Humility
Humility: A Foundational Virtue
“As our circle of knowledge expands, so does the circumference of darkness surrounding it.”
Albert Einstein
We all benefit from periodically pausing from our daily routines, and our busy schedules to contemplate our place in the world. Who are we? What is our purpose? What do we desire from life now and into the future? What matters most? We can draw great power from pondering such questions and living our lives with purpose.
Such deep questions can be answered in many ways. Answers to those questions may evolve and be refined throughout our lives as a natural consequence of our learning, growth and experience. As I consider my purpose in life, I can frame that purpose in many ways. But I often return to a simple two-fold mission:
- To learn, to grow, and to develop my character: spiritually, physically, emotionally and socially.
- To use my talents and abilities that I have developed to bless and serve others — to make the world a better place.
The Indian jurist, economist, politician and social reformer from the early 20th century, B.R. Ambedkar observed:
“Unlike a drop of water which loses its identity when it joins the ocean, man does not lose his being in the society in which he lives. Man’s life is independent. He is born not for the development of the society alone, but for the development of his self.”
That “development of self”, I would suggest, is at the core of the purpose of our life’s journey. And that development should be sought with an aim to contribute to others within our sphere of influence, however large or small that sphere may be.
Personal development includes not only learning and developing talents, but more importantly building and strengthening character traits founded upon virtuous living. This personal development should be grounded upon what Steven R. Covey described as “private victories”: internal character traits that have more to do with who we are internally than what we expose to the world around us.
Where do we begin? What matters most as we move along the path of personal development and growth? I’ve pondered those questions for decades. That pondering has led to a simple answer: humility forms a foundation upon which many of the most noble of human characteristics are built.
In this sense, humility does not imply inferiority or insignificance. The virtue of humility to me implies an absence of pride and arrogance. It is an acknowledgement that one does not possess all knowledge and strength. It is a willingness to learn from others, a willingness to be corrected, and a desire to continually improve — drawing help and strength from God and from those around us. In a very real way, humility breeds strength. While that may seem counter intuitive, I find it to be true. We are our weakest when we believe we can face life’s challenges alone: when we convince ourselves that we have no more need to grow or learn.
My personal sense of humility is described in one of my favorite quotes from Albert Einstein: “As our circle of knowledge expands, so does the circumference of the darkness surrounding it.” Often, we don’t know what we don’t know. But as we learn, we gain an ability to ask deeper, more significant questions. We learn how much more there is lo learn. Recognizing this fact and striving to continually learn, grow and develop is key to using humility as the foundation of our personal development.