One of my clients said something this week that I think many struggle with, Reader.
In her email, she said, “One of our challenges is that we’re not great at highlighting our accomplishments or strengths — the 'inability to brag' problem.”
Have you felt this, too?
Or maybe you’ve hesitated to talk about what you do because it feels a little cringe.
This client is a cofounder of a healthcare company with an engineering background. Talking about what she does, or even the company’s successes, just isn’t where her mind naturally goes.
She and her team are creating some pretty incredible technologies, after all.
And part of my role is helping them talk about that work more clearly and build the brand on LinkedIn.
But it's the next thing she said that also reminded me why AI is not going to replace certain parts of this work, no matter how much we try to automate everything.
She said, “I’m not sure a questionnaire really brings out the best in us.”
That made me pause.
Because in many of my client engagements, I start with some version of a discovery questionnaire.
Questions like...
Do you have a point of view or philosophy that guides how you approach your work?
What sets you apart from others in your field?
And still…she was making something very clear. The questionnaire was getting her stuck.
She didn’t need a better form.
She needed another human to ask follow-up questions that could only be articulated through listening to her and her team closely.
That’s the piece I want to expand on.
I don't see this as a brag or non-bragging issue at all. It’s not that people like her (or perhaps you) lack strong experience to share.
What’s actually happening is that you’re too close to your own work to recognize what’s worth talking about.
The “inability to brag” feeling shows up when you’re asked to sit down and write about yourself…
And suddenly you’re trying to decide...
- What actually matters here?
- What’s different about how I work?
- What would someone else even care about?
That kind of introspection is hard.
So what happens?
You either downplay what you’ve done because it doesn’t feel like anything special or you list facts that feel flat and disconnected from the real value behind them.
And I get it.
When you’re inside your work every day, what feels normal to you is often the exact thing someone else would find impressive, valuable, or worth reaching out about.
I saw this in my own work recently, too.
Another strategist pointed out that I need to turn up the volume on my corporate story and the fact that I went solo almost four years ago.
Something I’ve casually mentioned here and there…
But in reality, many of my 1-on-1 clients are navigating that same shift from corporate employee to solo founder.
(Even strategists need other strategists sometimes.)
So I moved more of that story closer to the top of my About section this week as part of a bigger profile overhaul.
And it was a good reminder that we all have blind spots when it comes to seeing and expressing our own value.
That’s why I believe this is less about confidence and bragging…
And more about translation.
If I got you talking, I have no doubt your strengths would surface pretty quickly.
You may just need someone curious enough to ask the next question and help draw them out.
Because one thing I’ve learned over the last few years on LinkedIn is if your profile and content don’t clearly show who you help, what you do, and why it matters…
You’re missing conversations with people who would actually be a great fit to work with you.
So the next time you catch yourself thinking...
“I can’t say that. It sounds too braggy."
Pause there. That may not be arrogance. (For most of us, it never is.)
It may just mean you’re too close to your own work to translate it well.
So share the work.
Show the value.
Or find someone who can help you turn your expertise into online visibility that actually resonates, while still feeling very much like you:)
P.S. If you’ve ever stared at a blank page trying to “write about yourself,” this is exactly the kind of translation work I help clients with, both done-for-you and done-with-you solutions. Hit reply if you want to talk through it.
A recent client also left a comment under one of my posts this week, and I had to share it…
Talk soon,
Find me on LinkedIn, YouTube, or book a 1-on-1 clarity call​
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Columbus, OH