Humility

 Most people do not know the name Doug Polk. At one time, Doug was considered the best heads-up no-limit Texas hold’em player in the world. Heads-up no-limit Texas hold’em is a card game, and at the highest levels, the stakes involve hundreds of thousands of dollars.

One day, Doug found himself at the poker table, bored, disinterested and just not wanting to be there. He decided to retire from poker and invest his time in his other business interests.

Fast-forward two years, and Doug decided to return in one of the biggest challenge matches in poker history. His supporters were betting on him based on his history as the best no-limit hold’em player in the world.

Doug, however, realized that the game had changed tremendously. He would have to relearn the game that he once had mastered. He was betting on his ability to work hard and learn. He immediately sought out the best players in the world to help coach him, and he put together a team that would allow him to gain the knowledge he needed to win the match. Humility (more here) and confidence are a great combination. It allows us to have confidence in our strengths but also be aware of our weaknesses—the confidence to make decisions as well as the humility to examine those decisions and realize that many of them are wrong.

What can we learn from Doug’s experience? No matter how successful you are, be open-minded to different viewpoints. Surround yourself with colleagues and peers who will challenge your beliefs. Ask yourself, do I question my own opinions and beliefs? Do I value opinions that are different than mine? Do I like finding information that is different than what I think? Your confidence should be more in your ability to learn than in the decisions you make.

Doug went on to win more than $1 million in the challenge. The combination of humility and confidence certainly paid off.