Bragging isn't always bad

Bragging is a bad word, right? If you hear someone say, "That guy kept on bragging...", you would think the person was full of himself. Wouldn't you.

My parents are not the bragging type and they taught me the same way. I have to catch myself from being a blowhort from time to time. I get so excited of what I'm working on that I forget that others may interpret it as me bragging about myself.

This morning, I read a blog from Tim Miles that threw my idea of bragging on its head. Bragging is a good exercise when used in the right context.

When I think of bragging, I think of someone boasting about his/her accomplishments. However, a braggart can be someone who pumps someone else up. A braggart can be a boss, a co-worker, a friend or a parent. The ability to praise someone, to tell a third party how great a person is or to show them off in public isn't to fulfill the braggart's ego needs. It's to show appreciation and accomplishment of someone other than self.

In this scenario, we need to be better braggarts. We need to remember to recognize others accomplishments and to celebrate them even in the smallest of ways.

As I raise my children, I see their little egos inflated each time I tell others how proud I am of them. I remember the small celebrations when we were potty training. The little potty dances, the high fives, and the treats are forever engrained in my brain.

We're not a complicated species. Recognition makes everyone feel better. When someone pumps my tires, I've noticed recently that it always makes me feel better. And I thought recognition didn't motivate me. It makes me feel better by giving me a hit of dopamine every time.

And there we have it. Because of the dopamine effect, we get addicted to recognition, just like smoking, drinking, gambling, etc.

If you're looking for people to perform outstanding results or if you want people to like you, all you have to do is brag them up every chance you get. We like people who makes us feel good about ourselves.

Brag away. Make sure it's always about others and not yourself. We don't like people who pump their own tires...