Greatness Demands Humility!

October 14, 2008 by Innov8motivation
Filed under: Unleashing Greatness 

Most great people are confident self-assured individuals. A good number of them have dominating personalities; they are highly assertive individuals who are not willing to settle for less than they think they deserve. These people know themselves and where they are going. They are usually not wiling to tolerate time wasters and slow movers who think that the world owes them a living.
On the other hand many timid and non-assertive people think that great people are proud and impatient. The non-achievers usually mask their jealousy through bitter and unjustified criticism. They feel that the great are mean, proud and arrogant. Usually, however, this is not the case. My experience has been that most great people are humble, warm and caring people. It is simply that a lot of people do not know them well enough.

Guard Against Pride and Arrogance
That having been said, the trap of arrogance and pride as one climbs the mountain of greatness is ever present. Pride and arrogance should therefore be guarded against, violently opposed and actively fought. Fortunately, humility is compatible with greatness. Mahatma Gandhi is a great legendary leader who was also known for his humility. Mother Teresa affected the world and left a lasting legacy, yet she was a woman who lived and worked humbly among the people she served. She had very little worldly possessions but her greatness was evident to all. Some of the greatest people in life and business are also the most humble and generous people. You can always tell how great a person is by the way the person treats people that appear smaller and less accomplished.

Always have a wisdom council
Nobody has monopoly over wisdom. Many great people keep around them a circle of people that speak truthfully into their lives and help inform their thinking and decisions. Some people call this group a mastermind group: this is a group that complements the mind of one person and helps broaden and sharpen his or her mind. Some people prefer to call this a personal board of directors: this is a board of advisors that the person can contact and confer with frequently. Some people call this an inner circle: an inner group of individuals that a person works with, fellowships with and relies on for counsel and support.

Continuing learning
The greatest evidence of humility is the willingness and the ability to learn. Learning involves inflicting injury to our personal pride. When we stop learning we start relying on yesterday’s wisdom to navigate through today’s storms. Yesterday’s successes are never meant to be a perpetual celebration that ignores the realities of the present. While the past may be important, none of us has been through the future and we are all experiencing the present today. Stopping learning is embracing death, impairing the clarity of vision and the passion for execution.

Great people are always willing to listen; they know very well that every person they meet is a book that they can learn from. They know that the world is this giant multi-access book from which they can keep gleaning wisdom and ideas. This is the reason why many great people are willing to travel. They know that wherever they go they learn something new and see something from a different perspective. Not all learning results in improvement but without any learning there can be no improvement.

Do not take yourself too seriously
The greatest way we can maintain humility is by taking our work seriously but not taking ourselves too seriously. In his legendary book, The Greatest Salesman, Og Mandino (Bantam Books, 1968) gives a formula that every person who desires greatness should read daily. He says:
“If I feel overconfident I will recall my failures.
If I overindulge I will think of past hungers.
If I feel complacency I will remember my competition.
If I enjoy moments of greatness I will remember moments of shame.
If I feel all-powerful I will try to stop the wind.
If I attain great wealth I will remember one unfed mouth.
If I become overly proud I will remember a moment of weakness.
If I feel my skill is unmatched I will look at the stars.”

Most great people have found that they easily go forward when they are able to laugh at themselves and yet be serious with other people. Greatness is a daily journey, the daily steps we take towards self-improvement helps us to improve other people. Wherever you find humility you are most likely going to meet greatness soon. Wherever you see pride and arrogance you are likely to be lamenting greatness lost.

To your Greatness,

Milton Kamwendo

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Comments

10 Responses to “Greatness Demands Humility!”

  1. viola mafukidze on October 15th, 2008 11:42 am

    Thank you very much Milton for changing my mindset.I thought you definately have to change the circle of friends when you rise up the ladder of life,but now I’ve learnt that every person is a book i can learn from.You are really unleashing greatness.Thank you,be blessed.

  2. Tawanda Katehwe on October 17th, 2008 8:19 am

    Milton, keep up the good work.I’m not ashamed to say that I have learnt a lot of things from you. May the good Lord richly bless you!!

  3. madzibaba on October 17th, 2008 1:25 pm

    may i join. failed to sent to your email, i receive error message

  4. Qelqoth on October 17th, 2008 4:44 pm

    Heh. I never take myself seriously.

  5. Lancelot Chidenga on October 20th, 2008 5:21 pm

    Well I must admit I also had the timid mindset and now I repent, thanks Milton. Keep up the good work it’s some really practical stuff you talking about there.

  6. lisa Masauso on October 22nd, 2008 8:57 am

    I have changed so much from the day i started reading your books and having attaended your lecturer at church (new life convernant).I have been greatly inspired more by your life and your work.
    I came to the big city last year with only a dream in my heart and hope in my soul.However with all the encouragement i could get from your lecturer and books there is just but so much i have archieved.I have moved from being a mere sales rep to a branch manager within a year only by refusing to think i am no less than others who have made it.I have run every race i had previously thought was never mine.All the same even if it meant finishing last,i kept on cause i knew that life was not about competition but finishing the line irregardless of the time spent.

    My wish is to see you and thank you personally.Sometimes you donot know how much you are accelerating people’s dreams until you read a story like mine.

    Given a chance i would like to thank you personally.YOU ARE A LIFE CHANGER,ORDAINED FOR SUCH A TIME AS THIS

    thank you

  7. MAKORE SHEUNESU on October 23rd, 2008 12:16 pm

    The stuff you are dishing out is extremely powerful Mr Kamwendo.

  8. tafadzwa on January 14th, 2009 1:20 pm

    nice. keep it up

  9. violet on January 14th, 2009 4:24 pm

    Thanks so much Mr. Milton for your all message. you are such a star my life is now complete. keep up the good work

  10. courage on February 12th, 2009 5:53 pm

    i really enjoy reading your articles, they are great and motivating.I would like to subscribe for the newsletter but dont know how. please help.

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