Why Humility counts

Barkha: Did that meeting (with Nalini) help purge the anger? Or was the anger already gone before?

Priyanka: No I was already not angry. The anger, I think, didn't last that long. Because when you're younger, you feel angry and you don't understand things. But as you grow up, the anger passes and of course there's been a lot of time, its been 17 years. That meeting, for me -- the big learning that came from that meeting was exactly this, that I was still, though I was not angry any more, I did not hate her, and I wanted to meet her, I was still thinking that I was somebody who could forgive her for something she had done. And then I met her and I realised -- what am I talking about?

When Priyanka Gandhi talked about wanting to forgive and then realising that she was no one to forgive, she exhibited something that's rare among human beings. Humility. For her spirit to evolve to the level it has, it must have gone through what Daniel Goleman calls the first entity in Emotional Intelligence, Self Awareness. Knowing one self is the precursor to humility. Without going through the difficult exercise of truly knowing who you are, you can't be humble. Humility sans self-awareness is pseudo. There's nothing real to it.

Humility is what's by-passed most of human race. Blame it on a lack of self-awareness. In Business too, humility counts. It helps one keep the balance that's so important in tiding over both exhilarating and depressing times. If a brand's hit pay dirt with consumers, surely its time to celebrate. But don't be drunk on euphoria. Know that the consumer out there is fickle, constantly looking for better value. Pat yourself on the back, but move on back to the business of knowing consumers. Of admitting mistakes that may have been made. Of acknowledging luck that may have played a part. In short, don't turn the pompous fool.

Yeah, easier said than done. I should know. In academia too, its a constant struggle. A struggle to stay grounded. To acknowledge the kid in the classroom who's smarter. I am glad there are the likes of Priyanka Gandhi around. Especially with the kind of crowd that lords over Indian politics. In fact, why just politics; that lords over the Indian landscape.

Kudos to her.

(Read the complete interview with Priyanka Gandhi, here.)

Comments

Unknown said…
This is my first..but I totally condede with you on the idea of humility. And we finally have a consensus on something, because like you said, society is seated in debate, but I sincerely believe it cannot flourish under the argumentative banyan too. If we could purge ourselves from waxing eloquent about ourselves, we would be much better off than what we are today. Hail humility!
Ray Titus said…
J,

Hope it ain't your last...n I mean that.

The odd consensus is I guess, welcome :) Here's to more...don't matter which way the xchange goes...
Unknown said…
In your words, I find it very exacting to distinguish fact from fiction. But the mutual loggerheads(read oxymoron) will never create an impasse for sure. That's I guess the sinister beauty of argument.
Ray Titus said…
n I'll raise my cup to that.
Cheers :)
Unknown said…
To academic and misc ambrosia..ditto

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