"I've been offered a lot for my work, but never everything." - Yul Brynner, The Magnificent Seven (1960)
Approach basketball as you live your life. Benjamin Franklin studied virtue. See his chart of virtues (below). He struggled with humility. He remarked, "surely, if I should ever master humility, I would be proud of it." Excellence and humility aren't mutually exclusive, just uncommon.
"Humility isn't thinking less of yourself but thinking less about yourself." The upper echelons in the game epitomize collaboration and sacrifice. Help defense, taking charges, screening, communication, willing passing, and shot selection all imply humility.
Humility has sacred origins. Jesus washed the feet of his disciples as a sign of humility and servanthood. Judaism recognizes a gravitational pull of humility. Buddhists bow as a sign of respect.
Don Meyer included humility as one of his basketball virtues. Kevin Eastman advises, "be a learn-it-all, not a know-it-all." The lifelong learner realizes the vastness of learning.
Humility doesn't preclude toughness. Humility recognizes flaws and potential to grow. Humility listens; humility shares. Humility connects us to others. It recognizes that every dog has his day.
Humility is powerful. Tiananmen Square, June 5, 1989
Humility is inclusive. Linda Robertson recalls the moment that Dean Smith and his Tarheels captured the 1982 NCAA championship. "Smith was not jumping up and down. He was not even smiling. He immediately walked over to Georgetown coach John Thompson and gave him a hug. Smith’s head reached the towering Thompson’s chin. They exchanged a few words. Smith reacted not by celebrating his first triumph after six previous trips to the Final Four, but by consoling his rival and friend Thompson, who consoled Brown."
Humility seeks understanding and truth, not validation. What can I learn and share from this experience?
Humility and greatness coexist. Abraham Lincoln ceded both political (Senatorial) and professional opportunity during his rise to become one of America's greatest presidents.
Apply the mental model of inversion. What opposes humility? Arrogance, conceit, self-importance, narcissism, hubris, and vanity are just a few antonyms. The narcissist feels entitled, is unable to feel empathy for others, and needs constant praise.
Humility recognizes others' feelings. Executive coach Debbie Rynda says, "I’ve noticed that without that display of humility, others feel underappreciated and under-valued. By consciously staying open and humble, leaders I’ve coached have dropped the use of the old stick of authority and through humility and resolve get work done through others beyond what they had expected.”
Lagniappe: In his blog, author and leadership speaker Jon Gordon writes:
