Modesty seldom resides in a breast that is not enriched with nobler virtues.

Genuine modesty is rarely a quality on its own. It usually turns up in people who hold a demanding standard and can see how far short of it they fall, which is only possible if they understand the subject well. That is why the most accomplished people in a field are often the most careful about what they claim.

If you want to be more modest, do not practise self-deprecation. Get closer to the top of what you do, where the gap between your work and the best work becomes obvious. Accurate self-assessment does the job that performance never quite manages.