Quotes About Humility

The skeptical Silberstein came up to Eddington and said that people believed that only three scientists in the world understood general relativity. He had been told that Eddington was one of them. The shy Quaker said nothing. "Don't be so modest, Eddington!" said Silberstein. Replied Eddington, "On the contrary. I'm just wondering who the third might be."30

Men ought not to play God before they learn to be men.

Okay, it's not easy, but that's why we're no Einstein and he was.

Like most artist-craftsmen of his era, he did not sign his work.

In ancient Rome, when a victorious general paraded through the streets, legend has it that he was sometimes trailed by a servant whose job it was to repeat to him, "Memento mori": Remember you will die. A reminder of mortality would help the hero keep things in perspective, instill some humility.

Kilby displayed his awshucks humility. "When I hear that kind of thing," he responded, "it reminds me of what the beaver told the rabbit as they stood at the base of Hoover Dam: 'No, I didn't build it myself, but it's based on an idea of mine.

His embrace, however, did not extend to people who were pretentious or pompous (with the exception of Wiener). When he thought a speaker was spouting nonsense, he would stand up and ask what seemed to be innocent but were in fact devilish questions. After a few moments, the speaker would realize he had been deflated and Licklider would sit down. "He didn't like poseurs or pretenders," Tracy recalled. "He was never mean, but he slyly pricked people's pretensions.

It was a grand triumph but not one easily understood. The skeptical Silverstein came up to Eddington and said that people believed that only three scientists in the world understood general relativity. He had been told that Eddington was one of them. The shy Quaker said nothing. Don't be modest, Eddington, said Silverstein. Replied Eddington, On the contrary, I'm just wondering who the third might be.

Stoop, young man, stoop—as you go through this world—and you'll miss many hard thumps.

simply enjoy giving more than receiving in every respect, do not take myself nor the doings of the masses seriously, am not ashamed of my weaknesses and vices, and naturally take things as they come with equanimity and humor.

There was a simple set of formulas that defined Einstein's outlook. Creativity required being willing not to conform. That required nurturing free minds and free spirits, which in turn required a spirit of tolerance. And the underpinning of tolerance was humility - the belief that no one had the right to impose ideas and beliefs on others.

Upon the whole, I am much disposed to like the world as I find it, and to doubt my own judgment as to what would mend it.

At Boston Macworld, as Gates discusses their deal: "That was my worst and stupidest staging event ever. It made me look small.

A secret to being more revered than resented, he learned, was to display (at least when he could muster the discipline) a self-deprecating humor, unpretentious demeanor, and unaggressive style in conversation.

Would you win the hearts of others, you must not seem to vie with them, but to admire them. Give them every opportunity of displaying their own qualifications, and when you have indulged their vanity, they will praise you in turn and prefer you above others . . . Such is the vanity of mankind that minding what others say is a much surer way of pleasing them than talking well ourselves."6

people are more likely to admire your work if you're able to keep them from feeling jealous of you.6

No sean tan severos conmigo —les respondió a los Born—. Todo el mundo debe, de vez en cuando, hacer un sacrificio ante el altar de la estupidez, a fin de agradar al dios de la humanidad. Y yo lo he hecho a fondo con mi artículo.

Love your enemies, for they will tell you your faults 

It is a rash man indeed who would set himself up as final arbiter on all that happened the incredible night the Titanic went down.

My father once told me that a great man walks the back roads. He does what's right every day and no one knows it but those lucky enough to be loved by him.

Few people know how much you have to know in order to know how little you know.

There is no better antidote against entertaining too high an opinion of others than having an excellent one of ourselves at the very same time.

simplicity may be improved, but pride and conceit never. Well

my principal fault was an unconquerable pitch of pride, which exposed me to frequent mortification.