What Does Humility Mean?
Most dictionaries define humility as the absence of pride, freedom from arrogance, being down to earth, or not exaggerating one’s own sense of self-worth. Psychologists describe humility as a trait where a person has an accurate perception of oneself characterized by modesty. Humbleness is an attitude of modesty that involves not taking our successes, failures, or desires too seriously. It is about accepting and making the effort to overcome one’s shortcomings gracefully. Whether humility is related to one’s beliefs, values, opinions, or judgments about ourselves or others, it is a character strength rooted in an understanding of our place in the larger scheme of things in the universe. It is not about thinking of yourself as less or inadequate but thinking less or infrequently about yourself. We are not as important as we make ourselves out to be.
From a spiritual perspective, Swamiji has described humbleness as the internal awareness of our own insufficiency and inadequacy in doing anything when compared to the vast and magnificent elements of creation. It means to give up the arrogance of having understood the divine scriptural knowledge which must be approached with deep faith and purpose. Each of us as individuals is but an insignificant particle of dust.
Swamiji emphasizes the need for humility as the first step toward developing a loving relationship with God.
Why is Humility so Important in Life?
Humility is the foundation for a successful life whether it relates to our work, family, or spiritual aspirations. In our professional life, humility can help to build relationships of mutual respect and trust. Our personal and spiritual lives can be enhanced by learning how to practice humility by cultivating devotional sentiments which attract the grace of God and Guru. In contrast, arrogance and pride are repulsive and gradually result in spiritual downfall.
Role of Humility in the Workplace.
In an increasingly self-serving and narcissistic global culture characterized by the attitude of entitlement and reinforced arrogance, humility may seem to be a psychological weakness. Corporations like Enron, Wells Fargo, Equifax, Waste Management, etc., were definitely not led by humble leaders at the time of their downfall. Humble leaders are more likely to take the company and its employees toward success through open and transparent self-assessment and tolerance for mistakes in the interest of creativity. Humility in the workplace is about growing along with others, leading with confidence but acknowledging others’ skills, and embracing humanity as opposed to self-aggrandizement.
Click here to continue reading.
Role of Humility in Our Personal Life
Swamiji encourages us by saying that self-improvement takes time, dedication, and perseverance. When our goal and the purpose of our life become clear to us, our persistence and patience will pay off. Internal growth diminishes arrogance and replaces it with humility. It makes one realize the limitation of one’s accomplishments when compared to God’s creation of infinite universes. We all know the story of the drowning of the Titanic. Its engineers were very proud of their accomplishment and thought that they had built a ship that was invincible. Their excessive pride led to the downfall of both, the ship and their massive egos. The greater the pride, the harder we fall. Thus, even in our daily life, humility is needed to make internal progress and become equipped to deal with external challenges. Click here to continue reading.
How can we Practice Humility?
Pride is the biggest obstacle on the path of spirituality. Practicing humility will help to gradually eliminate pride.
- Self-Monitor Complaining and Fault-Finding: Complaining and fault-finding is the opposite of acceptance and humbleness. When these traits increase, we must increase appreciation of others whom we criticize or correct. Express gratitude for their skills and contributions because everyone has something of value to offer.
- Model Humbleness to Create a Culture of Humility: Effective leaders are self-effacing, resilient, and optimistic. By modeling these characteristics for others, they create a culture of mutual trust, commitment, and transcendency.
For further information, click here.
|
