Sunday is a good day to talk about humility.

It’s a timeless virtue that feels out of step with the times. Attention is the name of the game these days. Politicians, athletes, entertainers, influencers, and brands crave and trade on it. The social media platforms that consume so much of our time harness and profit handsomely from it.

Humility may not carry much cache in the digital world, but the good news is it still matters. A “do or say anything to get them to look” mindset may work well on a screen, but usually falls flat in real-life, especially at the office. Nobody likes to work with braggarts, arrogant credit-takers and know-it-alls.

But what about confidence? You won’t get far in your career without it. How is one supposed to balance confidence and humility?

The answer to the question comes down to how one defines the word. People often equate self-confidence with arrogance. But humility doesn’t mean denying one’s skills or abilities. 

The Hall of Fame quarterback is not being humble after throwing four touchdown passes when he states in a post-game interview that his contributions were no greater than anyone else’s. He’s the difference maker, the only player they can’t win without, and everybody, including him, knows it. False modesty or humility might be polite and well-intended, but it’s also fundamentally disingenuous. 

C.S. Lewis said it best: “Humility is not thinking less of yourself, but thinking of yourself less.”

We all have gifts. The truly humble person doesn’t pretend they don’t exist. They are confident and appreciate their abilities. At the same time, they recognize that the ultimate expression of their gifts is when they are used in the service of others. And that each person is blessed with unique strengths and attributes worthy of respect and acknowledgement.

Humble people fully understand and are justifiably proud of their contributions. They just don’t need to shout it from the roof top so the rest of world validates or affirms their self-worth.

It’s the opposite of “look at me.” Such a mindset may never move the needle on social media, but humility will always trump attention in the work that matters most: working successfully with others to make things better for ourselves and the people we care about.