you think of all those people have done for you.

Guess what?  Those people sacrificed themselves to make you a better person.  They challenged your thinking and inspired you to visualize a better result than you would have achieved without them.  I bet not one of them did it so they could be more respected, admired or because it fueled their ego.  They did it out of love, kindness and humility.  No one made them do it - they could have been like all the other people in their positions and just decided to "go with the flow."  Not these folks though.  They had a higher calling. 

So my question I leave you with this week is who needs you to challenge them?  Who needs you to be true to yourself, true to your values and be more concerned about living a life of significance rather than a life of accomplishments?  The other hard part about humility is that many times the only person that recognizes your sacrifices is you.  Do it anyway.  It's a sure path to becoming the person you truly desire to be.