There’s a word you can find in every dictionary that gets neglected by some and goes unnoticed by others: humble. The act of embodying it can sometimes be invisible, especially when wealth and popularity get involved. It is very important to understand the concept of remaining humble once you’ve reached your personal success. Some people have a tendency to forget where they come from, how they got there and who helped them to get to that point.
As a journalism student, I meet celebrities all of the time. I have met a few this summer, but I met one last week who stood out because he lacked the characteristic of being humble.
This person made me want to remind people that staying humble after reaching success is imperative, and that it will always make you stand out from the rest in your field or industry. Although the lifestyle of a celebrity can seem overwhelming, celebrities know and understand what comes with being famous.
Despite the days when fans want to follow them everywhere they go or take 100 pictures of them doing everyday things, it doesn’t give any celebrity the right to be rude to those who have supported them. Just like celebrities, there is no reason for us to be rude.
In our respective fields, it is disheartening when people are stubborn with information that could help other people who are trying to reach the same level of progression. This attitude is especially present in relationships between interns and employees, which I'm sure many of you are familiar with. There are some professionals with whom you’ve come into contact at your internship that can be very selfish with information and do not want to take part in helping you. At times, it can be shocking, because you think that is the purpose of the internship – to learn from the established employees and to establish a professional network – yet they do not want to be of help, even though you are sure that it took other people helping them in order for them to have the success that they have.
Remaining humble in life has helped me to overcome many obstacles because I was never afraid to ask for insight from others in order to become a better person or to achieve whatever my goals and aspirations were. I have realized you get more bees with honey than with lemons. I also noticed humility attracts the right people to your life. People actually wanted to help me because I exemplified the quality of being "down to earth." As an aspiring radio personality and producer, opportunities aren't always plentiful, so it's not about what you know but rather who you know. Being humble will always make people in the profession want to help you with accomplishing goals. My humbleness and eagerness has afforded me the opportunities to work in three different radio stations.
At some point, there has to be less receiving and more giving. There has to be acknowledgement of those who have helped you to accomplish what you have. There has to be service to others who come behind you, because you are someone who came behind someone else who offered a helping hand. These small-yet-meaningful changes can start with you.
No matter what you accomplish in life, there is no amount of money that can pay for the rewarding feeling of helping others to reach their personal peak of success. Reaching your ultimate goals doesn’t mean that you treat others as if they are beneath you because they haven’t "made it" yet. You treat others how you were treated because you see that they are just as eager and tenacious as you were starting off. Please don’t ever be too proud or arrogant to share anything you have with other people. Always remember that someone guided you and helped you along your path, so it is only right that you do the same.
