One of the best ways to get a sense for intellectual humility is to think about the contexts that demand it. For example, if you are congratulated for getting an ‘A’ on a test, the appropriate response is not to mention how smart you are and how you did not have to study very much. A humble person is not disposed to be concerned with how special he or she is. Very few, if any, intellectual tasks require you to think about being unique to accomplish them.
Still, it is important to recognize that the intellectually humble person is not necessarily deficient in confidence. In fact, it might even be said that those who are intellectually humble have a great deal of confidence. This is one reason why accolades and dominance do not matter as much—these things are not essential to achieve intellectual goals (e.g. knowledge). The intellectually humble person recognizes that hard work is typically the most pressing intellectual demand. The humble person also understands that the best intellectual work often comes in conjunction with the thoughts of others. Recognizing the necessity of hard work and the limits of one’s own intellectual perspective are fundamental components to being intellectually humble.
