Humility - American Mussar

Cam Newton's Humility Is His Greatest Strength — Cam Newton Superman SDG Photoshop Graphic by
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I keep hearing that Cam Newton is polarizing. Really? I’ve tried to dig around and see what all the fuss is over. All I can come up with is some theft in college, and dancing after scoring touchdowns. Yes, people are upset because he dances too much on the field. Maybe that and he is a black quarterback at the top of his game. (Read more here). It is clear to me that Cam Newton’s Humility is his greatest strength.

Cam Newton is certainly on top of his game. Soon he will be named league MVP, and his one loss team is a favorite to win the Superbowl. Here are three Soul Traits that contribute to Newton’s success.

Cam Newton’s Humility Is His Greatest Strength

It may surprise you that I bring up Humility in the context of someone who is criticized for excess celebrations. Isn’t Humility about being Humble and self-effacing? Isn’t Newton a bit cocky? In Mussar, Humility is about finding balance between meekness and arrogance.

In his book Everyday Holiness, Alan Morinis offers the following Humility mantra “No more than my place, no less than my space.” What is the proper space for a quarterback to have? This is a leadership position, and Newton’s exuberance is catching, and brings his teammates to higher energy. It takes courage and nerve to let it all hang out the way Newton does. It would be judgmental to call Newton arrogant – he talks about his teammates and not his own greatness. The Torah teaches that Moses was the most humble of men. He accomplished great things, and stood up to authority, but it was never about him. You want a quarterback who can step up, and isn’t afraid to lead. And in that sense, Cam Newton’s Humility is his greatest strength.

Order is essential for a successful quarterback

The great quarterbacks prepare. They study tape of both opposing teams and their own performance. They learn the playbook to become mentally prepared. Newton’s success is a testament to his Order balance. Note that he can’t be too Ordered. Once the foot

ball play ensues, chaos erupts. He needs to be able to adjust and improvise on the fly. Preparation helps, but sometimes you just need to abandon the plan and make the best of what is offered to you.

Enthusiasm governs mindful action

Football is a fast and violent game. In addition to his mental preparation, Cam Newton rigorously prepares his body. He explained “if you have 10 reps to do, do 10 good quality reps. Don’t just do enough to say you did it.” He takes the same approach whether it is the regular season or the offseason. It is easy for any of us to just phone it in when we don’t think anyone is looking. The best in the world, however, focus and give effort every time.

Extreme Spiritual Fitness

One of my students calls Mussar “extreme spiritual fitness” because we exercise only one soul trait at a time. Cam Newton takes a similar approach to his physical fitness, working on one limb at a time. He says this is important because a quarterback has to “take many different roles if asked to.” Isn’t that like life too? We are asked to take on different roles at different times, often with no notice. By strengthening our soul traits individually, we are best positioned to take on our next spiritual challenge.

And remember: Every challenge is a spiritual challenge.

Do you agree that Cam Newton’s Humility is his greatest strength?

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The Soul Trait of Humility is one that many struggle with. It requires finding a balance that lets the ego go without denying your own importance and growth. When families affected by Alport Syndrome came together to advocate for themselves in 2007, their actions and the foundation they created struck a perfectly harmonious Humility chord, and American Mussar is pleased to award them with our Point of Light recognition.

Alport Syndrome is a genetic disorder that ultimately leads to kidney failure, and can also cause impairments to vision and hearing. For years, research into this syndrome was limited and there was a lack of advocacy for the many families suffering from this disease. Thanks to the work of the Alport Syndrome Foundation, this is beginning to change.

Humility teaches us that not every situation is about us, and that we shouldn’t always be seeking credit or recognition for our actions—because there are other people and forces involved in everything we accomplish. At the same time, too much Humility can cause us to endure needless suffering, to accept negative situations instead of working to solve them.

The Alport Syndrome Foundation is made up of families who saw themselves as important enough to fight for, but who do not seek personal aggrandizement or recognition for their actions. They are working to end a terrible disease that directly affects them, but from a spirit of self-worth and appropriate action, not from a stance of either victimhood or arrogance.

Their Humility is a lesson for all trying to get their Soul Traits in balance, and American Mussar is happy to donate to such a worthy cause. If you would like to contribute as well, you can do so here.

#iAMHumility

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