---
title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: Humility leads to strength and not to…"
description: "\"Humility leads to strength and not to weakness. It is the highest form of self-respect to admit mistakes and to make amends for them.\" — John J. McCloy"
image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/42a/john-j-mccloy-63691_amends_humility-leads-to-strength-and-not-to-we_1051503.png"
---

#  Humility leads to strength and not to weakness. It is the…

![“Humility leads to strength and not to weakness. It is the highest form of self-respect to admit mistakes and to make amends for them.” quote by John J. McCloy](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/42a/john-j-mccloy-63691_amends_humility-leads-to-strength-and-not-to-we_1051503.png)   [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/42a/john-j-mccloy-63691_amends_humility-leads-to-strength-and-not-to-we_1051503.png) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/42a/john-j-mccloy-63691_amends_humility-leads-to-strength-and-not-to-we_1051503.png)

> “Humility leads to strength and not to weakness. It is the highest form of self-respect to admit mistakes and to make amends for them.”

[John J. McCloy](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-j-mccloy/)

## About This Quote

This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation.

Humility strengthens character; admitting errors and repairing them builds true self‑respect.

**In simple terms:** Humility creates strength.

Key Takeaway

Embrace mistakes, seek to amend.

Themes

humility strength self‑respect accountability

Mood

inspirational serious

Type

motivational ethical

When to use this quote

- team management
- personal growth
- conflict resolution

Key Concepts

psychology ethics leadership

Questions to Reflect On

- What does humility look like in your daily life?
- How can admitting mistakes improve relationships?

A Different Perspective

Humility may be seen as weakness in competitive cultures.

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[Amends](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/amends/) [Failure](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/failure/) [Humble](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/humble/) [Humility](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/humility/) [Mistake](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/mistake/) [Respect](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/respect/) [Self](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/self/) [Self respect](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/self-respect/) [Weakness](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/weakness/)

## Related quotes

> [Cultivate humility it is the way of connectedness. Beware of false humility it leads to self-righteousness.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/arthur-dobrin/cultivate-humility-it-is-the-way-of-connectedness-beware-of-false/)

[Arthur Dobrin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/arthur-dobrin/)

> [Expecting to be wrong about most things most of the time brings, finally, the kind of humility that leads to peace. I think.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-burdett/expecting-to-be-wrong-about-most-things-most-of-the-time-brings/)

[John Burdett](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-burdett/)

> [Humility leads to the highest distinction, because it leads to self-improvement.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sir-benjamin-collins-brodie-1st-baronet/humility-leads-to-the-highest-distinction-because-it-leads-to-self/)

Sir Benjamin Collins Brodie, 1st Baronet

> [“This is precisely the test of true humility, that one no longer presumes to judge whether or not one is too miserable to be…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/hannah-anderson/this-is-precisely-the-test-of-true-humility-that-one-no-longer/)

[Hannah Anderson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/hannah-anderson/)

> [Be gentle and you can be bold; be frugal and you can be liberal; avoid putting yourself before others and you can become a…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/laozi/be-gentle-and-you-can-be-bold-be-frugal-and-you-can-be-liberal-avoid/)

[Laozi](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/laozi/)

> [A leader is best when people barely know that he exists.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/witter-bynner/a-leader-is-best-when-people-barely-know-that-he-exists/)

[Witter Bynner](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/witter-bynner/)

> [Do you wish to rise? Begin by descending.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/saint-augustine/do-you-wish-to-rise-begin-by-descending/)

[Saint Augustine](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/saint-augustine/)

> [True humility is intelligent self-respect which keeps us from thinking too highly or too meanly of ourselves. It makes us mindful of the nobility…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ralph-washington-sockman/true-humility-is-intelligent-self-respect-which-keeps-us-from-2/)

[Ralph Washington Sockman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ralph-washington-sockman/)

> [Fullness of knowledge always and necessarily means some understanding of the depths of our ignorance, and that is always conducive to both humility and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/robert-andrews-millikan/fullness-of-knowledge-always-and-necessarily-means-some-understanding/)

[Robert Andrews Millikan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/robert-andrews-millikan/)

> [It is unwise to be too sure of one's own wisdom.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mahatma-gandhi/it-is-unwise-to-be-too-sure-of-one-s-own-wisdom/)

[Mahatma Gandhi](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mahatma-gandhi/)

> [Learn to admit your mistakes before someone exaggerates the story.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/learn-to-admit-your-mistakes-before-someone-exaggerates-the-story/)

[Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/)

> [Definitely My Realizes works After I Admit Mistakes !](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/chandan-ray/definitely-my-realizes-works-after-i-admit-mistakes/)

[Chandan Ray](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/chandan-ray/)

> [The greatest courage you can have is the courage to admit your mistakes.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/vikrant-parsai/the-greatest-courage-you-can-have-is-the-courage-to-admit-your/)

[Vikrant Parsai](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/vikrant-parsai/)

> [A true leader is the one who is humble enough to admit their mistakes.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/a-true-leader-is-the-one-who-is-humble-enough-to-admit-their-mistakes/)

[Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/)

> [The moment one gives close attention to any thing, even a blade of grass it becomes a mysterious, awesome, indescribably magnificent world in itself.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/shadow/the-moment-one-gives-close-attention-to-any-thing-even-a-blade-of/)

[Shadow](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/shadow/)

## More by John J. McCloy

> [It seems that it is only in the United States that an almost masochistic attack on the position of its own oil companies exists.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-j-mccloy/it-seems-that-it-is-only-in-the-united-states-that-an-almost/)

[John J. McCloy](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-j-mccloy/)

> [rejected both the appropriateness of an apology and of monetary redress.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-j-mccloy/rejected-both-the-appropriateness-of-an-apology-and-of-monetary/)

[John J. McCloy](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-j-mccloy/)

> [Boys go to Washington to be somebody...men go to do something.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-j-mccloy/boys-go-to-washington-to-be-somebody-men-go-to-do-something/)

[John J. McCloy](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-j-mccloy/)

> [I found you could raise your voice and talk out loud in the world.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-j-mccloy/i-found-you-could-raise-your-voice-and-talk-out-loud-in-the-world/)

[John J. McCloy](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-j-mccloy/)

[Explore all 5 John J. McCloy quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-j-mccloy/)

## More Amends quotes

> [I am making amends and seeking forgiveness. My only hope is that some good can come out of my situation.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jayson-blair/i-am-making-amends-and-seeking-forgiveness-my-only-hope-is-that-some/)

[Jayson Blair](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jayson-blair/)

> [Put that pride/stubbornness aside and reach out to someone n make amends.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/put-that-pride-stubbornness-aside-and-reach-out-to-someone-n-make/)

[Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/)

> [We make stupid mistakes when we're young; we do our best to make amends for them as we get older. We survive by learning;…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/allen-steele/we-make-stupid-mistakes-when-we-re-young-we-do-our-best-to-make/)

[Allen Steele](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/allen-steele/)

> [ Sadly, \[Pablo Escobar\] ended up throwing away the one opportunity he had. I naively thought, as a son and as many other Colombians, that… ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/juan-pablo-escobar/sadly-pablo-escobar-ended-up-throwing-away-the-one-opportunity-he-had/)

[Juan Pablo Escobar](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/juan-pablo-escobar/)

> [Forgiveness does not mean that we have to continue to relate to those who have done us harm. In some cases the best practice…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jack-kornfield/forgiveness-does-not-mean-that-we-have-to-continue-to-relate-to-those/)

[Jack Kornfield](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jack-kornfield/)

> [If you did something in 1975 that you deeply regret and that you now can recognize as having been profoundly irresponsible, for example, the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/marianne-williamson/if-you-did-something-in-1975-that-you-deeply-regret-and-that-you-now/)

[Marianne Williamson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/marianne-williamson/)

> [Karma means that all actions have consequences. Grace means that in a moment of atonement -taking responsibility, making amends, asking for forgiveness - all…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/marianne-williamson/karma-means-that-all-actions-have-consequences-grace-means-that-in-a/)

[Marianne Williamson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/marianne-williamson/)

> [“The difference between humility and humiliation is willingness. Ultimately, it's not for them. It's for me.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rob-hart/the-difference-between-humility-and-humiliation-is-willingness/)

Rob Hart

> [Like the Puritans, live in terms of the settled judgement that the joy of heaven will make amends of any losses and crosses, strains…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/joel-beeke/like-the-puritans-live-in-terms-of-the-settled-judgement-that-the-joy/)

[Joel Beeke](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/joel-beeke/)

> [As long as you live, it is never too late to make amends. Take my advice, child. Don't waste your precious life with regrets…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/karen-hesse/as-long-as-you-live-it-is-never-too-late-to-make-amends-take-my/)

[Karen Hesse](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/karen-hesse/)

> [Making amends with some people just for the sake of it is a sign of maturity.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/making-amends-with-some-people-just-for-the-sake-of-it-is-a-sign-of/)

[Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/)

> [I think we are well advised to keep on nodding terms with the people we used to be, whether we find them attractive company…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/joan-didion/i-think-we-are-well-advised-to-keep-on-nodding-terms-with-the-people/)

[Joan Didion](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/joan-didion/)

> [“Not to know that no space of regret can make amends for one life's misused oppurtunities!”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/charles-dickens/not-to-know-that-no-space-of-regret-can-make-amends-for-one-life-s/)

[Charles Dickens](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/charles-dickens/)

> [Let a man do what he will by a single woman, the world is encouragingly apt to think Marriage a sufficient amends.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/samuel-richardson/let-a-man-do-what-he-will-by-a-single-woman-the-world-is/)

[Samuel Richardson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/samuel-richardson/)

> [“The past is the past, and he can't make amends, only hope that the gain will outlast the damage.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/vikram-seth/the-past-is-the-past-and-he-can-t-make-amends-only-hope-that-the-gain/)

[Vikram Seth](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/vikram-seth/)

[Browse all 90 Amends quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/amends/)

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