The different definitions of humility describe it as a trait in which you embrace weaknesses and actively recognize that there are people with more knowledge than you. On its surface, humility can seem like a direct opposite to the idea of being great.
But rejecting humility for the belief that you are already great will inherently prevent you from ever achieving that greatness. The reason for this is that being the best is a constantly moving goal. When you assert that you are great the way you are, you hold yourself back from embracing this next level of greatness.
The Power of Humility
It is a fact of life that no human is uniformly great in every single aspect of their life. Even when you are extremely good with certain skills, there will be others on which you can improve while your existing skills can be made stronger.
Because humility is about identifying the areas where you fall short, it is also one of the easiest tools you have to determine where you can continue to become better. Some of the best ways to practice humility with the goal of continued growth are to:
- Note Your Weaknesses – Making a list of your strengths and weaknesses can be a powerful tool in goal setting by keying you into the areas you most want to improve at.
- Take Criticism – Criticism can often be difficult to receive, but humble people use it as a means to grow.
- Acknowledge Mistakes – When you have made a mistake, own up to it. The mistake is a learning process that can help you avoid the same or similar mistakes in the future.
- Shift Your Focus to Others – Skills like listening more than you talk and paying attention to others’ strengths is a great way to pinpoint where you might improve and learn from those who are great in different ways from you.
Humility does not entail any less confidence or any diminishing of the successes you already have. You can continue to be proud of the goals you have already met while also staying open to the areas in which you may improve.
At Long Island Psychology, we work with many of our clients on goal setting and the techniques necessary to continue on a journey of self improvement. We offer therapy from offices in Garden City and Rockville Centre, as well as our new location in Roslyn Heights, for a range of therapy options on Long Island. Contact us to learn more about our therapists and make an appointment.
