“The line separating good and evil passes not through states, nor between classes, nor between political parties either—but right through every human heart.” — Aleksandr Solzhenitsyn, author of The Gulag Archipelago and a pioneer of Existentialism: philosophical movement emphasizing individual freedom and personal responsibility.
One of the most beneficial mindset shifts from psychology training: staying curious rather than being furious. It’s natural to be judgmental. It’s natural to recognize oddities. It’s natural to quickly discriminate based on what seems different. These subconsciously tendencies are built into our wiring as human beings. They serve one purpose, to predict and protect so we survive.
A layer deeper, one breath beyond judgment, lies humility from curiosity. This part of us seeks common ground. This part of us craves connection. This part of us wants to find what seems similar. The fond tend to bond. How do we embody humility? We choose good, not evil, by going from our thinking heads to our feeling hearts.
—
The best embody paradoxes.
They compete and they cooperate.
They are organized and spontaneous… share ideas and listen… set goals and take action.
Humility remains the one virtue that glues these paradoxes together. Here are its three definitions: (1) what we do not yet know is more important than what we do know, (2) it’s not thinking less of ourselves; it’s thinking about ourselves less, & (3) the quality of having an accurate view of our own abilities. Pulling on that third and final description, we ought to always remain aware of when we should be working on one part of ourselves compared to another.
Someone who constantly thinks about the future, considers best- and worst-case scenarios, and dreams evolves by focusing on the present moment, engaging in here-and-now exercises, and taking on analytical activities. In the Gospel of Matthew, specifically chapters involving “The Sermon on the Mount (5-7),” Jesus explains how righteousness combines an individual aiming for one’s highest peak and then focusing on the moment. Individuation includes ideation and implementation.
Someone who often makes emotional decisions, with other people’s opinions in mind, evolves by remaining more logical and objective. Instead of basing so many selections on personal convictions, an individual decides based on perceived facts and details. When Christ was betrayed by one of his best friends and subsequently condemned to death by crucifixion, He stayed steady and resolved to principles of justice and Truth: His passion would be for our purpose. Humility melds head and heart.
Someone who prefers punctuality, planning and for matters to be settled evolves by keeping options open, going with the flow, and spontaneously allowing for less structure and rigidity. In all four canonical Gospels of the Bible, Jesus disrupts order by overturning tables of money changers. Organization must be modified when systems become exploitive. What does operating optimally look like? Freedom and flexibility integrates with adjustment and adaptability.
Humiliation never occurs to those with humility. Why? Because every humble person remains grounded and humiliation requires a loss of groundedness. All losses are lessons. Humiliation could be viewed as falling towards rock-bottom. There is no rock-bottom for an individual whose feet continually stay on the soil.
The Latin roots of the word humility are humilis meaning “on the ground” and humus meaning “earth|soil.”
When we say someone is “salt-of-the-earth,” we mean he or she maintains humility. Not prideful, egotistical, nor arrogant, we mean he or she understands and embraces reality wholeheartedly. Humble humans prevail.
One of the greatest stories in sports, which sheds light on the highest amount of humility includes a wrestler named Dan Gable. He won two National Championships at Iowa State University before going on to claim 15 more as the head coach of the University of Iowa. In between those accomplishments, he wrestled to 181 consecutive triumphs in a row and then went on to earn a gold medal at the 1972 Munich Olympics. As a teenager, his sister was tragically murdered; in response, he moved his belongings and chose to sleep in her room for the remainder of his childhood. He promised himself he would become the greatest wrestler who ever lived, in her honor. “I’m living proof that great things can happen to ordinary, humble people when they are willing to outwork everyone else,” Gable concluded. Humility kept him grounded, consistent, and destined for greatness.
He chose order amidst chaos.
He imagined the future and worked in the present.
He never thought less of himself in his head; he always felt more for his sister in his heart.
Work ethic matters. Passion, persistence, and perseverance matter. Humility matters most.
Faith is being sure of what we hope for…
and certain of what we do not yet see.
What blossoms later in life stems from humility.
- MG