It’s OK To Brag. “Aw, Shucks, Little Ol’ Me” Doesn’t Inspired Confidence

Yesterday I told my daughter that she was beautiful. As a father I may be a bit biased on that, and I can accept that. But it doesn’t diminish the fact that she is beautiful by standards other than mine. Yet she doesn’t take a compliment well, and I think that is a problem with a lot of people, me included.

Somehow the rules of our society make it almost a crime to say that something you did is praise worthy. That is a load of bologna. (To people not familiar with that phrase, it’s a polite way of saying it is BS) It’s OK to be proud and to speak of your accomplishments. It’s not OK to run them in someone’s face or to talk about them as a way of hogging the spotlight or putting other people down, but you worked hard to accomplish the things that you have done and it is just fine to claim them as your own.

I graduated from college with a 3.92 grade point average. It was a lot of work to maintain that average and I bypassed many opportunities of a social nature to make sure my work got done and that my papers and tests deserved the scores that they got. I am proud of that work and won’t hide it, but some people don’t even want to admit they went to college when they get into a certain atmosphere. “Oh, you’re a college boy, are you?” was a line of derision on an old TV show I used to watch and that attitude still pervades the manufacturing community to some extent. Hard core blue collar workers (my co-workers at one point) would deride me for taking classes at night. I was somehow sucking up to the bosses by trying to better myself. I never understood that attitude.

Although I have used my personal experiences as examples here, this isn’t about me. It’s about being able to take pride in a job well done and being able to say “Yes, that was me.” You worked hard to get where you are and it’s OK to brag. Not an “in your face” brag, but a standing tall brag. You don’t go into an interview and tell a potential client or employer how unworthy you are so don’t go into the world like that. Hold you head up and be proud of your accomplishments and yourself.

Next time you get a compliment don’t shrug it off; thank the person and take the compliment to heart. Don’t deflect it by returning a compliment, just relax and enjoy the glow it gives you. Use your gifts to make the world a better place and enjoy your place in it. You are a gift to the world and never ever forget that.

Oh, also working on a new website - Britt-Marketing go check it out. Thanks