Brag Your Butt Off Tips :: Much Ado About You – a Service of Collective Discovery, Inc.

Doing your best work — always.
- Deliver stellar work to have something significant to brag about.
Highlighting only your top accomplishments and achievements.
- Don’t highlight everything. Even when you want to.
Focusing on contributions, not accomplishments.
- How are you making a difference? What failures have you overcome that can help others?
Making it useful.
- Share value learned while accomplishing your goal.
Keeping the story short.
- If they want more information, they’ll ask.
Sticking to the facts.
- People can make their own conclusions about how great you are, based on your results.

Asking “Do I need to be the one to share this?”
- Will this be more effective if shared by someone else?
Asking “Do I really need to share this right now?”
- Not everything needs to be shared the moment it happens. Can you wait a bit?
Realizing it’s OK to hold back for a short while.
- Why not bask in the attention of a just-shared win before sharing something new?
Connecting with others before bragging.
- Make a connection, build rapport, and the conversation will present an opportunity.
Not highlighting the same accomplishment too often.
- Repetition doesn’t make it more impressive.

Practicing your story.
- Get used to talking about your achievements out loud.
Leading the witness, and not sharing the entire story unless they show interest.
- Drop a hint about your accomplishment. Does the other person express interest?
Not bragging without a good entry into the conversation.
- If someone asks, offer a small brag. Don’t proceed when the conversation isn’t heading that way.
Planning for a transition.
- After sharing your story, ask a question to pivot the focus back to the other person.
Letting the other person go first.
- Even if someone else talks first, you’ll still get your chance.
Talking only as long as your conversation partner.
- Note how long they talk about their work or accomplishment. Don’t talk any longer than they did.

Showing gratitude.
- Express thanks for an exciting opportunity. Name names. Give public thanks.
Giving credit whenever you can.
- Was your success due to someone else’s referral, suggestion, nomination, or encouragement?
sharing via the words of others.
- Let others do the talking. Share thank-you notes, emails, testimonials, reviews, or comments.
Highlighting others deserving attention.
- If you receive recognition from an organization, can you highlight their value and accomplishments?
Sharing your friends’ accomplishments.
- The win is shared, the accomplished person isn’t bragging, you’re the hero celebrating your friend!
Bragging about your clients.
- Be genuinely happy for others. Even if you had a part in their success, don’t mention it.

Making it fun.
- Use jokes, stories, and photos. Get your readers laughing with you.
Using metaphors or unusual framing to make your story memorable.
- I compare my writing services to baking cookies. What’s your unique framing?
Talking about feedback instead of the action prompting feedback.
- Feedback can be more engaging than your action to elicit it!

Showing humility.
- Explain how you got there via hard work, effort, commitment, and follow-through.
Being wary of the humblebrag.
- No one is fooled by bragging masquerading as a complaint or humility.
Sprinkling in a little self-deprecation.
- Sometimes it’s OK to say “well, it’s not really that big of a deal…”
Thinking twice before name-dropping.
- Will it add relevance to your accomplishment, or look smug and self-serving?
Not comparing yourself to others.
- If you won, don’t point out how far ahead of the other competitors you were.
Avoiding downplaying your accomplishments or credentials.
- Constantly downplaying your success backfires if people think you’re hiding something.
Not starting off with “I hate to brag, but…”
- This says you know it’s bragging, but you’re saying it anyway.

Tracking your achievements.
- You don’t need a fancy system, just keep a list.
Having bite-sized brags ready to go.
- Be prepared to quickly and casually mention accomplishments.
Preparing your big story brags for key moments.
- Have your shiniest, most impactful stories prepped and ready to impress at the right moment.
Working up bite-sized brags AND big story brags for the same accomplishment.
- Bite-sized brag: “I’ve written 100 articles.” Big story brag: “Writing 100 articles taught me…”
Documenting numerical proof.
- Know your proof numbers and milestones.

Keep a list of the brags ready to share: