We all think the most interesting story is about ourselves. We, as humans, are self-centered and we think about ourselves a lot. It’s human nature.
The key to talk about yourself without bragging is telling your story in the right way.
One of my favorite books on the topic of bragging is Brag!: The Art of Tooting Your Own Horn without Blowing It by Peggy Klaus, a Fortune 500 communication coach.
Your audience will really listen to you if you show them why you decided the way you did and how those mistakes, learnings, and insights can help them overcame their life and career challenges.
Your story needs to have a touch of your early years, a touch of your current situation, and a touch of your future ambitions. You need to show them how you overcome career and life challenges to be the person you are today.
People get caught up in themselves and don’t take a step back to ask, why should others care?
It’s easy to brag about yourself because you are proud of your achievements or possessions. It’s also easy to downplay your story.
What’s the right way to talk about yourself without bragging?
To pull together a story about yourself, ask these three important questions. Ask them and answer them separately. Then work hard to make sure they all flow together.
What makes your story interesting?
The first part of talking about yourself is to determine what makes your story interesting. The key is to talk about the people who helped you along the way to get you to where you are today. Talk about bosses, mentors, colleagues, friends, and family members who helped you become you.
As you tell your story, make sure you give others credit. You are the company you keep, so it’s a team effort to make you successful. Many people helped you in different parts of your life, during the good times and tough times.
What’s your career story?
Talk about what seemed to be a roadblock in your career that turned into a blessing in disguise.
For example, I was given the pink slip on a Friday afternoon while I was working at a public relations firm in Chicago, but that propelled me to start this blog, Knowledge Enthusiast.
This setback provided me with a springboard for success at my next job.
You could also share something you learned during your career that changed it for the good or talk about a moment that defined you. You can discuss how you learned from a mentor that launched or catapulted your career.
What’s your personal story?
The best career stories are backed by the best personal stories. They are interconnected. For example, what I learn with my blog and writing on Medium has helped me become a better career professional.
Talk about your hobbies and what you do for fun outside of work. Explain about what keeps you motivated every day. Discuss the ways you continue to grow outside work with a self-improvement plan.
Discuss obstacles that you encountered during your life and how you overcame them such as a loved one or friend you may have died or got sick.
Talk about a funny moment that changed the way you think and feel about something. Share something that you learned later in life that you wish you knew earlier in life, such as how to appreciate and recognize the source of goodness in your life.
Bringing it all together
It’s important to connect these three stories into one and wrap them up into an appetizer for your audience. You may not know what to say in the beginning and that’s ok. Take the time to tell the truth about your story.
Everyone has a story to tell and you can talk about yourself without bragging. How you tell your story can make or break you in your personal and professional life.
Don’t come across as bragging but show your audience subtly that you are a success by giving credit to the people that helped you along the way.