Humility: Don’t Wait for Life to Teach You

Many of the clients I speak with tell me they're sick and tired of the corporate grind. Then comes the familiar refrain: "What I really want to do is help people," or, "I want to do something meaningful or important with my life."

Which leaves me wondering: Why do you have to leave a corporate job to help people in a meaningful way? Why not start now?

If you have access to resources, useful relationships, or even a little clout, put them to work for someone besides yourself. You don't have to resign, launch a nonprofit, or discover your life's purpose on a mountaintop. Sometimes, helping someone is as simple as making an introduction.

Here's the slightly cynical part. I've watched people become arrogant, haughty, and exclusionary after buying into the idea that the company they work for, the group they volunteer with, or the title on their business card makes them elite. Somewhere along the way, they confuse proximity to a prestigious logo with proof that they're more talented, smarter, or more deserving than everyone else.

The unspoken theory seems to be that some people "have it" and others don't—and that the right employer, title, or invitation is evidence of which camp you belong in.

Then life rearranges the seating chart. In your late 40s or early 50s, a layoff arrives. The invitations slow down. The calls stop coming. A person who once assumed they were a big deal walks into a job search expecting everyone to recognize their brilliance. Instead, they may find themselves on the other side of the same dismissive look they once gave others.

That can be a painful lesson. It can also be an avoidable one.

Humility

The good news is that it's never too late to practice it—preferably before life insists on teaching it to you the hard way.

Think about your own professional ecosystem. You probably know someone who would love the opportunity to work where you work. Someone who would value a referral, a reference, or an introduction to a person they'd never otherwise get the chance to meet.

You don't have to promise anyone a job or spend your afternoon becoming their unpaid career strategist. You can simply open a door: make the introduction, share the name, offer to be a reference when you can honestly recommend the person, or point them toward an opportunity.

When you help without making someone chase you or repeatedly remind you, you do more than pass along a contact. You show that you see them. You build trust and goodwill. You may create a connection that benefits both people. And yes, it feels good to be useful in a way that actually matters.

Your kindness may also stay with a family longer than you realize. Children notice when a parent is stressed, unhappy at work, worried about a manager, or feeling trapped. They notice when someone gives that parent a little hope or helps them see a way forward. The person you help may remember it for years; their family may remember it, too.

Humility isn't pretending you have no influence. It's recognizing that influence is not proof of superiority—and choosing to use it well.

So here's my challenge for November: Pay attention to the people around you. Who could benefit from a referral, a reference, or a thoughtful introduction? Don't wait for them to ask three times. Don't wait until you've changed careers and decided to become a person who helps people.

Help now. Open a door. Make the introduction.

You don't need a new job title to make a meaningful difference. And you don't need to wait for life to humble you before you decide to be humble.

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