Why Humble Confidence Keeps You Successful

Success can be a double-edged sword. The confidence we gain from reaching our goals is priceless, but it can be tough for those at the top to remain humble and grounded. Power, influence and visibility can be potent drugs. You see it happen all the time to celebrities and athletes. One day they’re accepting an award, and the next they’re in a downward spiral, taking the wrong path or torturing a server at a restaurant. And it’s not just Hollywood stars who are susceptible. Founders, business leaders, CEO’s and those in the C-suite can also become out of touch , which can have a major impact on their personal and professional relationships and future career success.?

No one wants to work with a “don’t you know who I am”- type, so it’s important to understand that you are a role model to others, no matter what kind of success you’re experiencing. The best leaders, those who wield the most influence and cultivate the most loyalty, are those who emit humble confidence. To quote Voltaire, “With great power comes great responsibility,” and I have always felt that it is my responsibility to stay humble. If great things come in for me, I should always use those great things for good. Perhaps it’s my nature, or perhaps it was made clear to me at Bowdoin College , which teaches that intellect and power should be used for the common good.? Regardless, it has always been important to me. Here are three lessons from high-profile individuals on how to stay humbly confident.

1). Practice gratitude

Many, many influential people have a gratitude practice. Oprah Winfrey, Tony Robbins, and Ariana Huffington all credit the practice with helping them achieve long and short-term success. And they’re on to something. Research in the Journal of Personality and Social Psychology found that people who wrote about their gratitude over a period of time showed greater signs of emotional well-being compared to people who wrote about negative or neutral life events. Not only that, being mindful of what you’re grateful for is a great way to remind yourself of how far you’ve come.

Canadian American author, entrepreneur, and motivational speaker Bob Proctor began each day listing ten things he was grateful for. Best known for his New York Times best-selling book, You Were Born Rich and as contributor to the film The Secret, his teachings maintained the idea that a positive self-image is critical for obtaining success. “Expressing gratitude instantly shifts your energy. It puts you in harmony with your source of supply so that the good in everything moves toward you.”

If ten things a day seems like a tall order, start small. Try three, or even one! The benefits you see will be something else to be grateful for.?

2) Don’t Forget Where Your Opportunities Came From

When presented with a big opportunity, it can be overwhelming. Sometimes people get so wrapped up in the excitement that they forget about the follow-through. It’s a classic case of getting too big for your britches.?

A great example of this: WeWork and its co-founder and former CEO, Alex Neumann. Once valued at $47 billion, WeWork announced just last week that it was planning on filing for bankruptcy. Despite the company's utopian face, employees later characterized WeWork under Neumann’s tenure as having a 'cult-like' environment, and called Neumann the 'partyer in chief' while describing his 'tequila-fueled leadership style.’ Staff said that he would schedule meetings for 2am and then turn up 45 minutes late. Despite poor wages at WeWork, Neumann bragged about how little he paid his staff and insisted there they were supposed to use a 'sense of purpose' and free beer to pay their bills. WeWork lost value rapidly as Neumann’s behavior became more erratic, and he was forced out in 2019.?

The fall of WeWork is more complicated than one man, but Neumann’s failure as a leader is still an important lesson. Whatever brilliance he had that made investors flock his way was tarnished when he didn’t follow through. Remember: the quality of your work is what got you this opportunity. Don’t take it for granted.?

When I am investing in an early stage founder, I always turn to their value system, and if I am lucky, I’ll get the chance to meet their friends, spouse, and those within their network to determine their value system.??

3) Remember Who Helped You Get There

One of my favorite humbly confident celebrities is Taylor Swift. She’s one of the best-selling recording artists of all time, and while that has led many down the path to diva-dom, Taylor has stayed beloved by virtually everyone she works with. Why? Well, she recognizes the people who got her where she is.

We all know that Taylor is very loyal to her fans. She interacts with them regularly, sending gifts and surprising Swifties with new releases. On her record-breaking Eras tour, she’s donated thousands to food banks in every single city she’s played. These gifts help bring in even more money, as her celebrity increases awareness to their cause. She also shows her appreciation to those who help her on tour. Ahead of wrapping up the U.S. leg of the Eras Tour, Taylor made news for giving large bonuses—including $100,000 thank you gifts to her truckers—to her crew members. $55 million was spent showing her appreciation .?

You don’t have to be a billionaire to emulate Taylor. While she’s been extremely generous with her money, there are other ways to share the wealth. This is why I acknowledge those in Blazin' Babes , highlighting them at events and on our website. Taking care of the people who take care of you is the right thing to do. How we treat others comes back tenfold. Time, support, a listening ear… all these are extremely valuable ways to acknowledge those who help you do what you do. No one achieves anyone alone. Don’t forget to say thank you.?

Humility is not thinking less of yourself, it's thinking of yourself less. -C. S. Lewis

How do you stay humbly confident? Let me know in the comments!

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