What Is Modesty? The Virtue Of Successful People

What is modesty? Modesty is more than a quality, it is a value that we should all cultivate and pass on to our children.

However, today many people confuse “success” with power, becoming very self-centered.

A very interesting Arabic proverb reads like this: “ We are born innocent beings, and then we become camels. Later we turn into lions, and in the end we become children. ”

As human beings, we travel through complex spiritual journeys, during which we often aspire to gain physical strength and power. In other words, we want to become lions.

Later, we discover that we can become truly valuable beings only if we have a good soul, which helps us to face life’s problems with wisdom and humility.

It is not easy to understand what modesty is and to adopt it. This “approach” involves some small changes and attitudes that undoubtedly ensure a quieter and more harmonious life.

We invite you to reflect on this topic.

Successful people know what modesty is

Some people consider that a humble attitude implies a shortcoming of the individual in question. In other words, he believes that modest people always put others above themselves.

Others associate modesty with Buddhism, a spiritual movement based on the teachings of the Buddha. It reminds us how important it is to have a good heart and to detach ourselves from all material things.

At the same time, the Buddha teaches us that it is not good to cling to other people in order to feel freer, more upright and more respectable. 

But it is not necessary to look for complex explanations for such a simple and fundamental thing. Being modest does not mean being poor or belonging to a particular religion, movement, or spiritual practice.

What is modesty? Modesty simply means not believing that you are better than those around you.  To be humble means to “practice” reciprocity. When it comes to modesty, what matters is not the theory, but the practice.

Let’s look at this concept in more detail.

Those who do not put the theory into practice

We have all heard of a public figure, a politician or a well-known businessman who preaches the need to help those in need, to share what we have with those around us, to create a more harmonious atmosphere, based on respect, which offers more opportunities.

• These people praise virtues that do not characterize them in private life. For example, think about poorly paid and precarious services, the exploitation of labor, or the living conditions of people defended in public speeches.
• In fact, it is not even necessary to analyze such a broad context to observe such behaviors. We all have friends or relatives who brag about the help they give to other people, who never forget to mention how much they gave up to do good to others…

In other words, they boast that they are extraordinary people, when, in reality, they only caused unhappiness to family and close friends.

It is good to reflect on these issues. Every word spoken out loud must correspond to our behavior.  Our actions must be conscious and consistent.

Therefore, good-hearted people can reveal their noble actions, words, and intentions. Thus, we can feel protected, respected and inspired by their behavior.

One can learn what modesty is

In positive psychology, the foundations of which were laid by the American psychologist Martin Seligman, modesty is perceived as an indispensable factor in achieving happiness. 

We cannot forget that positive psychology arose from the need to provide people with effective strategies to take control of their own lives and create their own well-being.

For a long time, psychology aimed only at treating certain diseases, ie the cure of pathological manifestations. But Martin Seligman encouraged a different approach to this field, which focuses on gaining happiness, joy and optimism.

Happiness and modesty

We can all learn to be happy, joyful and optimistic. In order to have a fulfilled and balanced life, it is important to adopt certain behaviors based on the “practice” of modesty.

• Acknowledge your mistakes and show emotional maturity by trying to correct them. Do this not only for your own well-being and spiritual development, but also to make those around you happy, who also reap the fruits of this evolution.
• Learn to value the really important things in life. Love, friendship, affection, sense of humor, empathy and curiosity open your doors to the much dreamed happiness.

• Never think that you are better than others, because you will only succeed in keeping everyone away from you.
• Appreciate the simple things in your life. Focus on the moment. Watch, observe and try to learn everything you can about the world around you and especially about people.
• Be a role model for your children. Teach them to be modest, to understand their own emotions and to establish sincere connections with the people around them, based on mutual respect.