What Are The Benefits of Humble Beginnings?

Today’s note takes a swipe at what are the benefits of humble beginnings. In it we are going to discuss such headings as:

What is the meaning of humble beginnings?

Benefits of humble beginnings,

What are the powers of humble beginnings?

From humble beginnings to success

And

Humble beginnings quotes

There are numerous advantages that come with modest beginnings, and this article will examine them in detail as we progress.

What Does Humble Beginnings Mean?

Humble beginnings means starting out in life with not much money or not many possessions. It can also refer to a person’s humble origins, such as being born into a poor family or having a difficult childhood.

Humble beginnings refers to starting something from a simple, modest, or small starting point. It’s about beginning with basic or limited resources and then working hard and persevering to achieve greater things over time.

Just like a small seed can grow into a big tree, humble beginnings show that even though something starts small, it has the potential to develop into something impressive and important through effort, determination, and growth.

People who have humble beginnings often have to work harder than others to achieve their goals. They may also have to overcome challenges and setbacks. However, humble beginnings can also be a source of strength and motivation.

They can teach people the value of hard work, gratitude, and determination. Later on in this article we shall see some humble beginnings examples of people who started with nothing and still arrived at the top of their chosen careers. 

Read: Does Power Of Visualization Work?

This topic is so important and has references in the christian bible. In Zechariah 4:10, the importance was stressed when it said ” do not despise the days of small beginnings…” and again in Job 8:7, the importance of modest beginnings to success was mentioned ” Your beginnings will seem humble, so prosperous will your future be “.

We shall now look at the benefits of humble beginnings with the above scriptural references in mind.

Read: What to do when you are not content with your life?

What Are The Benefits of Humble Beginnings?

We are going to now look at some of the benefits that come from modest origins or little beginnings. When you brace the odds and start something, either a business or acquiring a degree, it brings benefits that stay with you for a lifetime.  We are going to glean some of the benefits below 

Teaches The Power of Determination: Without determination no one can go from lowly beginnings to an enviable height in life.

Determination is the fuel that propels you forward long after all else has failed. The best place and time to learn to use the power of determination is when you are starting from a humble background, and trying to find success.

Many times the path to success is filled with twists and turns, and you will be tested again and again before you can see a ray of hope in the horizon. During times such as this you either learn to swim with the tide or perish in deep waters.

But more than anything else, your determination to succeed will take you to the pot at the end of the rainbow.

Tap into Your Creative Potentials: During times of hardship if you don’t quit and run away, you can tap into the vast reservoir of talents, knowledge, inspiration and imagination as well as wisdom that are stored within you. Most great men and women throughout history availed themselves to an inner power they never knew existed within and changed the tide in their favor.

When you are building something from scratch, you will be confronted with many challenges to test your resolve and commitment. Part of the test will require you to dig deep and make use of your creative powers to find a way forward. The more problems you are able to surmount, the better and stronger your creativity is and the more experience you become.

Development of An Open Mind: An open minded person can see a new direction and adapt quickly than a close minded person. That is why this makes a cut in our ” what are the benefits of humble beginnings?”. 

If you have a determination made of steel, but have a close mind, you certainly would fail. An open mind will enable you to listen to a contrary opinion and accept constructive criticism, as you search for a workable plan to move forward.

It is also needed to pivot to a new direction, from the original plans that are not working. To develop an open mind starts from the realization that no one is an island and everybody you meet has something to offer to you in return.

Related: Turning point of my life short story 

Become More Compassionate: When you start from the bottom and arrive at the top, one of the qualities you pick along the way is the compassionate heart.

This is the ability to put yourself in other people’s shoes and understand what they are going through. The ability to empathize with others and doing whatever you can to ameliorate their suffering is one of the benefits of a humble beginnings.

This is because in going from a modest background to success in life, you must have weathered many storms leaving you with a golden heart of love.

Finding Lasting Friendship: A lasting and enduring friendship can be formed between two or more people who are working together to make it in life.

Many friends who started together with nothing have stuck together years after finding success. Such humble beginnings examples who are still friends today are Warren Buffett and Charles Munger, Bill Gates and Paul Allen, Larry Page and Sergi Brian to mention but a few.

A friendship built on trust, love and humility can survive the changing terrain that comes with the peck of success.

Yet, some friendships didn’t make it because of greed and vanities. One example of these is the Facebook founders, who were enmeshed in different legal tussles once the company became successful. The friends who were college buddies, Mark Zuckerberg, Eduardo Saverin, Dustin Moskovitz, Chris Hughes, and Andrew McCollum are no longer friends. Their friendship was turned into shreds because of greed and selfishness.

Become An Inspiration to Others: Many who started from lowly beginnings and weathered the storms to find success are regarded as mentors and role models in the society.

They are helping the neophyte entrepreneurs and others who are just starting out in life find success, in half the time it should have taken them.

Being a role model and a mentor is an art of selflessness and a worthy way to give back to life.

Develop Humility: Humility is one of the most important virtues to have in life. However, many successful people lack it.

The opposite of humility is vanity. That unfortunately, is being bandied around by over half of the world population. One of the benefits of humble beginnings is that you can use your struggles to develop the art of humility.

Humility has a twofold advantage of keeping you grounded while managing success and helping you stay focused on your mission on earth, as you prepare for life after death.

Learn Gratitude: Gratitude is one of the keys to unlock the blessings and abundance of the universe. People who recognize and count their blessings daily are happy, healthy and open to synchronicity– the ability to meet random people and circumstances that advance their course in life.

Moving from a lowly station in life to success calls for developing a grateful heart. Having a grateful heart is a benefit of starting from humble beginnings.

Developing A Strong Work Ethics: A strong Work ethic is necessary if you are starting out in your career as well as when you have reached the pinnacle. It is needed at every stage in life.

In a world where people struggle with productivity both in the workplace and at home, developing a strong work ethic can make the difference. Anyone who begins from nothing and has achieved a measure of success must have a thing or two to tell about having a strong work ethic. This is because it is developed in you while going from the bottom to the apex of your career. The irony however, is that it is needed to remain at the top.

Read: DARE TO BE DIFFERENT EXAMPLES

Lasting Memories: The joy and impact that comes from building something valuable from scratch leaves a permanent memory that stays with you for a long time.

These memories can contribute to happiness that energizes you on days when you need a shot of motivation and even at old age.

The adventure of embarking on a worthy project can not be overemphasized. That is why it is better to go out and build something than staying put in one place paralyzed with fear. If you succeed, the memories will stay with you for a lifetime.

Read: What Are Some Examples Of Spiritual Growth?

What Are The Powers of Humble Beginnings 

We can imagine the power of modest beginnings to a small seed with the potential of growing to become a giant oak tree.

When the seed is planted certain forces and factors, from nature as well as efforts from the farmer, align to make the seed succeeds.

Having emerged from the ground the seedling has to weather many years of environmental storms and drought to become a giant oak. Therefore, what is the power of humble beginnings? I am now going to look at them below:

Dreaming Big and Believing in Your Dream: To get from the bottom of your career or business to the top, you need to spend ample amounts of time dreaming and believing in those dreams.

Without a dream you don’t necessarily have a roadmap to travel. The dream or goals you have for your life keeps you on your toes day in and day out. And it serves as the motivation to get you up from bed in the morning, and keeps your hope alive until you reach the desired destinations.

The second aspect of this is the audacity to believe in yourself and your dreams. No one wants to have a goal that they can’t and won’t believe in, because it will end up becoming an exercise in futility.

The power of humble beginnings is the ability to have big dreams and doing everything within your powers to bring them to fruition.

Growing Stronger With Each Challenge: Having a dream and trying to make it work, especially when you are building something from scratch, comes with many challenges and disappointments.

As you solve each challenge you grow in strength and your capacity to handle bigger obstacles grows. 

The story was told of Milo of Croton, who was an Olympic wrestling champion and  the strongest man in Croton, in ancient Greece. Milo started walking with a calf on his shoulders everyday around the village. He kept on with the practice as the calf grew to become a giant bull. As the calf grows his strength also increases. Long after the calf turned into a giant bull, he was still carrying it and walking around the village of Croton. This was how he became the strongest man in the ancient Greek kingdom of Croton. This analogy can be applied to the person who is starting from nothing. Like Milo he can grow into an adept at solving difficult challenges as he grows and finds success in life.

Discovering Your Superpowers: Starting small and trying to find success can unravel talents you never knew existed within. That’s why many people find their genius during times of adversities.

Example of this is John Bunyan who wrote his immortal book “The pilgrim’s progress” when he was locked up in solitary confinement.

Like the peanut which was revealed to be infinitely rich in all kinds of possibilities. Humans are multidimensional. In an article on the Tuskegee University  web page, George Washington Carver made over 500 products from peanuts. From the peanut scientist George Washington Carver made beverages, mixed pickles, instant and dry coffee, tan remover, wood filler, paper ink, shaving cream, linoleum, synthetic rubber and many more products.

 By exploring beneath the surface you can discover talents you never knew existed. That is why most times adversities help to bring it out.

Harnessing the Power of Working Smart: I wanted to say harnessing the power of hard work, but I quickly remembered that we are in the era of working smart.

Whether you are a believer in working hard or smart doesn’t matter here. What I am aiming at is being productive and getting stuff done. The power of humble beginnings should help you hone your skills and make you a productive person. You can work hard and smart at the wrong things and delay your ascent to success. That is why I advocate for finding ways to make your life productive.

Developing Confidence: Is there anything in life that does not require a measure of confidence? I doubt so. You need it when you want to pitch a business idea to an investor, it is needed when you need to convince your heartthrob to marry you, you need confidence as a pastor to convince the new convert to live and adopt a new way of life and it is required at the top when you need to negotiate deals for your company.

As you grow from modest beginnings to becoming successful, one of the best qualities that grows with you is unwavering confidence in yourself and your abilities.

Read: 4 Amazing Real Life Examples Of Surrendering to God

From Humble Beginnings To Success

In the section of this article “What are the benefits of humble beginnings?” I will feature a few stories of people that grow from  modest origins into world acclaimed and renowned personalities.

Oprah Winfrey

Oprah was born into poverty and was raised by her grandmother. She is now one of the most successful talk show hosts and actresses in the world.

Abraham Lincoln

Lincoln was born in a log cabin and grew up in poverty. He became the 16th president of the United States. Even after becoming the President of the United States, he had to manage the civil war and ensures America remain one indivisible nation.

Malala Yousafzai

Malala was shot by the Taliban for speaking out for girls’ education. She is now a Nobel Peace Prize winner and an advocate for girls’ rights around the world. Against all odds she survived the Taliban bullets, and has acquired a degree in political science and Economic in a University in the United Kingdom.

Steven Spielberg

He was born in a modest neighborhood in Cincinnati, Ohio. His parents were both Jewish immigrants from Eastern Europe. Spielberg began making films as a child, and his first short film was made when he was only 12 years old. He went on to direct some of the most successful and critically acclaimed films of all time, including “Jaws,” “E.T. the Extra-Terrestrial,” and “Schindler’s List.”

J.K. Rowling

The author of the “Harry Potter” series was born in Yate, England, to a single mother. She lived in poverty for many years, and she even had to go on welfare at one point. However, she never gave up on her dream of becoming a writer. She wrote the first “Harry Potter” book while she was living on welfare, and it went on to become a global phenomenon.

Related: Every cloud has a silver lining real life examples 

Barack Obama

The 44th president of the United States was born in Honolulu, Hawaii, to a white American mother and a black Kenyan father. He was raised by his mother and her parents, and he lived in a modest home in Honolulu. Obama worked his way through college and law school, and he eventually became a successful lawyer and community organizer. He was elected president of the United States in 2008, and he served two terms in office.

Stephen Hawking

Stephen was born with amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS), a progressive neurodegenerative disease that affects the motor neurons. He was given only a few years to live, but he went on to become one of the most accomplished physicists of his time. He made significant contributions to our understanding of black holes and the Big Bang.

Muhammad Yunus

Mohammed was born in a small village in Bangladesh. He grew up in poverty and did not have the opportunity to go to college. However, he was determined to make a difference in the world. He founded the Grameen Bank, which provides microloans to poor people so they can start their own businesses. The Grameen Bank has helped millions of people lift themselves out of poverty.

Read: Why is it important to focus on the present than the future

Humble Beginnings Quotes 

I included the humble beginnings quotes here to serve as a contemplative seed anything you are low in motivation and want to boost your confidence in your hustle.

• “The greatest stars were once tiny sparks.” – Catherine Pulsifer
• “Don’t be afraid to start small. The most important thing is that you start.” – David Allen
• “The best things in life are often the most unexpected.” – Jane Austen
• “What seems to us as bitter trials are often blessings in disguise.” – Oscar Wilde
• “The only way to do great work is to love what you do. If you haven’t found it yet, keep looking. Don’t settle.” – Steve Jobs
• “The journey of a thousand miles begins with a single step.” – Lao Tzu
• “The only thing worse than starting something and failing is not starting something at all.” – Seth Godin
• “The difference between ordinary and extraordinary is that little extra.” – Jimmy Johnson
• “The greatest glory in living lies not in never falling, but in rising every time we fall.” – Nelson Mandela
• “The only thing that stands between you and your dream is the will to try and the belief that it is actually possible.” – Joel Brown
• “The journey of a thousand miles begins with a single step.” – Lao Tzu
• “It’s not how much you have, but how much you enjoy that makes you happy.” – Charles Spurgeon
• “The greatest oak tree was once a tiny nut that held its ground.” – Chinese Proverb
• “The only way to do great work is to love what you do. If you haven’t found it yet, keep looking. Don’t settle.” – Steve Jobs
• “Beginnings are the foundation stones of achievements yet to come.” – Unknown
• “Every breakthrough begins as a fragile idea.” – Wayne Dyer
• “A single word starts a novel, a single step an epic journey.” – Unknown
• “From small streams flow mighty rivers.” – Unknown
• “I am not ashamed of my past. I am not ashamed of my humble beginning” –CJ Walker
• “We all have to start somewhere, and the humble beginning is often the most important.” – Richard Branson
• “Even the longest road starts with a single footprint.” – Unknown
• “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
• “The universe began with a single explosion, and so do our endeavors.” – Unknown
• “Epic things start with small humble steps. Pay respect to your beginnings. And if you’re just starting, know it’s OK to be sucky. To be small. To be messy and chaotic. Just make sure to never ever stop dreaming.” – Vishen Lakhiani

Read: What is the Fastest Way to Build Rapport?

• “Life begins when you start something and blooms when you keep doing it.”– Michael Bassey Johnson
•  “Do not go by my humble beginnings. Be wary of my enormous vision.”– Manoj Arora
•  “Blessed are those who see beautiful things in humble places where other people see nothing.”– Unknown
• “Every big castle was once started with a single block; despise not small beginnings. A little step taken every day builds up the hope of greater accomplishments. Do something every day!” –Israelmore Ayivor
•  “From humble beginnings comes great things.” Unknown
• “God always gives a great blessings to humble beginnings than to those that start with the chiming of bells” – Vincent de Paul 
•  “At first, he is stunned if the accession is sudden and is humble and grateful. Then he begins to speak a little louder, people think him more sensible, and soon he thinks so.” – Richard Cecil
• “Humble beginnings always lead to bigger endings. Don’t despise a small beginning. That is only where you start!” –Lodewyk W Goose
• “I will never forget my humble beginnings as a laker girl. It was probably one of the most fun jobs I ever had” – Paula Abdul 
•  “To be an achiever doesn’t mean to achieve only big things. Every small achievement counts big time. Never despise small beginnings.” –Euginia Herlihy
•  “Never despise small beginnings, and don’t belittle your own accomplishments. Remember them and use them as inspiration as you go on to the next thing. When you venture outside your comfort zone, wherever the starting point may be, it’s a big deal.” –Chris Guillebeau
• “Even the mightiest oak tree was once a tiny acorn.” – Unknown
• “Great journeys start with a single step.” – Lao Tzu
• “From small sparks, great fires grow.” – Dante Alighieri
• “Every skyscraper was once a hole in the ground.” – Unknown
• “Besides God, there is no glory above coming from humble beginnings, from sleeping under a porous grass thatched mud hut to rising above and beyond tabernacles of greatness” –Thabo Katlholo
• “Anything great and sustainable in life, if you examine it carefully, it has a humble and obscure beginning” –Dr. Lucas D. Shallua
• “A river begins as a single drop of water.” – Unknown
• “The challenge of life is to change the circumstances of our birth into more personal and enjoyable ones and thenceforth to proceed into contented waning” –Stewart Stafford
• “Rome has grown since its humble beginnings that it is now overwhelmed by its own greatness.” Livy
• “The first chapter of every success story is written with humility.” – Unknown
• “One could come from less than humble beginnings, to become a winner from within.” Dave Peizer
• “Seeds of today are the harvest of tomorrow.” – Unknown
• “Do not despise little beginnings. It’ll all make sense as you’re staring at an opportunity that you realize the difficult moments merely prepared you for”. –Andrena Sawyer
•  “Be grateful for Humble Beginnings because the Next Level will always require much more of You. Next Level Is Coming; Get Ready.” –Jeanette Coron
• “The most impressive castles were built brick by brick.” – Unknown
•  “In the world of possibilities, beginnings are the seeds of change.” – Unknown
• “If you were not born with a silver spoon, take any spoon, and coat it with silver”. –Michael Bassey Johnson,
• “Humble new beginnings do exist, but to begin, you must be humble. Nothing ever stays the same” –Melody Carstairs
• “I’m a simple man, and grew up in a small town. Came from humble beginnings, no silver spoon.” –Robin S. Sharma
• “A small flame can eventually light up the darkest night.” – Unknown
• “Every masterpiece starts as a mere stroke of a brush.” – Unknown
• “The sun rises unannounced, yet its brilliance captures the sky.” – Unknown
• “The challenge of life is to change the circumstances of our birth into more personal and enjoyable ones and thenceforth to proceed into contentment” –Stewart Stafford
• “Even a single candle can banish the darkness.” – Mahatma Gandhi
• “Every legend has an origin, every star a birth.” – Unknown
• “A diligent hawker today can be a great tycoon tomorrow” – Ernest Agyemang Yeboah
• “Like stars, dreams too are born in the darkness.” – Unknown
• “The tiniest pebble makes the first ripple in a pond.” – Unknown
• “It is when you finally learn that your are all in your mind that your real life begins”.— Brian Tracy
• “Small keys can unlock grand doors.” – Unknown
• “In the work of the greatest geniuses, humble beginnings will reveal themselves somewhere, but one cannot trace the slightest sign of them in Shakespeare … I am not concerned with who wrote the works of Shakespeare … but I can hardly think it was the Stratford boy. Whoever wrote them had an aristocratic attitude” – Charlie Chaplin
• “Life’s greatest achievements often emerge from the smallest of seeds.” – Unknown
• “Small beginnings are the launching pad to great endings” – Joyce Meyer
• “The big, strong, tough guy goes to class, and he keeps getting tapped by the skinny, technical guy. It begins to change him. It makes him humble. That’s what Jiu Jitsu does to you. It makes you humble” –Relson Gracie
• “You can’t go back and change the beginning, but you can start where you are and change the ending” – CS Lewis 
• “The most important thing in art is The Frame. For painting: literally; for other arts: figuratively – because without this humble appliance, you can’t know where The Art stops and The Real World begins” – Frank Zappa
• “In the work of the greatest geniuses, humble beginnings will reveal themselves somewhere, but one cannot trace the slightest sign of them in Shakespeare … I am not concerned with who wrote the works of Shakespeare … but I can hardly think it was the Stratford boy. Whoever wrote them had an aristocratic attitude” – Charlie Chaplin
• “Small beginnings are the launching pad to great endings” –Joyce Meyer
• “It is the repetition of affirmations that leads to belief. And once that belief becomes a deep conviction, things begin to happen” –Muhammad Ali

Conclusion

I hope this article”what are the benefits of humble beginnings” has inspired you to go out and pursue your dreams. This is because in doing so you learn a lot from the journey and emerged a better person armed with the necessary skills and qualities to hold your own in a world that is ever searching for people to make it a better place for us all.

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