4 ms·

Why do you think this correlation between top-tier skill and humility exists?

abcc8 6y ago
It may be that those who would trash talk or incessantly complain aren't focusing as much on how they can improve their performance?
dvt 6y ago
I think that those highly skilled communities tend to be very small and very tight-knit. So there's quite a bit of self-selection that happens: no one wants to train with someone that constantly talks trash or complains.
deleted 6y ago
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toss1 6y ago
I'd say there's several factors working in the same direction At the very top levels, everyone has very close to the same level of preparation in terms of physical training, equipment, and mental preparation. A lot of the result comes down to your mental edge on a particular day, and some luck. The mental edge is the most fickle and difficult part of the skill set, yet it is virtually everything at the top. So, everyone recognizes that they may have an on or an off day. Recognition that just in general, a position at the top is fragile, and it is not about your previous result, but your next result, which is uncertain. Recognition that your competitors are also extremely good and prepared, and respect for them also leads to humility. Then, even if they've got multiple world championship seasons under their belt, they see the context of the other greats in their sport (or similar in their field). The post-qualifying and post-race interviews in Formula 1 auto racing often provide great examples. The top qualifiers will almost always say something like: "we qualified well, we think we're prepared, and hope for a good result tomorrow.". And after winning the race, it's about the team effort and the way things fell into place to make the win. I can't recall hearing anything resembling trash-talk in that environment.
boring_twenties 6y ago
Is it even possible to achieve top-tier skill without humility? To improve in the skill, you first need to know and accept that there is an improvement to be had, i.e. that you haven't already mastered it.

It may be that those who would trash talk or incessantly complain aren't focusing as much on how they can improve their performance?

dvt 6y ago

I think that those highly skilled communities tend to be very small and very tight-knit. So there's quite a bit of self-selection that happens: no one wants to train with someone that constantly talks trash or complains.

deleted 6y ago

[deleted]

toss1 6y ago

I'd say there's several factors working in the same direction At the very top levels, everyone has very close to the same level of preparation in terms of physical training, equipment, and mental preparation. A lot of the result comes down to your mental edge on a particular day, and some luck. The mental edge is the most fickle and difficult part of the skill set, yet it is virtually everything at the top. So, everyone recognizes that they may have an on or an off day. Recognition that just in general, a position at the top is fragile, and it is not about your previous result, but your next result, which is uncertain. Recognition that your competitors are also extremely good and prepared, and respect for them also leads to humility. Then, even if they've got multiple world championship seasons under their belt, they see the context of the other greats in their sport (or similar in their field). The post-qualifying and post-race interviews in Formula 1 auto racing often provide great examples. The top qualifiers will almost always say something like: "we qualified well, we think we're prepared, and hope for a good result tomorrow.". And after winning the race, it's about the team effort and the way things fell into place to make the win. I can't recall hearing anything resembling trash-talk in that environment.

boring_twenties 6y ago

Is it even possible to achieve top-tier skill without humility? To improve in the skill, you first need to know and accept that there is an improvement to be had, i.e. that you haven't already mastered it.