No one wants to hear you talk about yourself all day long. Whatever you do, don’t give anyone the impression that you think you’re all that.
Believe everyone has an interesting story to tell
- If you talk about yourself well, you’re creating a deeper connection with someone else
- This is as human as it gets — you are expressing yourself and being acknowledged, heard and understood in the process
- As such, there is no such thing as talking about yourself in a vacuum
- Connection implies having two sides in the relationship
- If you go into a conversation thinking only of yourself, the other party is going to sense that right away
Don’t leave out the facts of your achievements for humility’s sake
If you’re telling a story where the facts emerge naturally, don’t try to hide or play down the awesome things you did because of modesty. Don’t stretch the truth, either.
Know your “story clips” that you can call up in any situation
- Get to know yourself and what your most authentic and interesting responses are for the common questions you are asked
- Once you know what you want to say, you can always call it up in a future situation.
Realize that you’re the primary actor in your life and so you should also be its biggest narrator
Don’t rely on your colleagues or friends to tell your story. While it’s wonderful when they do, they only know a part of your life. No one else can read your mind and know your passions, your motivations, what you’ve learned, and what your dreams are.
Find your nuggets of “why” and focus your story around those
- Your whys should form the backbone of your story
- They’re the details that give someone a sense of who you really are
- Often, our whys come from past failures or negative experiences
- Don’t shy away from talking about those struggles, or poking fun at yourself
- It makes you feel more human, more authentic, and more trustworthy
