BRAGGING
“never praise yourself. get others to do it. compliment first.”
The Lesson
You want the utility of bragging (people knowing your abilities) without being 'that person.' What doesn't work: direct self-praise, casual mentions ('learned that winning my gold medal'), humble brags, exaggeration. All obvious and off-putting. What works: (1) Get others to talk. Find a friend/wingman who knows your abilities and will mention them. (2) Be good in public. Do something visible where people naturally discover your skill. (3) Compliment first. Give a genuine compliment and often one comes back. (4) Make it your job. Like Trump or any creator, promoting your work is part of the job, not personal bragging.
Real-World Example
A founder wants investors to know about their previous exit. Wrong: 'When I sold my last company for $50M...' Right: Bring a co-founder to the meeting who naturally mentions it. Or write a blog post about lessons from the exit (it's content, not bragging). Or compliment the investor's portfolio company. They might ask about your background in return.
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