Humble: 'having or showing a modest or low estimate of one's own importance.'
Humbleness as a social practice makes a lot of sense. In a world that rewards hard work, effort, and excellence, one shouldn’t have to be overly self-promotional to be appreciated. Meritocracy is the American credo. The American Dream itself is predicated upon the idea that if you work long and hard enough you’ll be magically granted all the riches that our great nation has to offer. But here’s the catch, it’s not true. Furthermore, only certain segments of our society are even held to the “standards of humbleness.” It seems to be more of a means of control than a social construct needed for stability. This is why I’m here to throw a brick through humbleness' window."At Yale, 62 percent of grades were in the A range in the spring of 2012. That figure was only 10 percent in 1963.” - Yale Alumni Magazine
Even with an A in the Ivy Leagues, you’re still not a special snowflake. “But what about social media!?” you smugly rebuttal, knowing that your passive aggressive 'vaguebooking' and middle of the road nonoffensive stances will give you a platform to be found, appreciated, and eventually celebrated.“I think that I’m a better speechwriter than my speechwriters. I know more about policies on any particular issue than my policy directors. And I’ll tell you right now that I’m gonna think I’m a better political director than my political director.” - Barack Obama
Even our award shows are multi-million dollars spectacles that celebrate wealthy elites that have won awards on the backs of movies and albums with 100 million dollar marketing campaigns. Their names emblazoned over the covers, cases, and posters with the largest font size their production house could fit. They stride across the stage in tailored gowns and suits by world renowned designers just to tell us how lucky they are to happen to be in the right place at the right time. Even a woman in a 100,000 dollar dress, adorned like a goddess is forced to feign humility. The way we celebrate our heroes seems completely at odds with our social expectation of humbleness. “Sure Beyonce, we believe you’re shocked at your accolades” Queen Yonce, dressed like a goddess, 106 Million Instagram Followers Strong. If not you, then who? But honestly, the real reason ‘be humble’ is the worst advice you can get? Someone will take your place. Nature abhors a vacuum. While you’re waiting around hoping to be noticed, some other much louder, possibly less qualified, person is speaking up, being heard, and taking your slot. There is a much more vast chasm between humbleness and cockiness than we often think there is. Sometimes you have to be aware of your own talent, skill, or importance.Sometimes you have to be your very first cheerleader.
Before anyone else knows that you’re amazing, you’ve got the inside scoop. You’re the person tasked with breaking that news to the world. We live in a society that told us that celebrating our own accomplishments were uncouth and vocalizing our ideas are taboo. We should fall in line and go with the flow until our time arrives. I reject that. I don’t believe you can be seen by blending in. Even more so, there is a great public service that can come from standing up. Representation. Somewhere in a tiny little town, there’s some one just like you. They have the same fears, skills, insecurities, and opportunities as you do. Everyone around them is discouraging them from finding and shining their light. And here you are with the chance to fan that flame just by being counted and letting all those people know that success isn’t just for the classically charismatic. It’s not just for the movie stars and athletes or the politicians and activists. Steve Jobs, the world's most confident nerd about to change the world once again. Sometimes it's the engineer that dared to think that he could change our relationship with technology. It could manifest itself in the woman that thought ‘maybe news could be just a little more human, despite what my producers are saying.” Oprah Winfrey, once told she wasn't the right fit for TV, not only dominated the platform, she created her own station. She called it OWN. Don't get me wrong, this is not a call to rudeness, rather, it’s a call to not dim your light to make others comfortable. For some, this will be permission to go out and be great. For others, a reminder to ignore the nay-sayers. No matter the path remember, it’s a crowded world out there. Don’t be ashamed to make it notice you. ------ Connect and follow for more articles on Branding, Marketing, Business, and Diversity. Eric Thomas is a Branding Specialist and Senior Partner at Saga MKTG based in Detroit MI. He’s also an entrepreneur who never believes "the way it has been done" is the "way it must be done." www.EricSThomas.com Connect: Linkedin | Twitter | Facebook | Instagram