Humble

The head instructor of my Jujitsu academy shared feedback other instructors got from students.

He told us, “If an instructor shows you something, you don’t have to say ‘well Bill says this’ or ‘Bill teaches it that way.’ You can trust all our instructors know what they’re doing. If they say something you disagree with, ask yourself, ‘can I beat them?’ If the answer is no, just listen to them.”

I’ve carried this over to my everyday life. Here’s an example of recent conversations I’ve had with myself:

Self-thought: This person knows nothing.

Self-response: Have you ever raised a kid? No. They have. So stop judging.

Self-thought: This is a small deal.

Self-response: Have you ever closed a multi-million dollar deal? You haven’t. They have. So shut up.

Self-thought: He’s got a lot on his plate.

Self-response: Have you ever seen a dead body? No. He’s stronger than you think. Pay attention.

When you see where the other person is stronger than you, that’s a signal for you to be humble, ask questions, and listen.