HERE MY SECRET.
Don’t be. I’m going to let you in on a little secret: humility is overrated. Humility is certainly better than putting others down, but those are NOT the only two options available to us.
Self-confidence is about ego. It’s about developing a healthy sense of self; a belief that we’re capable. It’s important, and we should all strive for it. Think of our self-development like climbing a staircase.
Sometimes, to feel like we’re growing, we might be tempted to brag, or otherwise make other people aware that we’re higher up than they are. We may go so far as to push them down the staircase.
This may increase our relative position, by separating us from them, but it doesn’t actually move us up the staircase. While we’re farther away from them, we’re still standing exactly where we were a second ago, so no progress has been made.
Plus, it’s pretty mean. So, there’s that.
For this reason, society values humility. There’s no reason to go around knocking people down the staircase; you just keep on doing you, growing away. No need to be a jerk about it. But is that really the best option?
What if you’ve discovered some truth most people don’t know? What if you’re the only person in the world who is aware of this insight of yours? What if you’re the only one climbing this particular staircase, and the whole world would benefit from knowing about it?
Humility would say you go on your merry way, enjoying the fruits of said insight, and leaving others to do their own thing. Sure, this is much better than keeping people from climbing, but there’s a much better option available to us:
Help others climb the staircase!
With self-confidence, we don’t need the ego boost of separating ourselves from others. Humility stops there, and says “do you’re own thing”. But we can go one step further: we can love.
When you find yourself at the top of a staircase, don’t look down at everyone else and think: “Hmmm…it’s too bad they don’t know about this. It’s pretty sweet up here. Maybe someday they’ll notice.”
Instead, get someone’s attention and invite them up! Don’t tell them they need it, or presume to know they want it - that would be arrogant. Rather, try to come from a place of love, wish this joy you've found for them, and offer it. Really have their best interest at heart.
“Hey, have you seen this? I found this neat thing up here you might like. If you want, I can give you a boost up!”
If they say “no”, that’s fine. Maybe what you found isn’t for everyone. You can go on your way.
Being an egoist is completely different. This usually means that someone is excessively conceited, absorbed in themselves and an attention seeker. Bearing this in mind it is easy to see that in this case it is quite easy for ‘humility’ to get side-lined.
However, remaining self-confident will leave plenty of room for that humbleness that everyone needs, which will be conducive to a balanced and centred life.
However, if they say “yes”, well now you’ve made the world a slightly better place. Certainly better than it would have been if you had been humble.
Transcend humility. Love.
https://megandredge.com/29/
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