"Those placed in the position which I now occupy, commonly feel concern about their worthiness to receive the great honour which has been done them"
- Cecil Frank Powell
About this Quote
This quote by Cecil Frank Powell talks to the sensation of humility and insecurity that frequently accompanies great honours. Powell is likely referring to his own experience of being positioned in a position of excellent duty and recognition, and the feelings of insufficiency that come with it. He acknowledges that those in his position typically feel issue about their worthiness to get the honour, recommending that it is a common experience. This quote talks to the idea that even when we are acknowledged for our accomplishments, we can still feel unworthy of the acknowledgment. It is a reminder that even when we succeed, we can still feel insecure and uncertain. Powell's words are a suggestion to be kind to ourselves and to recognize our own worth, even when we feel like we do not deserve the acknowledgment we get.
"To be really great in little things, to be truly noble and heroic in the insipid details of everyday life, is a virtue so rare as to be worthy of canonization"
"Having soon discovered to be great, I must appear so, and therefore studiously avoided mixing in society, and wrapped myself in mystery, devoting my time to fasting and prayer"