The Strength in Being Humble: 149 Quotes to Encourage Humility

The inspiring humble quotes below will give you enough motivation to last all week and help you remain humble during your day-to-day life.

No matter where you are in life, understanding the power of humility is key to maintaining a positive mindset.

It’s difficult to maintain this value sometimes.

Tell us which humble quote resonated with you the most in the comment section below.

What are the benefits of reading these humble quotes?

The basis of humility is understanding your position as a lifelong learner.

It is necessary to understand that you don’t know it all.

As a result, you remain open to gaining more information about the vast world around you through other:

• people
• places
• experiences

These humble quotes will help you understand the difference between having confidence and being proud of your accomplishments versus being overly prideful.

Look at the wise words below to learn more about the importance of humility.

Humble quotes about maintaining humility around other people

1. “Don’t think less of yourself, just think of yourself less.” – Ken Blanchard

2. “To lead the people, walk behind them.” – Lao Tzu

3. “There’s no need to show off when you know who you are.” – Maxime Lagacé

4. “Every person that you meet knows something you don’t; learn from them.” – H. Jackson Brown Jr

5. “Do you wish people to think well of you? Don’t speak well of yourself.” – Blaise Pascal

6. “There is no respect for others without humility in one’s self.” – Henri Frederic Amiel

7. “Think lightly of yourself and deeply of the world.” – Miyamoto Musashi

8. “The idea that some lives matter less is the root of all that is wrong with the world.” – Dr. Paul Farmer

9. “Without humility, there can be no humanity.” – John Buchan

10. “Humility is the most beautiful virtue that we can develop.” – Joyce Meyer

Humble quotes about the definition of humility

11. “Humility is the solid foundation of all virtues.” – Confucius

12. “In reality, humility means nothing other than complete honesty about yourself.” – William Countryman

13. “True humility is staying teachable, regardless of how much you already know.” – Dana Arcuri

14. “Humility will open more doors than arrogance ever will.” – Zig Ziglar

15. “Real genius is nothing else but the supernatural virtue of humility in the domain of thought.” – Simone Weil

16. “Humility is the surest sign of strength.” – Thomas Merton

17. “Humility is the greatest quality that a man can have, and arrogance is undoubtedly the worst.” – Maulana W. Khan

18. “Humility, like the darkness, reveals the heavenly lights.” – Henry David Thoreau

19. “Humility is to make a right estimate of oneself.” – Charles H. Spurgeon

More Humble quotes on what humility means

20. “Humility isn’t denying your strengths; it’s being honest about your weaknesses.” – Rick Warren

21. “The greatest friend of truth is Time, her greatest enemy is Prejudice, and her constant companion is Humility.” – Charles Caleb Colton

22. “You are not a drop in the ocean. You are the entire ocean in a drop.” – Rumi

23. “Without patience, there can be no genius.” – Robin Sharma

24. “All streams flow to the sea because it is lower than they are. Humility gives it its power.” – Lao Tzu

25. “There is beauty and humility in imperfection.” – Guillermo del Toro

26. “Learning is a feeling between humility and simplicity.” – Alan Maiccon

27. “People search for certainty. But there is no certainty.” – Richard P. Feynman

Humble quotes about pride and humility

28. “Pride makes us artificial and humility makes us real.” – Thomas Merton

29. “Pride is the problem, humility is the answer.” – Joyce Meyer

30. “Humility is nothing but truth, and pride is nothing but lying.” –  Saint Vincent de Paul

 31. “Pride is concerned with who is right while humility is concerned with what is right.” – Ezra Taft Benson

32. “Humility is clearer-eyed than ego – and that’s important because humility always works harder than ego.” – Ryan Holiday

Humble quotes about success and failure

33. “Keep your head up in failure, and your head down in success.” – Jerry Seinfeld

34. “Success is a lousy teacher. It seduces smart people into thinking they can’t lose.” – Bill Gates

35. “The biggest challenge after success is shutting up about it.” – Criss Jami

Quotes about how to be more humble

36. “Those who are believed to be most abject and humble are usually the most ambitious and envious.” – Baruch Spinoza

37. “Do good by stealth, and blush to find it fame.” – Alexander Pope

38. “Modesty is the gentle art of enhancing your charm by pretending not to be aware of it.” – Oliver Herford

39. “Be humble, hungry and the hardest worker in the room.” – Dwayne “The Rock” Johnson

40. “Stay true in the dark and humble in the spotlight.” – Harold B. Lee

41. “True knowledge exists in knowing that you know nothing.” – Socrates

42. “I speak to everyone in the same way, whether he is the garbage man or the president of the university.” – Albert Einstein

43. “If you are humble nothing will touch you, neither praise nor disgrace, because you know what you are.” – Mother Teresa

44. “I know nothing except the fact of my ignorance.” – Diogenes

More humble quotes to inspire and teach

45. “We are all stumblers, and the beauty and meaning of life are in the stumbling.” – David Brooks

46. “The measure of who we are is how we react to something that does not go our way.” – Gregg Popovich

 47. “Making mistakes isn’t enough to become great. You must also admit the mistake, and then learn how to turn that mistake into an advantage.” – Robert T. Kiyosaki

48. “If pain doesn’t lead to humility, you have wasted your suffering.” – Katerina Stoykova Klemer

49. “You shouldn’t gloat about anything you’ve done; you ought to keep going and find something better to do.” – David Packard

50. “Never look down on anybody unless you’re helping them up.” – Jesse Jackson

51. “Humility is not thinking less of yourself, it’s thinking of yourself less.” – C. S. Lewis

52. The greatest act of faith is when a man understands he is not God.” – Oliver Wendell Holmes, Jr.

53. “The most powerful weapon to conquer the devil is humility. For, as he does not know at all how to employ it, neither does he know how to defend himself from it.” – Vincent de Paul

54. “Humility leads to strength and not to weakness. It is the highest form of self-respect to admit mistakes and to make amends for them.” – John J. McCloy

55. “Humility is the most difficult of all virtues to achieve; nothing dies harder than the desire to think well of self.” – T. S. Eliot

56. “Humility exists only in those who are poor enough to see that they possess nothing of their own.” – Angela of Foligno

57. “What separates me from most so-called atheists is a feeling of utter humility toward the unattainable secrets of the harmony of the cosmos.” – Albert Einstein

58. There is something in humility which, strangely enough, exalts the heart, and something in pride which debases it.” – Saint Augustine

59. “Humility is the foundation by which love manifests.” – Radhanath Swami

60. “Great peacemakers are all people of integrity, of honesty, but humility.” – Nelson Mandela

Humble Quotes to Keep You Grounded

61. “Greatness is to stay humble when the whole world calls you great!” – Mehmet Murat Ildan

62. “Jesus is the God whom we can approach without pride and before whom we can humble ourselves without despair.” – Blaise Pascal

63. “I am able to stay humble because I recognize that God has truly blessed me; I can’t say that enough.” – Heather Headley

64. “For a man who walks in the light, to stay humble is not to walk in the dark; you don’t need to project yourself to be thought an honest man.” – Mike Norton

65. “Stay humble to the craft and never forget how much it actually takes to be the main character of a documentary.” – Nicole Nielsen Horanyi

66. “Stay excited and stay humble and good things will come.” – Mark McMorris

67. “Stay humble. Always answer your phone – no matter who else is in the car.” – Jack Lemmon

68. “Be a winner. Stand for something. Always have class, and be humble.” – John Madden

69. “If you’re not humble, life will visit humbleness upon you.” – Mike Tyson

70. “A great man is always willing to be little. ” – Ralph Waldo Emerson

Humble Quotes To Help You Embrace Humility

71. “One may be humble out of pride.” — Michel de Montaigne

72. “It is better to be humble and happy than to be arrogant and lonely.” — Darlene Bennett

73. “Be simple, stay humble, care with love, hug with kindness.” — Debasish Mridha

74. “I feel like being true to yourself is always going to keep you humble; it’s always going to make you remember who you are.” — Lil Tjay

75. We have to humble ourselves and the way you do that is by serving other people.” — Tim Tebow

76. “I always want to just stay humble, and I always want to keep climbing.” — Jon Pardi

77. “A wise man is humble, knowing he actually doesn’t know much.” — Eraldo Banovac

78. “My aim is just to remain as humble and as godly as I can be.” — Letitia Wright

79. “Every day I feel humble when I experience the vibrational essence of my world.” — Debbie A. Anderson

80. “No amount of praise should go to your head. You should always remain humble.” — Mohanlal

Humble Quotes To Motivate Humility

81. “Humility is the foundation of all excellence.” — Augustine of Hippo

82. “A humble man will always receive the best that others have to offer; for he recognizes the truth” — Jeremy Aldana

83. “Selflessness is humility. Humility and freedom go hand in hand. Only a humble person can be free.” — Jeff Wilson

84. “Always enter like a kitten and leave like a lion. But NEVER enter like a lion and leave like a kitten. Always be humble.”  — Carlson Gracie

85. “Humility is a great quality of leadership which derives respect and not just fear or hatred.” — Yousef Munayyer

86. “Blessed are they who see beautiful things in humble places where other people see nothing.” — Camille Pissarro

87. “I’ll never forget where I’m from. It’s essential to remain humble and evolving.” — Freida Pinto 

88.  “One cannot be humble and aware of oneself at the same time.” —  Madeleine L’Engle

89. A genuinely humble person humbles himself even before those who should be humbled by his presence.” —  Michael Ugwu Eneja

90. “Where there is humility, there is more success, and lasting success.” — Patrick Lencioni

Humble Quotes To Obtain God’s Favour

91. “The humble person has access to God’s wisdom and God’s favor.” ― Pat Robertson

92. “Be completely humble and gentle; be patient, bearing with one another in love.” ― Rev. Fr. Peter Obinna Umekwe

93. “Learn to be humble but not timid.” ― Franklin A. Ohiozebau

94. “If we remain humble and hungry, we can win.” ― Dave Allison

95. “If we can develop a truly humble attitude, we can change the world.” ― Jeffrey Krames

96. “We have to be humble, but with real humility, from head-to-toe.” ― Pope Francis

97. “It is very important to be humble but to maintain the conviction that we can do something good.” ― Claudio Ranieri

98. “Be humble for you are made of earth. Be noble for you are made of stars.” ― Franklin A. Ohiobezau

99. “Successful indeed are the believers; those who humble themselves in their prayers.” ― Rev. Fr. Peter Obinna Umekwe

100. “The humble spirit and contrite is an abode of my delight.” ― Isaac Watts

Humble Quotes to Embrace Modesty

101. “Humble, honest, ignorance is one of the finest flowers of the human spirit.” ― Kenneth E. Boulding

102. “Work at being a humble person.” ― John Templeton

103. “Never be proud but show humility towards others, true wisdom lies in being humble.” ― Shri Radhe Maa

104. “Being humble doesn’t mean you lose; it means you have won. Give the victory to others.” ― Tsem Tulku

105. “He is a very humble man, that thinks not himself better than some others.” ― Joseph Hall

106. “One must become as humble as the dust before he can discover truth.” ― Mahatma Gandhi

107. “Believe in yourself, know yourself, deny yourself, and be humble.” ― John Treacy

108. Nothing but grace makes a man so humble and, at the same time, so glad.” ― Charles Spurgeon

109. “Be humble and you will never be disturbed. It is very difficult in practice because we all want to see the result of our work. Leave it to Jesus.” ― Mother Teresa

110. “We must never forget our responsibilities as politicians to our country and its citizens. We must always remain humble before our people.” ― Angela Merkel

Humble Quotes Celebrate the Virtue of Humility

111. “It’s a humbling thing being humble.” ― Maurice Clarett

112. “If you’re humble and hardworking, opportunities will arise for you.” ― Rachael Ray

113. “I’m from really humble beginnings. I’ve never been this Hollywood diva, but you get caught up in what you’re pretending to be.” ― Heidi Montag

114. “Being humble and sweet is the hardest thing you can do.” ― Jemima Kirke

115. “I think it’s important to come from a humble place.” ― Molly Sims

116. “Stand up for your values, be courageous and humble.” ― Tariq Ramadan

117. “The humble live in continuous peace, while in the hearts of the proud are envy and frequent anger.” ― Thomas a Kempis

118. “They that know God will be humble. They that know themselves cannot be proud.” ― John Flavel

119. “One who is wise and disciplined, always kind and intelligent, humble and free from pride. One like this will be praised.” ― Gautama Buddha

120. “If you want to become humble, the first thing you have to admit is that you are proud.” ― Michael Catt

Humble Quotes to Help Lower Your Pride

121. “To be humble is to put aside one’s ego in the service of God.” — Joc Anderson

122. “Humility is what you want with you when times are dark and friends are few.” — C.J. Mahaney

123. “If you do not choose the humble path, you will suffer more.” — Monte Drenner

124. “A sign of a humble leader is that when things are going well, he will praise others, not himself.” — Charles D. Dangerfield

125. “The best are those who live in humility, That brings to life greatness, easy felicity; Those who have this aplenty are blessed, And always stand out as the very best.” — Pratheek

126. “To be humble is to leave space for the ideas of others, to allow questions to be asked, and to ask for help.” — Leslie Yerkes

127. “Thou must know that there are two sorts of humility; one false and counterfeit, the other true.” — Miguel de Molinos

128. “To one who is well founded in humility nothing can be more humbling than the exercise of authority.” — William Bernard Ullathorne

129. “If you are humble and you know you are, then, my friend, you are by no means humble.” — Rusty Kuhn

130. “Be wise and humble. The Lord is your confidence. He will keep you from falling.” — Esther Prabhakar

Humble Quotes to Embrace Humility

131. “A prideful man takes all the credit, but a humble man shares the credit. A prideful man discourages, but a humble man encourages. A prideful man pontificates, but a humble man prays.” — Boyd Bailey

132. “To have humility, is to be aware of one’s faults and weaknesses.” — Anab Whitehouse

133. “A humble man thinks himself unworthy of anything, and therefore he is thankful for anything. A proud man praiseth himself above the common rate. He overvalues and overprizeth himself, and therefore he thinks he never hath enough.” — Richard Sibbes

134. “Unfortunately, our humility usually lies beneath the surface, because to be humble is to be vulnerable.” — D.Stuart Briscoe

135. “The rich man should be humble because his money cannot save him.” — Tim F. LaHaye

136. “To be humble, is to honor God and respect oneself, for only then will a person be able to respect others. Acknowledge, without question, that God’s way is best.” — Margaret Ottley-Okubo

137. “A man’s pride will bring him low, But the humble spirit will retain honor.” — Bobbie Gannon

138. “When we humble ourselves, we say we’re not above or beyond the truth.” — Mari Keisling

139. “If you desire to be wiser, think not yourself wise enough.” — Maxims

140. “The humblest tasks get beautified if loving hands do them.” ― Louisa May Alcott

141. “You cannot be truly humble, unless you truly believe that life can and will go on without you.” ― Mokokoma Mokhonoana

142. “Sometimes it takes a lowly, title-less man to humble the world.” ― Criss Jami

143. “Don’t fool yourself by look so humble whereas the thing you want is respect.” ― Toba Beta

144. “I wish you self-esteem so high – you’re humble.” ― Lalah Delia

145. “Just be silent, humble and teachable. If you ever think you know it all, that is the beginning of your troubles.” ― Israelmore Ayivor

146. “It is possible to be confident and still practice humility.” ― Russell Kyle

147. “A boss who isn’t humble lose his people ultimately, a stranger who isn’t humble lose the people instantly.” ― Amit Kalantri

148. “Acting like you know everything and acting like you don’t know how to be respectful will keep you ignorant. Be humble.” ― Imani Perry

149. “I am attracted to humility, while arrogance repels me.” ― Abhijit Naskar

How can you be more humble?

The rollercoaster ride through successes and failures is a necessary part of life.

What is most important is how we accept our imperfections and handle each of life’s experiences, whether good or bad.

Humility allows us to be open to the beauty of transformation.

We can then grow, evolve, and avoid stagnation.

As you take a few quiet minutes away from your everyday life, enjoy the above quotes and soak in the influence of some of the world’s most complex minds.

When was the last time you were humble?

Is there another inspirational humble quote about humility that you would like to share?

Let us know in the comment section below and don’t forget to share this article on social media!