When opportunities come easily and without much effort, something unexpected often occurs: a person begins to take his achievements for granted, losing the sense of true modesty.

The Burden of Abundant Gifts

When opportunities come easily and without much effort, something unexpected often occurs: a person begins to take his achievements for granted, losing the sense of true modesty. At the beginning of one’s journey, having material resources, talents, or even physical attractiveness is seen as a gift of fate. But over time, the surplus of bestowed opportunities begins to weigh on the individual, triggering an inner struggle between the desire to enjoy life and the need to maintain moderation.

The abundance of blessings turns into a source of constant worry and insecurity—it is hard to find shelter from them, as each new gift makes life more complicated. The ease with which various advantages are obtained gradually weakens the natural sense of moderation, leading one to display excessive self-confidence and to forget the importance of internal critical judgment. This very “impudence” causes the accumulated opportunities to become a burden, changing one’s attitude toward personal achievements and abilities.

In conclusion, overly abundant opportunities often become a source of inner tension, robbing a person of harmony and self-sufficiency. True wealth lies in skillfully managing what we have and in the ability to appreciate even the simplest gifts, while maintaining a balance between external abundance and internal restraint.

Why, in conditions of widespread access to free opportunities, do people sometimes lose their sense of modesty?

When a person is presented with opportunities at little to no cost, he can start to take them for granted, which in turn leads to a loss of his usual sense of modesty. The abundance of granted blessings—be they material resources, talents, or physical attractiveness—creates a kind of burden that makes one forget the need for inner restraint. As one source puts it, “when a person has any sort of possession, whether material or soulful, it begins to torment him,” and the more one accumulates—money, talents, beauty—the harder life becomes, as it is nearly impossible to escape the constant worries and demands (source: link txt, page: 2112).

Another source emphasizes that an excess of gifted resources leads a person to “acquire everything and become a slave,” subtly undermining the natural sense of moderation and modesty that is essential for true human self-sufficiency (source: link txt, page: 127). Additionally, another excerpt expresses astonishment at such “impudence”: “What impudence do you have, man, to say: this one is bad, that one is such?” – reflecting the change in the person’s consciousness when surrounded by free opportunities, which leads him to display traits of excessive self-assurance and forget the need for inner criticality and humility (source: link txt, page: 2702).

Thus, free access to a wide array of opportunities often causes a person to take his achievements and gifts for granted. This change in one’s relationship with his own abilities and accomplishments fosters a sense of ease and unrestrained behavior, wherein modesty is lost amid a turbulent abundance.

Supporting citation(s):
“It really is so. When a person has any sort of possession, whether material or soulful, it begins to torment him. For example, a very intelligent person always needs nourishment for his mind. Or a very musical person requires sustenance for his musicality; otherwise, it will lie idle. And the more a person has in any form—money, talents, beauty—the harder life becomes. Imagine two women: one very, very beautiful, and the other very, very unattractive. Who has it easier? Of course, the unattractive one does—she has neither worries nor troubles.” (source: link txt, page: 2112)

“What impudence do you have, man, to say: this one is bad, that one is such? Would it not be better to tend to your own affairs? Look at yourself in the mirror: who are you? Our mirror is the Gospels...” (source: link txt, page: 2702)