When Someone Is Better Than You

It’s hard to acknowledge intelligence in someone, especially when that intelligence is greater than yours. The person who does that deserves as much respect as the intelligent person being admired. Because to admire someone, you need dual awareness: one of your own strengths and where you lack, and another of the superiority of the other person. Most people lack every kind of awareness. They can at least acknowledge their own shortcomings, but to acknowledge someone else’s superiority is nigh impossible for them. Humility in its true form is not an easy thing to practice. You can be humble with words, but to actually bow down when you face a smarter person is harder than it looks. You think acknowledging someone gives them the upper hand. You are giving them the license to be arrogant, and you will naturally look smaller. But in truth, you are lower in stature. Whether you accept the fact or not does not mean the fact doesn’t exist. Truth owes no allegiance to your feelings. If the…