Humility --> Excellence? Yes!

Before reading Henry B. Eyring's speech, "A Child of God," I had never really considered the connection between humility and educational excellence.

In his speech, he posits that great learners:

1. Welcome correction,
2. Keep commitments,
3. Work hard,
4. Help other people, and
5. Expect and overcome resistance. 

He writes that knowing who we are - children of God - will lead to feelings of humility, which will in turn give us the power to become excellent learners.

Each of his suggested habits requires humility to implement into real life:

• It takes humility enough to take criticism without feeling cut down; welcoming correction takes humility and self-knowledge above and beyond what's normally expected.
• If we know that we are children of God, progressing to become more like Him, we will make it a priority to keep our commitments, since He does so perfectly. 
• If we know that we aren't perfect, but also that we are children of the most Intelligent Being in the universe, we will work hard further our education. 
• We will help other people, knowing that they are also children of our Heavenly Father. We will have the humility to realize that they have something to offer us as well. 
• We will know that we will experience difficulties, yet none we can't overcome. 

He concludes with this promise:

The way to grow in the faith that we are the children of our Heavenly Father is to act like it. The time to start is now. And if we act upon it, we will be blessed with a humility that gives us the power to learn and the power to serve and the power to rise up to the privileges that God wants to grant us. 

So, that's what I will do. :)