‘Learning to be humble meant taming my need to stand out from the group’ – a humility scholar explains how he became more grounded

Humility is a virtue that many people admire but far fewer practice. A scholar describes how a professional crisis made him look inward and rethink his concept of success.

By: Barret Michalec, Arizona State University, The Conversation

Outlets: The Conversation

Published: February 19, 2026

Words: 2,558

Last Updated: 3 days, 11 hours ago

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By Barret Michalec, Arizona State University

“Humble” is not a word my colleagues would use to describe me, especially early in my career.

In fact, when word got around that I was researching humility, I suspect more than a few choked on their coffee.

And even though I have spent over a decade exploring the concept as an attribute and as a practice, it wasn’t until I recently reflected on my own professional challenges …

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