It can be difficult— and awkward— to talk about yourself and your accomplishments. On one hand, you don’t want to completely downplay what you’ve achieved, but on the other hand, you don’t want to sound boastful.

Why is talking about ourselves important? If you’re going through a performance review with your boss, or pitching to a potential client, it’s important you know how to talk about yourself appropriately. It could mean the difference between you expanding your business with investors or booking a new client. 

It can feel almost wrong to talk about yourself, but it’s not! The key is being genuine and humble in your delivery. Here are a few ways to talk about yourself without sounding like you’re bragging.

Be Vulnerable

Chances are you didn’t create your six-figure business overnight, or have everything figured out the moment you started working. Remember where you came from, and don’t position yourself like you snapped your fingers and were successful! That’s not relatable, and frankly, not believable. People connect to stories, so share yours honestly when talking about your success. A specific example of this would be, “I was able to double my profits this year because I invested in my business and worked really hard for the past year.” 

Avoid the Humble-Brag

We all know someone who humble-brags every time they open their mouth— it’s exhausting to have a conversation with them. Don’t be that guy. Forbes describes a humble-brag as “disparaging remarks to offset your compliments about yourself” and gives the example of “I am so embarrassed I let my Lamborghini get this dirty.” Are you annoyed just by reading that? Me too. Don’t frame your self-promotion as a complaint— it comes off as insincere and prideful.

Include Your People

I’m going to assume you did not reach a pinnacle of success by trekking your journey alone. If you did, then you can skip this part. If you’re like me, you had a team of supportive friends, business mentors, family members, and business peers who encouraged you to keep going when the going got tough. Mentioning that you are not the only reason you’ve accomplished something is a surefire way to sound humble while explaining said accomplishment. An example of this would be “I wouldn’t haven’t been able to book this client without the support and hard work of my team.”

Yes, there is a tactful way to talk about yourself—When you come from a place of sincerity and humility, you can share your successes without bragging or coming off as disingenuous (and then it’s way less awkward for everyone involved). Go ahead, talk about yourself!