Of Foundations and Earth
Why humility is essential for Ikigai
Photo by Zenek Wałowski
The truly curious drop judgment and explore with humility.
What does it mean to be humble?
Most definitions speak to being meek, lowly in kind, state, condition, or amount.
Instead, I invite you to go deeper.
Humble, in its earliest meaning, was earth.
Solid, grounded, foundational.
Starting from a place of humility is without pretense or ego. It is a place of grounded1 awareness about self and others.
With humility, we can be more open to listening to other perspectives, learning from them, and making changes when necessary.
Humility is not thinking less of yourself but thinking of yourself less.
C.S. Lewis
Humility, in this sense, is linked to the essential Ikigai quality of curiosity2.
The truly curious drop judgment and explore with humility.
Humility as strength, a firm foundation for learning, growing, and connecting with others.
🌀 Reflection:
🌱 How might looking at being ‘humble’ like this change your approach in life?
🌱 How might it help you uncover your Ikigai?
firmly fixed or established
Appreciate the voiceover added> is that your voice David? CS Lewis had it right with the definition of humility and why it is one of the needed complements to wisdom. It is said that Solomon was one of the wisest of all in history...well we know that having wisdom and doing the right things are not a definite. This is why we need other virtues that complement and guide it. I like Prudence which is: Careful or wise in handling practical matters; exercising good judgment or common sense. So with wisdom and humility and some other virtues like charity or what I am always proposing, Agape Love, we have some great guide points when literally or figuratively running our day :)