--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: The really tough thing about humility is…" description: "\"The really tough thing about humility is you can't brag about it.\" — Gene Brown" image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/0df/gene-brown-35975_brag_the-really-tough-thing-about-humility-is_208778.jpg" --- # The really tough thing about humility is you can't brag… ![“The really tough thing about humility is you can't brag about it.” quote by Gene Brown](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/0df/gene-brown-35975_brag_the-really-tough-thing-about-humility-is_208778.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/0df/gene-brown-35975_brag_the-really-tough-thing-about-humility-is_208778.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/0df/gene-brown-35975_brag_the-really-tough-thing-about-humility-is_208778.jpg) > “The really tough thing about humility is you can't brag about it.” [Gene Brown](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gene-brown/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. Humility is paradoxical because it cannot be self‑promoted; true modesty is invisible to the boastful. **In simple terms:** Humility can't be bragged about. Key Takeaway Embrace humility without seeking praise. Themes humility self‑awareness integrity Mood reflective inspirational thoughtful Type philosophical motivational When to use this quote - personal growth - leadership - team dynamics - public speaking Key Concepts paradox self‑presentation psychology Questions to Reflect On - How can we recognize humility in others? - What practices nurture genuine modesty? A Different Perspective People may mistake silence for lack of confidence. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Humility](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/humility/) [Toughness](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/toughness/) ## Related quotes > [A grown man, weeping, is a tough thing to see.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dick-cavett/a-grown-man-weeping-is-a-tough-thing-to-see/) [Dick Cavett](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dick-cavett/) > [Having to go back to doing something I don't like and am not passionate about would be a tough thing.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kip-moore/having-to-go-back-to-doing-something-i-don-t-like-and-am-not/) [Kip Moore](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kip-moore/) > [ The tough thing is figuring out what questions to ask, but \[…\] once you do that, the rest is really easy. ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/elon-musk/the-tough-thing-is-figuring-out-what-questions-to-ask-but-once-you-do/) [Elon Musk](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/elon-musk/) > [It's a tough thing-you get in a situation where you feel you have to be perfect all the time and it sucks.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/leonardo-dicaprio/it-s-a-tough-thing-you-get-in-a-situation-where-you-feel-you-have-to/) [Leonardo DiCaprio](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/leonardo-dicaprio/) > [The tough thing about adulthood is it starts before you even know it starts.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/robert-redford/the-tough-thing-about-adulthood-is-it-starts-before-you-even-know-it/) [Robert Redford](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/robert-redford/) > [I'm fearful when I push myself. It's a tough thing to do, but you need to acknowledge that you have what it takes to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gretchen-bleiler/i-m-fearful-when-i-push-myself-it-s-a-tough-thing-to-do-but-you-need/) [Gretchen Bleiler](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gretchen-bleiler/) > [Divorce is divorce and it's a really tough thing to go through, (But) I'd love to get married again.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nicole-kidman/divorce-is-divorce-and-it-s-a-really-tough-thing-to-go-through-but-i/) [Nicole Kidman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nicole-kidman/) > [“Some things in life can seem really tough...There are things that seem like a mountain and you can't find a way round it, yet…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lisa-heathfield/some-things-in-life-can-seem-really-tough-there-are-things-that-seem/) Lisa Heathfield > [“He points out that one of the really tough things is figuring out what questions to ask,”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ashlee-vance/he-points-out-that-one-of-the-really-tough-things-is-figuring-out/) [Ashlee Vance](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ashlee-vance/) > [Should you ask me what is the first thing in religion, I should reply that the first, second, and third thing therein is humility.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/saint-augustine/should-you-ask-me-what-is-the-first-thing-in-religion-i-should-reply/) [Saint Augustine](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/saint-augustine/) > [Generally speaking, ego isn't a good thing. Humility is the most important quality in a human being.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-barnes/generally-speaking-ego-isn-t-a-good-thing-humility-is-the-most/) [John Barnes](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-barnes/) > [“Therefore the sage holds in his embrace the one thing (of humility), and manifests it to all the world.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lao-tzu/therefore-the-sage-holds-in-his-embrace-the-one-thing-of-humility-and/) [Lao Tzu](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lao-tzu/) > [In the mercy of God, the little thing done with humility will enable us to be found in the same place as the saints…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dorotheus-of-gaza/in-the-mercy-of-god-the-little-thing-done-with-humility-will-enable/) [Dorotheus of Gaza](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dorotheus-of-gaza/) > [Humility is a do thing, not a feel thing. Humility is an action, not a style.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/james-macdonald/humility-is-a-do-thing-not-a-feel-thing-humility-is-an-action-not-a/) [James MacDonald](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/james-macdonald/) > [The annoying thing about being modest is that you can't brag about it.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gene-brown/the-annoying-thing-about-being-modest-is-that-you-can-t-brag-about-it/) [Gene Brown](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gene-brown/) ## More by Gene Brown > [Foolproof systems to not take into account the ingenuity of fools.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gene-brown/foolproof-systems-to-not-take-into-account-the-ingenuity-of-fools/) [Gene Brown](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gene-brown/) > [“One good thing about being young is that you are not experienced enough to know you cannot possibly do the things you are doing.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gene-brown/one-good-thing-about-being-young-is-that-you-are-not-experienced/) [Gene Brown](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gene-brown/) > [If there were any justice in this world, people would occasionally be permitted to fly over pigeons.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gene-brown/if-there-were-any-justice-in-this-world-people-would-occasionally-be/) [Gene Brown](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gene-brown/) > [One good thing about being young is that you're not experienced enough to know what can't be done.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gene-brown/one-good-thing-about-being-young-is-that-you-re-not-experienced/) [Gene Brown](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gene-brown/) > [The annoying thing about being modest is that you can't brag about it.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gene-brown/the-annoying-thing-about-being-modest-is-that-you-can-t-brag-about-it/) [Gene Brown](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gene-brown/) > [Accept good advice gracefully - as long as it doesn't interfere with what you intended to do in the first place.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gene-brown/accept-good-advice-gracefully-as-long-as-it-doesn-t-interfere-with/) [Gene Brown](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gene-brown/) > [The toughest thing about raising kids is convincing them that you have seniority.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gene-brown/the-toughest-thing-about-raising-kids-is-convincing-them-that-you/) [Gene Brown](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gene-brown/) > [Foolproof systems don't take into account the ingenuity of fools](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gene-brown/foolproof-systems-don-t-take-into-account-the-ingenuity-of-fools/) [Gene Brown](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gene-brown/) > [The bridges that you cross before you come to them are over rivers that aren't there.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gene-brown/the-bridges-that-you-cross-before-you-come-to-them-are-over-rivers/) [Gene Brown](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gene-brown/) > [The trouble with making intelligent suggestions is that you're apt to be appointed to carry them out.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gene-brown/the-trouble-with-making-intelligent-suggestions-is-that-you-re-apt-to/) [Gene Brown](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gene-brown/) > [The key to getting ahead is setting aside 8 hours a day for work and 8 hours a day for sleep - and making…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gene-brown/the-key-to-getting-ahead-is-setting-aside-8-hours-a-day-for-work-and/) [Gene Brown](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gene-brown/) > [“The bridges you cross before you come to them are over rivers that aren't there.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gene-brown/the-bridges-you-cross-before-you-come-to-them-are-over-rivers-that/) [Gene Brown](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gene-brown/) [Explore all 13 Gene Brown quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gene-brown/) ## More Brag quotes > [“Those who had nothing substantial to brag about bragged the loudest. Stay silent and ignore the chattering crowd - this was proof you had…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/r-f-kuang/those-who-had-nothing-substantial-to-brag-about-bragged-the-loudest/) [R.F. Kuang](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/r-f-kuang/) > [Don't eat with someone that's going to brag about feeding you.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/don-t-eat-with-someone-that-s-going-to-brag-about-feeding-you/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [For God hates utterly the bray of bragging tongues.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sophocles/for-god-hates-utterly-the-bray-of-bragging-tongues/) [Sophocles](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sophocles/) > [People love to hear the brag of the local boy, because they want him to be great, but the foreigner must deny that he…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/orson-scott-card/people-love-to-hear-the-brag-of-the-local-boy-because-they-want-him/) [Orson Scott Card](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/orson-scott-card/) > [Obama's gonna play Santa Claus with the minimum wage. He's got no successes to brag about. He cannot talk about a robust job market.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rush-limbaugh/obama-s-gonna-play-santa-claus-with-the-minimum-wage-he-s-got-no/) [Rush Limbaugh](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rush-limbaugh/) > [I'm not one of those actors who romanticizes his trials working out and brags that he can bench press a panda now.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ryan-reynolds/i-m-not-one-of-those-actors-who-romanticizes-his-trials-working-out/) [Ryan Reynolds](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ryan-reynolds/) > [We have the most expensive compliance system in the world. The IRS brags that they spend 35 cents for every $100 they collect. They're…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/t-r-reid/we-have-the-most-expensive-compliance-system-in-the-world-the-irs/) [T.R. Reid](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/t-r-reid/) > [I don't mean to brag, but I'm kind of a big deal, if you know what I mean.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ariana/i-don-t-mean-to-brag-but-i-m-kind-of-a-big-deal-if-you-know-what-i/) [Ariana](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ariana/) > [Depending on who it is, but I can't stand men who brag about themselves, and all they do all day is talk about themselves.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/joanna-krupa/depending-on-who-it-is-but-i-can-t-stand-men-who-brag-about/) [Joanna Krupa](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/joanna-krupa/) > [Humble yourself and people will respect you more for that then anything you brag about.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/humble-yourself-and-people-will-respect-you-more-for-that-then/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [I don't wish to brag, but I'm very intelligent.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-hodgman/i-don-t-wish-to-brag-but-i-m-very-intelligent/) [John Hodgman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-hodgman/) > [Sometimes, I get so annoyed when other people brag. And sometimes, I know that I'm better than that or I've got something better in…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/erika-christensen/sometimes-i-get-so-annoyed-when-other-people-brag-and-sometimes-i/) [Erika Christensen](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/erika-christensen/) > [“All's well that ends well.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/all-s-well-that-ends-well/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [I can't catch her by copying her, I can't draw her with a borrowed stencil. She is all the things a lover should be…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jeanette-winterson/i-can-t-catch-her-by-copying-her-i-can-t-draw-her-with-a-borrowed/) [Jeanette Winterson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jeanette-winterson/) > [“Bear in mind then, that Brag is a good dog, but Holdfast is a better.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/charles-dickens/bear-in-mind-then-that-brag-is-a-good-dog-but-holdfast-is-a-better/) [Charles Dickens](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/charles-dickens/) Browse all 241 Brag quotes ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "The really tough thing about humility is you can't brag about it.", "creator": { "@type": "Person", "name": "Gene Brown" }, "isPartOf": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website" }, "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gene-brown/the-really-tough-thing-about-humility-is-you-can-t-brag-about-it/", "about": { "@type": "Thing", "name": "Brag" }, "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gene-brown/the-really-tough-thing-about-humility-is-you-can-t-brag-about-it/#quotation", "image": { "@type": "ImageObject", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/0df/gene-brown-35975_brag_the-really-tough-thing-about-humility-is_208778.jpg", "contentUrl": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/0df/gene-brown-35975_brag_the-really-tough-thing-about-humility-is_208778.jpg", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/0df/gene-brown-35975_brag_the-really-tough-thing-about-humility-is_208778.jpg", "width": 1080, "height": 1080, "caption": "“The really tough thing about humility is you can't brag about it.” — Gene Brown", "creditText": "SMS4Smile Quotes", "creator": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#organization" } } }, { "@type": "BreadcrumbList", "itemListElement": [ { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 1, "name": "Home", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 2, "name": "Quotes", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 3, "name": "Gene Brown", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gene-brown/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 4, "name": "The really tough thing about humility...", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gene-brown/the-really-tough-thing-about-humility-is-you-can-t-brag-about-it/" } ], "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gene-brown/the-really-tough-thing-about-humility-is-you-can-t-brag-about-it/#breadcrumb" }, { "@type": "WebSite", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website", "name": "SMS4Smile Quotes", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/", "publisher": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#organization" } }, { "@type": "Organization", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#organization", "name": "SMS4Smile Quotes", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/", "logo": { "@type": "ImageObject", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/wp-content/themes/sq/assets/icons/icon-512.png", "width": 512, "height": 512 } } ] } ```