Character Quotables: Humility
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“Humility is like underwear, essential, but indecent if it shows.”
“It is far more impressive when others discover your good qualities without your help.”
“Some people are born on third base and go through life thinking they hit a triple.”
“Humility is not thinking less of yourself, it’s thinking of yourself less.”
“Humility does not mean thinking less of yourself than of other people, nor does it mean having a low opinion of your own gifts. It means freedom from thinking about yourself at all.”
“Being humble means recognizing that we are not on earth to see how important we can become, but to see how much difference we can make in the lives of others.”
“Think lightly of yourself and deeply of the world.”
“Gratitude is the beginning of civility, of decency and goodness, of a recognition that we cannot afford to be arrogant. We should walk with the knowledge that we will need help every step of the way.”
“When science discovers the center of the universe, a lot of people will be disappointed to find they are not it.”
“Swallow your pride occasionally, it’s non-fattening!”
“Nobody stands taller than those willing to stand corrected.”
“If you want to make a difference and leave your world a better place, let others know how important they are as you put their needs above yours.”
“Every person that you meet knows something you don’t; learn from them.”
“The secret of human happiness is not in self-seeking but self-forgetting.”
“Pride is concerned with who is right. Humility is concerned with what is right.”
“If I have seen further than others, it is by standing upon the shoulders of giants.”
“None are so empty as those who are full of themselves.”
“To be humble to superiors is duty, to equals courtesy, to inferiors nobleness.”
“True humility is being able to accept criticisms as graciously as we accept compliments.”
“Humility is the solid foundation of all virtues.”
“If I cannot do great things, I can do small things in a great way.”
“No matter what accomplishments you make, somebody helped you.”
“The man who thinks he can live without others is mistaken; the one who thinks others can’t live without him is even more deluded.”
“It is well to remember that the entire population of the universe, with one trifling exception, is composed of others.”
“The Conductor doesn’t make a sound. The Conductor’s power depends on his ability to make other people powerful.”
“Pride is concerned with who is right. Humility is concerned with what is right.”
“When you’re good at something, you’ll tell everyone. When you’re great at something, they’ll tell you.”
“One must be as humble as the dust before he can discover truth.”
“A man wrapped up in himself makes a very small bundle.”
“Modesty is the gentle art of enhancing your charm by pretending not to be aware of it.”
“True humility is intelligent self-respect which keeps us from thinking too highly or too meanly of ourselves. It makes us modest by reminding us how far we have come short of what we can be.”
“Humility isn’t denying your strengths; it’s being honest about your weaknesses.”
“The only people who see the whole picture are the ones who step outside the frame.”
“When you say ‘yes’ to others, make sure you aren’t saying ‘no’ to yourself.”
“To become truly great, one has to stand with people, not above them.”
“People that put themselves above others will fall longer and harder.”
“Don’t talk about yourself; it will be done when you leave.”
“When someone sings his own praises, he always gets the tune too high.”
“The more you lose yourself in something bigger than yourself, the more energy you will have.”
“There is nothing noble in being superior to your fellow man; true nobility is being superior to your former self.”
“Sometimes people think that intellectually humble people lack conviction. But confidence and humility need each other.”
How can you use Quotes?
Start a discussion: Quotes can start a discussion about a character trait at the beginning of a meeting or the dinner table. You can ask questions about what it means, how they have seen the trait demonstrated in their own lives, or how they can develop it themselves.
Provide a model: Quotes can provide a model of good character. When you read a quote from a famous person or historical figure, you show that people they admire also value the same character traits.
Use quotes as writing/journal prompts: Ask them to write a short essay about a quote to help them think more deeply about its implications for their lives.
Post quotes: You can post quotes where they will be seen/heard often – classroom, breakroom, lobby, dining room, email signatures, video bulletin boards, morning announcements, social media, etc.
Read quotes aloud: You can read quotes aloud to your children during mealtimes, bedtime, or any other time you spend together.
Make it fun: You can make it even more fun by incorporating games, activities, or crafts. Let children decorate signs with the quotes to hang in the classroom or a bedroom door. Record children saying it and post it on social media.
