Humble Confidence

There's a terrific sentiment that I've been using for years, and years and years (you get the picture; it's been a really long time).  Frankly, like most of my sentiments, I can't claim it's my own invention.  After all, most of my stuff is admittedly refurbished (I've been recycling way before green became so fashionable). 

Now, this sentiment, while somewhat kinda sorta not entirely mine per se - has always been admired by those who haven't heard it before.  In fact, often times they literally exclaim how much they like it, and plan to use it themselves.  To which I wish them well; enjoy it in good health, and pass it on along the way.  Bonne chance, mon frere! (Five years of french, and that's all I got.)   

Alright already, I know what you're thinking:  Abbott, enough with the rambling preamble, get on with it man, and tell us what the oh-so-awesome/can't live with out it/life won't ever be complete until I know what the sentiment is so that we can get it and maybe use it ourselves!  Fine.  Ready?  Set?  Comfortable?  Need anything?  How 'bout those Colts - ugh!  Okay.  Here goes.

Humble Confidence.

Moreover, the importance of humble confidence. 

Let's break it down; the yin and the yang:

On the one hand, confidence without humility is dangerous, right.  That's when you tend to get rude, reckless, arrogant behavior - you know, a bunch of flashy selfish pizazz that more often than not, causes trouble for those who flaunt it, and those who have to deal with it (let alone benefit from their so-called "mad skills"). 

On the other hand, pure humility can also be worrisome, as most jobs require us to elevate higher - especially when we need to instill confidence that we can get the job done (think pilot, doctor, athlete, business leader, student, welder, politician, architect - heck, think anybody).  While we appreciate humility - if taken too far (i.e. being overly timid/intimidated) and just left to its own, we don't know if we trust that the job will get done.       

Finally, by fusing humility with confidence - we set the tone that we're stable and mature enough to know that we can always improve, and mindful and excited enough in our ability to do so.  

And that, my friend, is why humble and confidence go together so well, kinda like milk and cookies (mmmmm, milk and cookies).   Moreover - they must go together.  Always and forever.  One without the other is troublesome.  The same can be said when left apart.   Net/net - we need simultaneous confidence and humility; knowing that it comes down to the proper balance, timing, situation and alignment, between the two. 

And that I say, with humble confidence.    

Humble Confidence Is Good.