Humilitas: A Lost Key to Life, Love, and Leadership
Digital Verbum Edition
Overview
Speaker and historian John Dickson shows how the virtue of humility was an important character trait for the 'greats' of history and figures prominently in the findings of psychology and sociology. Developing humility can transform your personal relationships and professional dealings.
Humility, or holding power loosely for the sake of others, is sorely lacking in today's world. Without it, many people fail to develop their true leadership potential and miss out on genuine fulfillment in their lives and their relationships. Humilitas: A Lost Key to Life, Love, and Leadership shows how the virtue of humility can turn your strengths into true greatness in all areas of life.
Through the lessons of history, business, and the social sciences, author John Dickson shows that humility is not low self-esteem, groveling, or losing our distinct gifts. Instead, humility both recognizes our inherent worth and seeks to use whatever power we have at our disposal on behalf of others. Some of the world's most inspiring and influential players have been people of immense humility. The more we learn about humility, the more we understand how essential it is to a satisfying career and personal life. By embracing this virtue, we will transform for good the unique contributions we each make to the world.
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- Explores humility as a virtue that presupposes one's dignity and is willing and social
- Presents a practical book that draws on the ideas and authors long gone on the topic of humility
- Draws from the conviction that the most influential people are often marked by humility
- Humility and How I Achieved It
- Thesis: What Is Humility and Why Does It Matter?
- Leadership: What It Is and How Humility Fits In
- Common Sense: The Logic of Humility
- Aesthetics: How the Humble Are Beautiful
- Philotimia: Why the Ancient World Didn’t Like Humility
- Cruciform: How a Jew from Nazareth Redefined Greatness
- Growth: Why Humility Generates Abilities
- Persuasion: How Character Determines Influence
- Inspiration: How Humility Lifts Those around Us
- Harmony: Why Humility Is Better Than “Tolerance”
- Steps: How It’s Possible to Become (More) Humble
Top Highlights
“My thesis is simple: The most influential and inspiring people are often marked by humility. True greatness, in other words, frequently goes hand in hand with a virtue that, on the face of it, might be thought to curb achievement and mute influence. In fact, I believe it does the opposite.” (source)
“Humility does not mean humiliation, even though both words are offspring of a single Latin parent (humilitas). Nor does it mean being a doormat for others, having low self-esteem or curbing your strengths and achievements. Collins’s work reminds us it is possible to be humble, iron-willed and successful, and they frequently go together.” (source)
“I doubt it is controversial to describe leadership as the art of inspiring others in a team to contribute their best toward a goal.” (source)
“Third, conduct thought experiments to enhance humility” (source)
“Perhaps the most obvious outcome of being humble is that you will learn, grow and thrive in a way the proud have no hope of doing.” (source)