The importance of being ‘humble’ has come up over and over again on client calls.
I get it, I’ve been applauded in the past for my humbleness. As a society, especially with our women, we put esteem into the quality of being humble and shake our heads at the evil brag.
We don’t even approve of a humble brag. We use the terms dripping with judgement as we pat ourselves on the back for eating our humble pie.
Well, I not-so-humbly disagree with all this humble BS.
Being humble and encouraging humbleness is a nice sounding fill in for hiding, playing small, dimming your light, and waiting for someone else to give you a gold star and tell you you’re good enough as you humbly accept and dismiss it.
Let’s take a look at the definition of the word:
Humble: As an adjective: having or showing a modest or low estimate of one's own importance. As a verb: lower (someone) in dignity or importance.
Is there anything in that definition that strikes you as a quality we want to collectively deem as important? If you can’t let go of humbleness for yourself, are those things you wish on our next generation? To have a modest estimate of their importance or to lower someone’s dignity?
I’m a big hell-to-the-fuck no on this. Because, I’m on a mission to help people stop hiding in plain sight and take up space (like a boss), which means dropping the humbleness and all the baggage it comes with so you can brag out loud.
The truth? Being humble is costing your business sales.
And, that humblebrag sounds like an apology for acknowledging your value. #sorrynotsorry
Want to know what else? That humility is keeping you from serving the people who need your anything-but-humble work.
The only thing humility serves is to keep you playing small, hiding in plain sight, and as the origin of the word implies, ‘close to the ground’.
Want to make more money doing what you love? Want to impact lives?
What to serve and help people?
Want to positively influence people with your ideas and thought leadership?
All of that requires you to stand in your power, to take up space (like a boss), and OWN your brilliance.
Wishing you your version of success loud and proud!
XO, Kim
