Learning Daily While Expanding Your Mind

Three Important Advantages of Being Humble

  In a world where everyone is constantly trying to prove themselves, humility has a lot to offer.  The quality of humility is generally overrated, but have you ever noticed that the people who exhibit humility are the most relaxed and, dare I say,  confident people you’ve ever met?  To be able to take a step back and not toot your own horn, you must have a strong belief in yourself and your abilities.  More importantly, this is a characteristic that others have come to value and even seek out.

  Doesn’t that sound pretty good already? Consider this: being humble is actually beneficial to your health.  How?

Humility Aids in the Development of Better Relationships

  If you’ve ever been a part of a group, you’re aware that the relationships within this group have a unique dynamic.  It makes no difference whether the group is social or business in nature because the hierarchies are essentially the same.  Working within this group becomes entirely dependent on the personalities of the people in the group.

  According to studies, humble people thrive in these situations, primarily because they attract other members of the group to them. Furthermore, because their focus is more outward, even to the point of sacrificing their own needs for the sake of the group, they become the person to whom others look for answers and guidance.  In most cases, the egotistical person is tolerated and even excluded.

  Humility enables you to reach for the stars.

If you are a fiercely competitive person, humility is the trait you must cultivate.  Both qualities have proven to be necessary for CEOs to succeed in such a high position. Why?  Simply put, humility softens the hard edges that come with the competitive spirit. Whereas a competitive spirit alone may appear off-putting and even undesirable, humility is what keeps people willing to follow you as a leader.

Physical Health Improves as a Result of Humility

  This may come as a surprise to you, but consider it this way.  People who have a high level of humility rarely experience the conflict in relationships that other people do. Relationship stress is a major contributor to negative health outcomes such as heart disease and a variety of other physical ailments.  Indeed, it has been hypothesized that those who live in low-conflict areas recover faster from illness and even have more robust immune systems, preventing them from becoming ill in the first place, a fact supported by numerous studies.