“The more humble a person is, the freer and stronger he is.”— Leo Tolstoy
“There is nothing in this world more tender and more pliable than water, yet hard and rigid things cannot resist it. Weakness defeats strength, tenderness defeats rigidity. Everyone knows this law, but no one acts upon it. The weakest in the world gain victory over the strongest; therefore, there is a great advantage in humility and silence. Only a few people in this world are truly humble. “— Lao Tzu
Life starts feeling heavy, unfair, and depressing when you are self-absorbed. When you think only about yourself, your ego takes over. It distorts your worldview and internal narrative just to protect your self-image.
Like Ryan Holiday says, ego is the enemy of living your authentic life.
“Ego is the enemy of what you want and of what you have: Of mastering a craft. Of real creative insight. Of working well with others. Of building loyalty and support. Of longevity. Of repeating and retaining your success. It repulses advantages and opportunities. It’s a magnet for enemies and errors.”
That kind of misdirected, fragile ego leads to envy, which is an emotion that will destroy you.
Robert Greene warns,
“Envy is perhaps the ugliest human emotion. Destroy it before it destroys you. Develop your sense of self-worth from internal standards.”
I’ve learned that the fix is to develop humility. To think outside yourself.
Looking outward helps you assign positive meaning to the events in your life. Make it your default state to see the world from other people’s eyes. Effective leaders and spiritual practitioners adopt this perspective—through viewing the world from a metaphorical balcony, observing themselves from above, or meditation.
Thinking outside yourself helps you stay empathetic, be a better learner, and admit when you’re wrong.
“A great man is always willing to be little.” – Ralph Waldo Emerson
In every stage of your life, live it to the fullest with humility.