The Urban Dictionary defines the “Humblebrag” as:
When you consciously try to get away with bragging about yourself by couching it in a phony show of humility.
Humblebragging is subtly letting others know about how fantastic your life is while undercutting it with a bit of self-effacing humor.
But make no mistake about it, a humblebrag is 100% self-promotion.
Stop humblebragging and start bragging.
Here’s a couple of examples of Humblebrag Tweets:
“I just stepped on gum. Who spits gum on a red carpet?”
Was this person wanting to tell you they stepped in gum…or did they really want to tell you they were on the red carpet?
The humblebrag disguises the red carpet as a small detail even though it’s the sole purpose of the tweet.
Here’s another one:
“Totally walked down the wrong escalator at the airport from the flashes of the cameras…Go me”
Are you sympathetic this person went down the wrong escalator…
OR
Are you impressed that they were attacked by the paparazzi?
Here’s one more:
“The fact that Wikipedia lists me as a notable alumnus of my college speaks ill of the reliability of crowdsourced information.”
As shown above, the humblebrag draws attention to your success in a circular fashion.
Why do people humblebrag?
Because they feel it’s hard to be liked and showoff at the same time.
The problem is, humblebragging is not being honest with your intention.
More on that in a minute.
Top Ways People Humblebrag
Note: these are real tweets by real people…
Humblebrag Method #1: Disingenuous Complaint About Something
Real Tweet #1: “Omg I hate watching #topchef when I’m on it! I never know if I’ll come out like a schmuck.”
Real Tweet #2: “Man this is SO unfair! Why did the lambo dealership not tell me I’d get pulled over at least once a week in this car? Time for a corolla lol!”
Real Tweet #3: “Just in case you think all this has gone to my head, within 36 hours of winning the Oscar, I was back home plunging a clogged toilet.”
Instead of humblebragging about it, just tell us you were on TV, you have a lambo, and that you won an award.
Don’t hide it behind a complaint!
Humblebrag Method #2: Irrelevant Detail
Real Tweet #1: “It’s a great night for a lemonade.” (picture of lemonade with a stack of money strategically placed behind the lemonade)
Real Tweet #2: “I just crushed an omelet…even after some lady leaned over my table asking for an autograph and dipped her boob in my hashbrowns. Yum.”
Real Tweet #3: “Spoke to a full room at Michigan Law today. I’m going to pretend that the impressive turnout had nothing to do with the free food.”
Nobody cares about the lemonade, an omelet you ate, or that there was free food somewhere.
Just tell us you made some big money, that somebody asked for your autograph, and that you packed a full-house!
Humblebrag Method #3: Fake concern
Real Tweet #1: “Should I be concerned that everyone in NYC comedy seems to have my personal email and uses it to ask for press, or is it a sign of success?”
Real Tweet #2: “Did anyone see the E! broadcast of the Creative Arts Emmys? Did I look like an idiot?”
Real Tweet #3: “Apparently a photo of me ended up on that ‘Hot Dads of Disneyland’ Instagram account. So embarrassing.”
Stop with the self-deprecating statements!
Using a comment as if you have real concern about something when it’s really delivering a message that shows you in a favorable light is misleading and nobody buys it.
Is it ever all right to brag? #10X pic.twitter.com/EKxGcUkBiR
— Grant Cardone (@GrantCardone) March 10, 2019
If your intention is to tell people you just made a celebrity connection, don’t humblebrag, just namedrop!
If you’ve achieved something, tell the world, don’t pretend as if you’re bewildered by it.
Even Harvard Business School came out with a study recently that it’s far better to straightforward brag than to humblebrag.
The study noted that as a means of presenting ourselves in a positive light, humblebragging is entirely ineffective.
The researchers found that people faced by someone humblebragging were LESS likely to help them out by signing a petition and also gave them less money compared to when they just bragged.
Their results could be summarized by this comment:
“Humblebragging makes people less likeable because it makes them look insincere when compared to outright boasting.”
It’s all about sincerity!
Just tell us you’re at an amazing hotel, that you’re with an amazing person, that you’re having an amazing time.
Don’t hide it behind a fake show of humility!
“It ain’t showing off if you
can pay for it forever.” GC pic.twitter.com/CKmB2mI88M— Grant Cardone (@GrantCardone) July 6, 2019
LOVE OR HATE ME, at least you KNOW ME.
I will never give you false modesty.
That’s why I’m in your face every day, up in your news feed with my Rolls Royce and my jet.
You can’t fake a jet by the way.
If you don’t have time to promote yourself or your business, nobody is going to know you.
And when nobody knows you, nobody flows you.
Self-promotion is not about bragging.
It’s about letting others know you exist, and that you can help them.
But if you’re going to brag, stop humblebragging and start bragging.
Because as I sometimes say,
It’s not bragging if it’s true.
Be great,
—Grant
P.S. Get on Cardone University HERE and increase your income in less than 30 days.
