The modesty it is a human virtue that implies knowing and accepting one’s weaknesses and qualities, and acting accordingly. For instance: admit a mistake, share the knowledge learned, be grateful.
A humble person he knows his abilities and opportunities, but he does not seek to stand out from others, nor does he need to show off his successes and achievements to others. It is characterized by recognizing their own effort, sharing their own joys or defeats and valuing themselves the same as others. In addition, he is able to admit his limitations or mistakes.
Humility is one of the most valued virtues by society and is the basis of other virtues such as generosity, commitment and solidarity. It is understood as a quality opposed to pride and arrogance, and it is a virtue that is part of the innate personality of some people and can also be cultivated into a habit.
In different religions, as in Judaism and Catholicism, humility is a key virtue of the human being, since it is sought that the individual adopts a humble attitude so that he can understand that the superiority and divinity of God is unattainable for the persons.
Examples of humble behaviors
- Know how to apologize. One of the acts in which a humble attitude is most reflected is when it comes to apologizing. When you made a mistake, did not act responsibly or had a forgetfulness (among other causes), you have the opportunity to retract and apologize to whom it may concern. By saying “sorry” the individual is recognized as a limited being who can make mistakes.
- Losing the fear of making mistakes. The only way to achieve goals is to take risks, knowing that error is a possibility. Those who dare to take risks and make mistakes appear humble when they understand that they are not in control of everything and that there is a possibility that things do not go as expected.
- Accept constructive criticism. In many cases, a person in the inner circle or someone who knows about a subject or discipline can correct or advise. Receiving advice or constructive criticism with integrity and good disposition is a humble act, because it implies admitting your own weaknesses and showing an openness towards the opinion of others.
- Ask for help. When the collaboration of another or others is needed in different aspects and areas of life, it is important to develop the habit of being able to ask for help (when one’s own efforts or capacities are exhausted). When asking for help, the individual shows himself as a being with limitations and who is open to receive what he lacks and another can give him.
- Acknowledge and thank the people who helped you develop skills. Many times there are people who help to achieve goals or objectives. In those cases, it is important to acknowledge the contribution of these people and thank them for everything they have provided. Recognizing the capabilities of others is a way of showing humility.
- Admit when there’s something you don’t understand. In cases where an idea or something to be carried out was not understood, it is important to incorporate a humble attitude, to be able to let others know that it was not understood and ask them to explain it again.
- Recognize your own faults or mistakes. Humans often make mistakes, and in those cases it is important to take responsibility for the mistakes and (if applicable) ask for forgiveness or do what you can to repair the damage if it has occurred. Acknowledging mistakes is an act of humility. By admitting a failure, the individual may be more vigilant to try not to repeat it in the future.
- Ask others for their opinion on different matters. At times when you need to make decisions or take action, you can turn to other people you trust to get their opinion. Asking for opinions is an act of humility because the person is open to receiving other points of view on an issue.
- Do not compare or compare to others. Humility does not imply not taking into account one’s own achievements or qualities, but rather recognizing them as well as mistakes and knowing that all people have both their qualities and defects. Each person is unique and unrepeatable and, therefore, one person cannot be compared to another.
- Give credit to the true authors of an idea. When using a person’s idea or invention, it is important to know it and not to pass off as your own things that are foreign to you. Humility implies recognizing in the other their qualities and their successes and achievements, and that this does not arouse a feeling of envy but of admiration and inspiration.
- Knowing how to lose in the different circumstances of life. Both winning and losing are unavoidable situations in human life. A humble person is one who remains calm and centered both when he wins (without scrubbing his triumphs) and when he loses (without attacking the winners).
- Recognize that there is always more to learn. Knowledge is a complex and vast field and because human beings have a limited nature, they can never know everything about the world. Being humble is knowing that not all knowledge can be addressed and that there will always be something to learn.
- Share the knowledge learned. Once you have learned certain things, you can adopt a humble attitude when you are able to teach those who want or need it. Remembering that one was in the position of a learner and a student helps to develop a humble attitude in the face of wisdom and acquired experience.
- Don’t brag about your successes. A humble person is one who knows his limitations, but also his qualities and his successes. Knowing the successes or objectives achieved is essential to be able to enjoy and share them, without implying a feeling of superiority over other people.
- Be thankful. One of the main attitudes that a person’s humility reflects is gratitude. By thanking, the individual recognizes part of something greater and admits that there are things that are beyond their control and scope and that the benefits received should be appreciated. The human being is an organism that lives in society and society implies a joint work among all its members. Appreciation is a way of acknowledging your own limitations and giving credit to those who were helpful in pursuit of a goal.
- Be willing to listen to others. Listening is essential for life in society and for the development of genuine and stable bonds. A humble person is one who knows that every human being has an individual way of looking at the world and that one can learn from the opinions and interpretations of others. Being in an attitude of listening implies silencing the internal to give way to the external.
- Appreciate people who are capable in a subject and ask for help. It is important to recognize the ignorance about something and be humble to go to people who know a certain subject well. Manifest ignorance or lack of skills is a humble attitude.
- Know your own capabilities. One of the bases of humility is knowing your own abilities and the fruit or success that comes from effort. It is important to enjoy and share the skills or virtues, without this implying lowering the capabilities or characteristics of others. Knowing one’s own abilities trains the individual so that he can also assess the abilities of others.
- Learn from your own mistakes. Humility recognizes human imperfection and, therefore, the tendency to mistake and error. The error will always be something intrinsic to human nature and, although in many cases it is not possible to go back, errors can serve as a teaching for the future. A person who can use mistakes as teachers is a person who takes his imperfection and uses it to his advantage.
- Accept the ideas and opinions of others. One of the keys in every human relationship is to be able to listen and accept other people’s ideas, even if you do not agree with them. A humble person is one who recognizes the diversity and equality of people, does not compare them and, therefore, knows that all ideas and opinions are valid and must be recognized and listened to.