The Three Rs of Humility

I was reading the Book of Genie written by Dr. Dilip Abayasekara last month. He has mentioned in his book that it is one thing to be humble when you have reached the end of your rope. Perhaps a harder test of your humility is how you relate to others when you are at the top of your game. Your outer actions are a reflection of your inner understanding.

The person who practices humility is easy to spot. Just watch the way that he or she interacts with others. You will see the three Rs of humility – respect, regard and recognition of interdependence. Philosopher, poet, literary and cultural critic George Santayana expressed it beautifully: : If a man be gracious and courteous to strangers, it shows that he is a citizen of the world, and that his heart is no island cut off from other lands, but a continent that joins them.

Read the eloquent call to environment responsibility written by Ted Perry, a screenwriter who wrote, “ the earth does not belong to man, man belongs to the earth. All things are connected like the blood that unites us all. Man did not weave the web of life; he is merely a strand in it. Whatever he does to the web, he does to himself. “ The dominant theme of this message is our interconnectedness with each other and with our universe.

Humility, in addition to recognizing your interconnectedness, also open the door to recognizing your blessings.

I would like to share with you a poem that a friend in United States had sent to me 2 months ago:-

“ The little child whispered, “ God, speak to me. “
And a meadowlark sang, but the child did not hear.
So the child yelled, : God, speak to me ! “
And the thunder rolled across the sky,
But the child did not listen.
The child looked around and said,
“ God, let me see you. “

And a star shone brightly, but the child did not notice.
Then the child shouted, “ God show me a miracle ! “
And a life was born, but the child did not follow.
So the child cried out in despair, “ Touch me God,
And let me know you are here ! “

Whereupon God reached down and touched the child.
But the child brushed the butterfly away
And walked away unknowingly.

When you become aware of the potential and greatness in others – aware of God’s working in your life. Humility will open your eyes and give you the awareness to recognize your interconnectedness, which will quite naturally lead you to regard others with respect. It also will create a desire to learn and grow from others.
The business world has been moving in the direction of partnerships for many years. Hotel chains and restaurant chains frequently agree to locate to each other so that they can share a common customer base. One business often carries an advertisement for another, non competitive business and vice versa. In their website, entrepreneurs often display links to related business. There are even books with titles such as Stop Selling, Start Partnership ( by Larry Wilson with Hirsch Wilson, John Wiley & Sons ) that inform and instruct you how to create win-win partnerships. The wish of humility is an essential step for the flowering of every successful partnership, whether it be your business or your marriage. Who should make a greater partner to help you reach your heart’s desire ?
The wish for humility opens the door to awareness, learning, respect, self improvement, and partnering with others.
Five action steps for claiming the wish for humility:
• Determine what guidance or expertise you need. This depends on what you want to accomplish, Consider your goals, your current performance, where you fall short, and what knowledge, skills, or information you need.
• Recognize who can help you. Ask, “ Whom do I know who already has accompanied what I want to achieve “ Ask them for help. There also is a great deal; of information available in books and on tapes. The internet has become one of the greatest and most convenient sources of information.
• Listen. Listen to others. In order to learn from an expert, you have to listen. But also listen to those with less expertise or experience than you. You can learn from almost everyone.
• Encourage. Let someone who needs to hear it know that he or she is special. Acknowledge that every person has an intrinsic value.
• Form a mastermind group. This is a group of people who meet on a regular basis to discuss matters of mutual interest with a focused goal of helping each other advance towards their objectives. The Master Mind, thus created, is greater than the sum of the individuals’ mind power. This idea for self advancement, using the combined wisdom and expertise of a small group of trusted people is described in the classic, Think and Grow Rich by Napoleon Hill, who spent a lifetime researching the secrets of success/

Conclusion
Humility allows you to recognize that others around you have strengths that you do not have. Humility enables you to appreciate others, listen to them and learn from them. As Harvey Mackay expressed in his book – “ No matter how smart you are, no mater how talented, you can’t do it alone. “