Read these humility quotes we’ve compiled and learn about the value of modesty in life!
As humans, it’s normal to have a sense of pride, especially when you feel like you’ve accomplished something significant.
However, too much bragging and arrogance can make you seem detached from life’s realities.
No matter how successful we become, we should never let it get into our heads. Instead, we must remain humble and grounded and remember that all of us are unique, special, and talented individuals.
Always be mindful of how you act in front of others, and think through what you are going to say. Being proud of your accomplishments is great. But being prideful, arrogant, and aloof is a whole other thing.
So, to help you understand when you’re being too much, read through this list of humility quotes we’ve compiled.
While you’re at it, be sure you take a mental note of all the telltale signs of arrogance so you can avoid doing the same in real life.
Start here.
And make sure to check out these authenticity quotes and compassion quotes.
Best Humility Quotes
1. “Humility will open more doors than arrogance ever will.” – Zig Ziglar
2. “Humility is not thinking less of yourself; it’s thinking of yourself less.” – C.S. Lewis
3. “Humility isn’t denying your strengths; it’s being honest about your weaknesses.” – Rick Warren
4. “Humility—that low, sweet root from which all heavenly virtues shoot.” – Thomas Moore
5. “Humility is the gateway into the grace and the favor of God.” – Harold Warner
6. “Humility, like the darkness, reveals the heavenly lights.” – Henry David Thoreau
Famous Humility Quotes
7. “Humility is nothing else but a right judgment of ourselves.” – William Law
8. “Only humility knows how to appreciate and admire the good qualities of others.” – Sri Chinmoy
9. “Humility is really important because it keeps you fresh and new.” – Steven Tyler
10. “Humility is the ability to give up your pride and still retain your dignity.” – Vanna Bonta
11. “A humble person is more likely to be self-confident—a person with real humility knows how much they are loved.” – Cornelius Plantinga
12. “True humility does not know that it is humble. If it did, it would be proud from the contemplation of so fine a virtue.” – Martin Luther
Humility Quotes to Help You Anchor Yourself
13. “Humility is throwing oneself away in complete concentration on something or someone else.” – Madeleine L’Engle
14. “There is no respect for others without humility in one’s self.” – Henri Frederic Amiel
15. “Some ask if lowering one’s pride is conceding defeat. I think not. Humility is a sign of inner strength and wisdom.” – Haemin Sunim
16. “Think not that humility is weakness; it shall supply the marrow of strength to thy bones. Stoop and conquer; bow thyself and become invincible.” – Charles Spurgeon
17. “Perfection is impossible without humility. Why should I strive for perfection if I am already good enough?” – Leo Tolstoy
18. “Humility is the key to moral excellence. It is the noblest quality a person can possess. It is the mother of all possibilities.” – Hsin Yun
19. “Humility is the foundation of all the other virtues hence, in the soul in which this virtue does not exist, there cannot be any other virtue except in mere appearance.” – Saint Augustine
Also read: Famous Quotes, Positive Quotes
Humility Quotes to Live By
20. “Do you wish to rise? Begin by descending. You plan a tower that will pierce the clouds? Lay first the foundation of humility.” – Saint Augustine
21. “Have more humility. Remember, you don’t know the limits of your own abilities. Successful or not, if you keep pushing beyond yourself, you will enrich your own life—and maybe even please a few strangers.” – A.L. Kennedy
22. “Live a life full of humility, gratitude, intellectual curiosity, and never stop learning.” – GZA
23. “Stay hungry, stay young, stay foolish, stay curious, and above all, stay humble because just when you think you got all the answers is the moment when some bitter twist of fate in the universe will remind you that you very much don’t.” – Tom Hiddleston
Also read: Quotes to Live By
Short Humility Quotes That Can Serve as Your Guide
24. “Without humility, there can be no humanity.” – John Buchan
25. “Humility is no substitute for a good personality.” – Fran Lebowitz
26. “Mastery begins with humility.” – Robin Sharma
27. “Humility is the most beautiful virtue that we can develop.” – Joyce Meyer
28. “Humility is really important because it keeps you fresh and new.” – Steven Tyler
29. “Humility is royalty without a crown.” – Spencer W. Kimball
30. “Humility is the surest sign of strength.” – Thomas Merton
Humility Quotes That Will Make You Think Twice
31. “Even when it speaks, humility listens.” – Thomas Merton
32. “A great man is always willing to be little.” – Ralph Waldo Emerson
33. “The biggest challenge after success is shutting up about it.” – Criss Jami
34. “There’s no need to show off when you know who you are.” – Maxime Lagacé
35. “We come nearest to the great when we are great in humility.” – Rabindranath Tagore
Powerful Humility Quotes for Your Curious Minds
36. “True humility is not an abject, groveling, self-despising spirit; it is but a right estimate of ourselves as God sees us.” – Tryon Edwards
37. “All streams flow to the ocean because it is lower than they are. Humility gives it its power.” – Lao Tzu
38. “The only wisdom we can hope to acquire is the wisdom of humility.” – T.S. Eliot
39. “Humility has to do with trying to be a vessel of purposes you’re content to understand as not your own.” – David Milch
40. “If you are humble, nothing will touch you—neither praise nor disgrace—because you know what you are.” – Mother Teresa
41. “Being humble means recognizing that we are not on earth to see how important we can become, but to see how much difference we can make in the lives of others.” – Gordon B. Hinckley
42. “Who is more humble? The scientist who looks at the universe with an open mind and accepts whatever the universe has to teach us, or somebody who says everything in this book must be considered the literal truth and never mind the fallibility of all the human beings involved?” – Carl Sagan
Also read: Powerful Quotes
Humility Quotes Packed With Insights
43. “Selflessness is humility. Humility and freedom go hand in hand. Only a humble person can be free.” – Jeff Wilson
44. “Uncertainty is a sign of humility, and humility is just the ability or the willingness to learn.” – Charlie Sheen
45. “One of the most important things about leadership is that you have to have the kind of humility that will allow you to be coached.” – Jim Yong Kim
46. “Humility must accompany all our actions, must be with us everywhere; for as soon as we glory in our good works, they are of no further value to our advancement in virtue.” – Saint Augustine
47. “In reality, humility means nothing other than complete honesty about yourself.” – William Countryman
Humility Quotes to Differentiate It From Pride and Arrogance
48. “Humility is nothing but the truth, and pride is nothing but lying.” – St. Vincent de Paul
49. “Pride is the problem, humility is the answer.” – Joyce Meyer
50. “The proud man can learn humility, but he will be proud of it.” – Mignon McLaughlin
51. “Pride makes us artificial, and humility makes us real.” – Thomas Merton
52. “Pride is concerned with who is right. Humility is concerned with what is right.” – Ezra T. Benson
53. “It was pride that changed angels into devils; it is humility that makes men as angels.” – Saint Augustine
54. “Arrogance repels. Humility inspires.” – Robin Sharma
55. “Humility is the greatest quality that a man can have, and arrogance is undoubtedly the worst.” – Maulana W. Khan
56. “Be careful not to mistake insecurity and inadequacy for humility! Humility has nothing to do with the insecure and inadequate! Just like arrogance has nothing to do with greatness!” – C. Joybell C.
57. “Humility is the true key to success. Successful people lose their way at times. They often embrace and overindulge in the fruits of success. Humility halts this arrogance and self-indulging trap. Humble people share the credit and wealth, remaining focused and hungry to continue the journey of success.” – Rick Pitino
Humility Quotes for Those Who Want to Cultivate Positive Values
58. “The principles of living greatly include the capacity to face trouble with courage, disappointment with cheerfulness, and trial with humility.” – Thomas S. Monson
59. “Humility, gentleness, and helpfulness go so much further and open doors you cannot imagine.” – Ann Tran
60. “I always say be humble but be firm. Humility and openness are the keys to success without compromising your beliefs.” – George Hickenlooper
61. “The best of people is the one who humbles himself the more his rank increases.” – Prophet Muhammad
62. “In humility and honesty, you’ll find pain, envy, and fear, but you’ll also find strength, beauty, and truth.” – Maxime Lagacé
Humility Quotes From the Bible
63. “Humility is the fear of the Lord; its wages are riches and honor and life.” – Proverbs 22:4
64. “Honor yourself with humility, and give yourself the esteem you deserve. Who will acquit those who condemn themselves? And who will honor those who dishonor themselves?” – Sirach 10:28-29
65. “Do nothing out of selfish ambition or vain conceit, in humility consider others better than yourselves.” – Philippians 2:3
Also read: Bible Quotes, Christian Quotes
More Humility Quotes That You Need to Read Today
66. “Humility, like gratitude, is not so much a technique as it is a way of life.” – Ed Latimore
67. “The first test of a truly great man is his humility. By humility, I don’t mean doubt of his powers or hesitation in speaking his opinion, but merely an understanding of the relationship of what he can say and what he can do.” – John Ruskin
68. “True humility is staying teachable, regardless of how much you already know.” – Anonymous
69. “True humility is being able to accept criticisms as graciously as we accept compliments.” – Sabrina Newby
70. “Humility, I have learned, must never be confused with meekness. Humility is being open to the ideas of others.” – Simon Sinek
Do You Live Life With Humility and Mindfulness?
It’s so easy to think of ourselves as someone entitled to something. After all, you’re the one who knows what you had to go through to achieve the things you have now. But, that means it’s the same for other people—only they know their circumstances.
So, never assume that you deserve to be treated better than another. We are all going through our unique paths in life, and one might be more complicated than the other. That’s why it’s essential to remain humble, regardless of the circumstance and who you’re facing.
Instead of being boastful and loud about your accomplishments, learn to listen when others need an ear. Instead of being prideful and thinking that you can do everything alone, acknowledge that there are times when you also need a helping hand. Lastly, instead of taking things for granted, recognize and be grateful for all your blessings—big, small, and everything in between!
Life’s a scary wheel; you’ll never know when you’ll need help if you fall back down. So, like the quotes in this collection, be reminded that you should always remain grounded and humble!
