Some of the most universally hated traits a man can have is to be a show off, a bragger or to have a massive ego. Someone who displays such traits is clearly stating that they think they are better than others in some way. All this serves to do is to make people dislike or hate them and break up friendships in the process.

Humility is the opposite of all that. A person who practices humility, or as it is more commonly known humbleness, does not believe they are better than others and will not actively seek praise or congratulations. A humble man knows exactly what his capabilities are and will not try to imply that he is any better. Nor will a humble man let arrogant pride get in the way of completing his tasks.

Modern society makes it hard for a gentleman to be humble. We live in a competitive society where we have to market ourselves more and more in order to get the best jobs or rewards. When we achieve something at work we feel inclined to brag about it just a bit. Even outside of work we feel compelled to boast or show superiority in some way, perhaps by showing off expensive possessions or property.

The problem with boasting, showing off and ego stroking is that all it does is breed contempt and hatred towards you. It also fuels never-ending silent conflicts where we constantly try to outdo each other. This isn’t helped by the fact that we all like to show off now and again, but hate it when other people do the same.

Practicing humility in your everyday life will help you have better relationships with your peers and maintain better friendships.

Here are a few ways you can be more humble in how you live your life…

Give Credit Where it is Due - If someone achieves something, no matter how trivial, give your thanks and appreciation. Don’t go overboard though, a simple ‘Thanks!’ is usually sufficient for most things. We all like to have our efforts acknowledged and such expressions of gratitude could make someone’s day.

Don’t Try to Keep up with the Joneses - ‘Keeping up with the Joneses’ is a phrase popular in the UK that refers to some people’s desire to keep up with or exceed their contemporaries using material goods, wealth or their social class as benchmarks. A practical example of this is someone mentioning that they have a 20GB iPod only for someone else to immediately retort that they have an 80GB iPod. In situation like this the person who made the retort about their bigger and better iPod will only be viewed as a complete arse. If you find yourself in a similar situation don’t be tempted to brag about how you or your possessions are better, no one really cares or if they do they might end up resenting you for having something they desire but cannot get. A gentleman should feel no need to brag about his possessions or wealth.

Don’t Imply That Your Life is Better Than Others - If you know famous or powerful people try not mention that fact if there is no reason to. In other words don’t name drop. Likewise, if you have had special or unusual life experiences don’t feel the need to share them with others unless you have a good reason. Don’t try to be the centre of attention by retelling such tales, people won’t like you for it. Isn’t it better to be viewed as a gentleman rather than a bragger who seeks to be the centre of attention?

Don’t Fake Humility - If you are going to be humble, do so honestly. How many times have you seen someone complete a difficult or challenging task and then say “Oh thanks, it was easy” when being congratulated? It’s pretty annoying isn’t it? Someone who says such a thing is actually saying “Even though this task was difficult, I am going to say it was easy because I want you to think I’m just so brilliant”. If you have completed a difficult task take the congratulations in good grace and don’t try to imply that it was any easier than it was.

Never Take Someone Else’s Credit - We’ve all had experience of a situation where you completed a task only to have someone else take or share the credit for all your work. It’s not a very nice feeling. So it goes without saying that no gentleman would ever do such a thing.

Don’t Claim Wisdom You Don’t Possess - I once worked with a fellow who claimed that he was an expert in database management, as a result of these claims he was given the task of setting up a database server that would be used as part of a large government contract. The problem was he didn’t know how to manage a database at all. So after taking too long to get the job done he was relieved of that particular task. Although he could do his core job properly (coding) he had embellished his skill set by claiming he had database management skills. He kept his job, but his reputation was permanently tarnished. If you claim to be capable of something you aren’t you will be seen as a boaster and your lies will come back to haunt you the day you are called upon to use those skills.

Don’t Be a Robot - If you give praise, give considered praise. Don’t just say the same thing you always do. Show that you care about the thing you are giving praise for by commenting on how it was done or achieved. Praise is better appreciated when you show that you really care.

Do Good Deeds Anonymously - When someone rich or famous announces a big donation to charity they are probably doing so to make themselves look good in the eyes of the public. If you choose to give to charity or something similar do so anonymously without the expectation of receiving thanks or praise. Giving to charity with the expectation or receiving thanks or praise in return is not being charitable.

Don’t Make a Big Deal about Getting Something Done - A humble gent will do all that is expected of him without making a big deal or celebrating when he achieves his goal. People appreciate people who just get things done with the minimum of fuss, that is the gentlemanly way.

Don’t Let Your Pride Get in the Way - Pride is the biggest enemy of humility. We are all guilty of worrying about what people think of us and many times we will refuse to do something because we fear it will negatively impact on what we perceive to be our ‘image’. I know people with degrees who could not find a job in their chosen field, but would refuse to take a job in a shop because their pride got in the way. What matters most in life is not shying away from getting things done and providing for you and your family, too much pride will get in the way of this.

To finish I will say that I do strongly believe that if the people of the world exercised a bit more humility then the world would be a much better place. Too much pride gets in the way of peace.