Many of us feel vulnerable about showing any sign of humility lest others see it as a sign of weakness. Somehow humility brings up the image of someone meek and submissive.
In contrast to humility, we admire the idea of confidence. When we say confident, it evokes an image of someone who feels self-assured, worthy, and assertive. Where humility is erroneously assumed to be a weakness, confidence is rightfully seen as a positive trait.
Is there a way we can stay humble and at the same time remain confident in who we are and what we have to offer the world?
In the Book, Think Again, Adam Grant presents a very nice concept of Confident Humility for us to relate with the idea of being confident and humble
Here are six markers to indicate that you have the power of confident humility.
- You are secure in your strengths, and you are comfortable acknowledging your weaknesses.
- You believe that the best way to prove yourself is by improving yourself.
- You dare to say I don’t know instead of pretending to know all the answers.
- You are ok to acknowledge that you are wrong instead of insisting you are always right.
- You are comfortable listening to ideas that make you think hard and not just make you feel good.
- You welcome being around people who challenge your thought process and not with people who always agree with your conclusions.
Confident humility helps us lean into everything with an open mind knowing that humility is a superpower that makes us stronger.
Humility is not thinking less of yourself. It’s thinking of yourself less.
C.S. Lewis