How Can You Be Fully Yourself Without Being Full Of Yourself?

Seeing someone with a huge ego usually repels us. Our parents told us to be modest and humble, so that we don’t appear arrogant. Is there a middle ground where we don’t need to under-play ourselves, where we can show up with all we have without people seeing us as show-offs?

I think there is a way, and I call it the “humble truth”.

• Be authentic. Be who you are – excited, irritated, interested, bored, inspired, or sad. Whatever it is that you feel, own it and be ready to share it with others if they are interested. Do not try to play the part of someone you are not.
  
• Connect and give credit. Find what you have in common with people around you and build on that common interest. Tell them what you value about them, but only if it’s true for you.

• Be open and curious. You don’t know what you don’t know. Be willing to learn from others, listen to people with opinions that differ from yours. Stop and think, give up the idea that you are right, that you know it all.
  
• Share good and bad. As much as sharing what you are proud of, acknowledge where you aren’t your best, where you struggle. That makes us human. Be vulnerable and give yourself some credit too.

Talking about how awesome you are and how people somehow don’t seem to see your talent, trying to impress someone and talking only about your accomplishments, that’s bragging.
Saying that you are “just” this or that, that you were lucky to get where you are, or trying to appear interested when you’re not is not going to serve you either.

Here is an example of a "humble truth" e-mail:

“Since I remember, I’ve always been passionate about planes. As a kid, I would read all there was about their engines, countries they were made, stories about how they were used [authentic]. It seems like we have that passion in common [connect]. As a fan on your blog, I really value your expertise in this area. I would really appreciate your thoughts [open and curious] about the opportunities in this industry [authentic] for people like me, with a strong engineering background, years of experience in marketing and sales, and a go-to person about aviation in my network of friends, and colleagues [sharing the goods]. I feel I could do great things [authentic]! I’m just not sure what direction to go [vulnerable]. Would you be interested to discuss [open and curious]… ”

There is no one just like you.
It would be a shame not to offer the world the whole YOU.