Humility...

Tonight I was talking with a good friend from Crossfit Durham.  It was awesome to catch up with him and to find out what he has been doing.  It was very hard for me to leave all my friends at Crossfit Durham and Crossfit Local.  They were all amazing athletes and were even more amazing people.  Every one of them would go out of their way for each other.  They created such unbelievable training environment full of competitiveness and support.  I was very stressed when I moved back to Chicago that I would have a tough time finding another box like this one.  Now we all know that no two things in this world can be exactly identical but they can be pretty damn close.  I was lucky to stumble upon Windy City Crossfit and it was exactly what I needed.  There are great coaches, a great training environment, a great sense of community, and a wonderful support system.  I am very happy to have the opportunity to be a member of Windy City CF.  I had found my new Crossfit home. 

Back to my previous thoughts.  I was talking with this friend from Durham and during our conversation he had asked how things are going.  I told him things were good, trying to keep up with everyone and getting used to the new gym.  He then said I am sure you are destroying it to which I responded I would not go that far I am just doing my best.  He replied "Big Pat you are always a humble man".  Now it is funny that my friend calls me big Pat because he is at least 6' 3" and 300lbs and is an ex college football player.  He is almost a foot taller than me and is double my body weight.  If anyone should have big in front of his name it should be him.  The conversation continued and it turns out he is doing great and can't get enough Crossfit.  What a guy!

After the conversation I began to think about being a "humble man" and what humility is in general.  What is it?  What does it say about you?  I had to look up the definition to understand all the various meanings. 

Humility (adjectival form: humble) is the quality of being modest, reverential, even politely submissive, and never being arrogant, contemptuous, rude or even self-abasing. Humility, in various interpretations, is widely seen as a virtue in many religious and philosophical traditions. 

I guess I am a humble man.  I believe that your actions in life always speak louder than the loudest voice.  We all have seen these people in life.  They have to talk about how great they are, all the things they have, and what they have accomplished.  If you truly have done all these things they will show in their own time.  You do not need to walk around squawking like a chicken.  Just go about your business.  I learned a great deal of humility from my parents.  They never talked about their accomplishments.  They told us nobody likes a person that brags all the time...they like someone who works hard and asks little in return. 

I think that a lot of humility comes from the understanding that no matter how great your accomplishments are there will always be someone that has a better accomplishment.  That sounds kind of harsh but it is true.  I learned this in wrestling.  No matter how good I seemed to think I was there was always someone out there that could beat me. 

I never feel it necessary to boast about my accomplishments.  I let them speak for themselves.  Whether it is a work accomplishment, a new PR, or a faster time on a WOD it doesn't matter.  I am proud of these accomplishments don't get me wrong I just no that there is more work to do.  I want to train around these kinds of people as well.  I want to train around people who work their butts off, push themselves to their limits, and never question whether or not they could have done more.  These people are the right kind to support your athletic accomplishments.

A humble man will reach heights that the biggest boast could not ever imagine reaching.  He will do this because instead of talking he is working.  He is constantly looking for ways to improve himself and to become a better athlete.  Be proud of all that you have accomplished.  Recognize the greatness of these but move on and do not dwell.  There is always more work to be done and room for improvement. 

Get after it every chance you get.  Wow people with your actions and let everyone know how much of a badass you are without saying a word.  People will be attracted to your amazing abilities and your work ethic and will return great amounts of respect.  You can do this without a single spoken word.  Powerful actions and humility are signs of a great person.  Exude your confidence but do it with how hard you work every day and by being an example in your community. 

"To be humble to superiors is duty, to equals courtesy, to inferiors nobleness.”
-Benjamin Franklin