Insight often arises from simultaneously holding two seemingly contradictory notions -- and then allowing a deeper understanding to develop. Take, for example, David R. Hawkins' idea that, "A universal characteristic of genius is humility." Generally we don't equate genius with being humble. If anything, we expect the opposite, and are pleasantly surprised when we find a counterexample. But this presumption is actually relatively modern. The writer Elizabeth Gilbert talks about how ancient Romans believed that a genius was actually an invisible, divine entity who would assist a person in a creative work. In effect, this view positions a person as an instrument of their work, as opposed to the supreme creator of it; built-in to this perspective was a way of fostering humility within the gift of extraordinary capability.
In today's increasingly connected world, humility becomes relevant not only for us as individuals, but also for groups. A recent study at Carnegie Mellon University showed that collective intelligence had little to do with the IQs of individuals in that group. So even if you bring together the smartest people, there is no guarantee of better team performance; in fact, it's been shown that team outcomes have much more to do with how skillfully people collaborate. Individual motivations for actively engaging in a group effort lie at the heart of effective collaboration. Such motivation is rooted in how much value we ascribe outside of ourselves. A key aspect of this is humility: it motivates a right-sized assessment of our own abilities and an awareness of our limitations. A self-view that recognizes its limitations is vital in order for real synergy to occur. This is what allows us to be receptive to other people's contributions, knowing that they often augment our own. In a group, the more that people are rooted in a mindset of humility, the greater the potential synergy.
It works in the other direction as well: the more we experience synergy, the more we recognize our interdependence, and the more likely we are to reinforce a sense of self-value that is real. An inflated self-valuation is clearly problematic, but so is a faltering sense of self-worth; both extremes feed into an insecurity that becomes more vested in proving value rather than simply adding it.
A conscious humility, one in which we accurately know our boundaries, makes us explicitly aware of what we do have to offer. This appreciation of our abilities is important, and yet, there's a significant distinction between strengthening a known and limited self -- and growing beyond it. As columnist David Brooks recently articulated in his encouraging survey of recent psychological research on humility, "Self-affirmation is about being proud and powerful and in control. Self-transcendence is about being engaged in activities in which the self is melded into a task or a relationship." Viewed in this light, the problem isn't in having a sense of self, but rather in being identified with its limitations, and therefore being unable to go beyond them. When we have a static and inflexible identity, what we experience becomes filtered and severely reduced. A repeated affirmation of this limited self is ego -- and its fuel is habituated thought. We are what we think.
To soften the boundaries of identity, we must first become aware of our thoughts, and then recognize how certain thought patterns color our perception. It's a flavor of what psychologists call inattentional blindness. In the classic Invisible Gorilla experiment, study participants are asked to watch a group of people pass a ball around. As they watch the video, a man in a gorilla suit walks across the screen, and yet half of the people don't notice it. There is a similar but subtler inattentional blindness at the level of our thoughts, and this is where deepening in awareness is crucial. It allows us to tune in to the totality of our dynamic present experience. We then have more conscious choices in what we engage with and a greater freedom to choose our own responses -- internal and external.
While thoughts may be hard to tune in to in a vacuum, in reality, the mind and body are inextricably connected. What we actually sense on the body-level tends to be much more tangible. Sensations within the body tug us firmly back into the moment and serve as a proxy for mindfulness. When someone says something that we perceive as a threat to our ego, we can actually sensitize ourselves to the physical sensations associated with that emotion. Anxiety often translates to a sinking feeling in the pit of the stomach, and with anger we feel red-hot. It all happens in a split second. But if we are mindful of our thoughts and sensations, we then have a lever to stop the flow of previously subconscious reactivity, and we actually discover space.
Perhaps that's what humility really comes down to -- space around our perception of the world, as well as our own selves. Space to hold conflicting information, take in other people's views and, to borrow Bruce Lee's words, take the shape of the container we find ourselves in. Humility gives us permission to withhold conclusion and realize that what we are is always still emerging. And this is good.
A lot of it is laziness. And an impatient and addictive desire to know it all immedietely. People don't want to get things the slow hard way by learning and applying their minds to better themselves.
Arrogance says "I know it all right now and don't need to learn anything" People are lazy and self indulgent.
Although America is slowly learning the value of such virtues and practices that are ingrained in eastern cultures, like yoga, balance and patience.
The opposite of a fact is falsehood, but the opposite of one profound truth may very well be another profound truth.
Niels Bohr
I'm unemployed, I recently had a job interview go so well one of the interviewers confidentially told me he was sure the job was mine. I did not get that job. I would not be surprised if I lose the job to someone with a larger 'ego', that sold themselves with an inflated sense of self.
So I see no upside to humility. I believe if I claimed to have skills I can only fake, an enthusiasm born of simply knowing my presence in their company would make a huge difference simply because I'm better than most people. I think I would have that today. I CURSE MY HUMILITY!
I empathize with your pain, but we can only imagine the pain for all concerned when someone gets a job under false pretenses, then is called upon to display the missing skills.
Times are tough - don’t blame yourself. Please keep at it with a positive attitude!
I'm also wondering what the difference is between a humility that allows a person to progress and one that produces a blind follower? Humility may be the ultimate shape shifter.
I'm too familiar with hardwired "humility", "I'm wrong, wrong. Always wrong." It's paralyzing and can't possibly be rational.
http://www.npr.org/2011/06/20/137086464/why-seeing-the-unexpected-is-often-not-believing
Inattentional blindness is a massive block that we all face at so many levels in our life.
"Humor does not diminish the pain - it makes the space around it get bigger."
The same is true of humility in a certain sense. Humility doesn't diminish the individual, but it makes the space around him/her bigger.
One of America's most beloved Presidents, Abraham Lincoln, was known for not only his humble appearance, but his humility.
Frederick Douglas said: "Mr. Lincoln is the only white man with whom I have ever talked, or in whose presence I have ever been, who did not consciously or unconsciously betray to me that he recognized my color."
Horace Greeley said, "I doubt whether man...ever accosted or reached forth a hand to Abraham Lincoln and detected in his countenance and manner any repugnance or shrinking from the proper contact, any assumption of superiority, or betrayal of disdain."
Finally, Lincoln would say in his Gettysburg Address, "The brave men, living and dead, who struggled here, have consecrated it, far above our poor power to add or detract."
It was this capacity to make the space around himself bigger which helped heal the wounds of a broken Union, and quietly, and yes unassumingly, become beloved to America.
My son is a real genius on flute. He has been since kindergarten, and people have been telling his so since then. He began composing at seven, and his first piece is so good, it can be used as a beginner solo. However, and this is where is gets important, he realizes that his genius is an unearned gift, and, just as important, that other people's gifts and dreams are as important as his. He is--and I really envy him this ability--able to celebrate and enjoy his own gift while celebrating and enjoying other people's gifts just as much!
I learned the meaning of humility by watching him.
Also, a capital letter now and again would help readability. Just a suggestion.
we humans continue to confuse intellectual ability with intelligence. world of difference.
humility is an attribute of intelligence. doing well on an IQ test is often an example of intellectual capacity or ability. this can often be genetic. intelligence is something else and comes with serial experiences which gives us time and then we have karma to teach us to be more intelligent not intellectual but more intelligent.
americans have a winners and losers atttitude. this is a sign of a low level of intelligence but we are not alone one only has to look at the world. new souls old souls thing but most americans I talk to think they are old souls. ie lack of humility thing. :-(
if you come out and state you are an old soul I doubt that you are. souls learn just like politicians learn. ok bad example. :-)