When was the last time you bragged about yourself? Like, really, truly bragged. If it hasn’t been recently, I’d say give it a shot.
It might seem second-nature to many people—to unabashedly and genuinely brag a little about all the great things that you do. Perhaps that’s because we are taught from a young age the importance of being humble. But at the American Society of Travel Advisor’s Caribbean Showcase, held at the Sandals Royal Curaçao in late August, keynote speaker Erik Dominguez shared that it’s possible to be humble while still being able to brag about yourself.
While being humble today typically means having or showing a modest or low estimate of one’s importance, the word derives from Latin’s humus, meaning “earth.” So, being humble can also be interpreted as being “grounded.” Dominguez gives the example of “the most majestic, largest tree you can picture. That tree is deeply, deeply rooted. It is not moving. It is sturdy, stable. And most importantly: That tree is not hiding.” In other words: “Humility is not hiding.”
Dominguez adds that, unfortunately, many of us hide that which makes us great. “We hold back our skills and talents; we don’t say what we want to say out of fear—and that is 100 percent natural. But there has to come a time when we step into the discomfort of acknowledging ourselves.”
It’s important to note, however, that this does not mean “be arrogant,” which bragging is almost always synonymous with. Arrogance comes out of fear, says Dominguez, and it’s often done not out of service for others but for just that person. Arrogance is putting someone else down; bragging is lifting yourself up. There’s a subtle but distinct difference.
If you’re still having trouble even thinking about bragging about yourself, consider this: If I were to go up to someone who knows you nearly as well as you do—a partner, a child, a best friend, whoever—and asked them to tell me all about you in one minute, what would they say? They could probably go on for more than a minute about all of your positive attributes. Could you talk uninterrupted for even just 60 seconds about all the great things you do, without exaggerating, discounting yourself or comparing your feats to other people’s?
As luxury travel advisors, you possess tremendous skills and talents and have long lists of incredible accomplishments that you’ve achieved for your clients. Be proud of that. Brag about it—and not just internally, but out loud to others. Be it your close circle, your business partner or colleagues, or your clients. Let them know about all the great things you have, and can, accomplish. Give suppliers and potential clients a reason to work with you.
Dominguez says that by learning to brag in this way, you can build your confidence because, as he puts it, confidence and comfort cannot coexist. “In order to gain confidence, we must step out of our comfort zones. In order to be who we naturally are, we must actually go against what we feel we are limited by.”
Give it a try. Be humble; brag a little.
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