One Apple A Day #817 - on humility
I grew up with the myth of the self-made person. With the idea what one gets in life depends only on his or her choices and actions.
I read all these stories of successful people and companies explaining how they did it, how they were smart, committed and relentless in chasing their vision until they get the desired outcome.
Inspiring stories, no doubts about that.
But I feel something is missing.
There must be more to it.
What about all the other smart people who made the same choices and did the same things but failed? What about all the ones who would have the same potential but didn't have the same opportunities?
What's the role of fate, destiny, providence, luck, the universe or however you want to call it?
If we believe that we are in control of the outcomes, that we are the sole author of our successes and failures, we run the risk of taking every failure in what we do as a failure of who we are. But that belief is even more dangerous when we are successful. We may become blind to the struggles of others.
More and more, I realise that cultivating humility is vital to nurture our humanness and our shared humanity. When we accept that we control so little of the process - only our thoughts and the way we choose to respond to a situation - and even less of the outcomes, we become more open and generous.
Though, don't get me wrong. Our choices and actions are essential ingredients. They make that last ten per cent without which we won't get the outcome. But to acknowledge the other 90% is what makes us human.