Author Topic: Difference between bragging and sharing who you are if done a lot in your life?  (Read 4867 times)

pudding

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Rambling on here...

Lately I've been learning to play music with some people I met on a meetup.

I've noticed how different everyone's personalities are, from the very introverted to the occasional big extrovert, to sometimes a bit 'look at me, look at me' and the rare egomaniac.

Kind of being a 'fly on the wall' and observing my own behaviour... It's bit like I want to tell people who I am and what I'm about and what I've done in my life, as I genuinely think I've done lots of exciting things and had to overcome many challenges . Some of which were quite unique, and in spite of the stacked deck i've come through and even done quite well. I'm also genuinely really interested to hear their stories too.

For me sharing some details of who we all are is a way to get to know each other beyond shyness and being reserved and meeting for 3 or 4 years and not knowing each other much better at all.

Also music has been my thing from a young age, so I've seen hundreds of bands, hung out with the occasional famous person at times, I have done things.

But at times I seem to run into a bit of a dead end if I bring up a story of old etc... and at times some will get turned off, but I can tell the same to someone else who genuinely seems to find it interesting to listen too and maybe shares something in return.

So I'm thinking it's not like everyone thinks I'm a dick head and I don't know it.

It's almost like I'm an active person, and I get things done. But I'd probably do well to let the 'newsfeed' out slower so as not to alienate people and come across as bragging or one upmanship.

I have noticed that if I tell a 'story' then someone tells a story back that kind of has a one upmanship feel to it, then I feel like "huh, was that one upping" and I'm wondering if that's how I come across to some people. Or perhaps it's some people like to maintain their position in the invisible hierarchy. Or perhaps I'm jostling to establish my own place in the invisible hierarchy? And is that good or bed etc..

I don't know, it can be difficult making connections when older.


« Last Edit: May 22, 2019, 10:45:33 AM by pudding »

Villanelle

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Do the stories you tell seem to come up organically?  Or is it a pause in the conversation that you fill with, "I went to high school with Left Shark, and this one time..."?

Also, perhaps you need to make a point of asking  other people about their lives.  Maybe you already do this, but it's something to consider.  Next time you see the group organizer, ask him about his life?  And try to do so in a way that doesn't give the impression you might be comparing yourself.  Maybe ask about things beyond music experiences and accomplishments, as that can easily come off as trying to see if his are better than yours.  Ask how his weekend was, discuss his hobbies, etc.  Resist the urge to share your stories, even if they are great and relevant.  And when others do tell stories, don't always share the related story you may have.  Engage them on their story.  Let them have that moment.   Don't try to be interesting or funny or clever. That said, maybe Organizer-Guy is just not a fan and never will be, and that's okay, too.

I've lived overseas for the last 9 years, and most of my closest friends at this point have lived overseas as well (which is how/where we met).  It's always a topic of conversation among us that we worry we sound douchey because so many of our stories start with, "In Japan..." or  "The Germans have..."  or "When we were in the Netherlands...".  To us, we are just discussing our life and there is no brag intended, but we are all keenly aware that because our experiences are unusual and, to many, enviable, it can very easily come off as boastful.  We have discusses how we all make it a point to censor ourselves a bit.  We don't hide our experiences, but sometimes we leave off the location of stories, or opt not to tell those stories if we've already told other related stories. 

Metalcat

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M'eh, I just don't worry about it.

As someone who is virtually 100% uncensored and utterly unconcerned with the opinions of others in a social context, people really are exceptionally tolerant of other people who are genuine.

I've actually found it infinitely easier to get along with people since I stopped worrying about getting along with people.

Being interesting may not always get you liked, but it will keep people interested.

flipboard

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"Difference between bragging and sharing who you are if done a lot in your life?"

Who you are is not what you have done in life. Sharing what you've done is bragging, sharing who you are isn't.

Metalcat

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"Difference between bragging and sharing who you are if done a lot in your life?"

Who you are is not what you have done in life. Sharing what you've done is bragging, sharing who you are isn't.

I mean...sort of...

What people choose to do says a lot about them. It's just that most people only shared an obnoxiously curated version of "what they do", like a living and breathing Facebook feed, which is bragging and decidedly un-genuine, and therefore utterly boring.

Literally any story is fascinating when told with the intention of actually being seen and not with the intention of hiding behind an image of oneself.


Much Fishing to Do

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Well, Some of the most 'open'/'extroverted' people I know and like are just as quick and loud about their faults/mistakes, and thats what I think makes me not think them braggarts at all, and actually very interesting and entertaining...

But that's just me....and maybe thats the point, there are likely some things overly self-congratulating people could do to come across better to a higher percentage of people, but in the end I'm sure everyone receives it differently, and so maybe just go ahead and be who you are, do what you naturally do and those that view it positively will gravitate to you, i.e. the friends you end up with are those who like who you are and how you naturally act...

herbgeek

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If you regularly start in with your stories, without anyone having asked for them, well then yes, you'd likely be someone I'd avoid after a while.   Doing this one time doesn't make you a braggart.  Doing it multiple times, when people have had the opportunity to engage and they haven't engaged, is a bad sign.  That says they aren't interested.   I want a conversation, not to be someone's "audience".  Not saying that's you, just a point to think about.

FIREby35

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For what it's worth, I have to hold back all the time. When I was younger I would sometimes feel frustrated because, even with family, if I told a story or ancedote that is supposed to be about one thing they get caught in some other detail that is "impressive." Impressive is in quotes because it is actually just distracting. It's like telling someone about Mustachianism by leading off with your net worth - you can discuss the small element of the MMM strategy that is applicable to the person across from you without ever mentioning your (high) net worth.

But, I've found that not mentioning "distracting" things as much as possible, trying to have my antennae on for what the other person is interested in and being content with following their lead is just fine. It leads to conversations that, from my point of view, are unpredictable as I don't know what the other person is going to talk about. Just like I was told when I was a kid, you learn a lot when you shut up and listen :) That is more fun than me saying the same story for the umteenth time anyway. I know my stories - not theirs.

My kids, on the other hand, love to hear old crazy stories - for now. So I have that as an outlet.

Good luck!

Parizade

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This has been on my mind a lot lately. I grew up on the outskirts of a large metropolitan area and I lived there most of my adult life as well. I've worked at some of the largest corporations on the planet and been exposed to much diversity (people of every color, race, religion, nationality, sexual orientation, etc.) I have a college education and I've traveled all over the world.

As part of my mustachian downsizing I moved to a very small rural town, which I love. I am within walking distance of a lovely state park, a state bike trail, and a river that National Geographic has recognized as an outstanding paddling adventure.

I'm fairly introverted but still very social and I make friends easily. Initially I had no problems making new friends here but I've realized that I can't just chat with them as I would with my "city" friends without putting them on the defensive. So I talk less about myself and ask more questions about their lives and interests, and I accept that some of my neighbors will always want to "take me down a notch" in order to feel better about their own lives.

I don't need their approval to feel okay about myself so no big deal. I just think it's a bit sad that they feel so defensive about the importance (or lack thereof) of their own lives. I certainly don't judge them that way.


mathlete

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I'm very conscious of this too. A good rule to follow is that if it stops the flow of conversation, redirects the conversation towards you, or adds little of value, then don't say it.

The other day I was chatting with a coworker, and she briefly mentioned an actor that I happened to have seen in person on multiple occasions, so I told her. There was no grand purpose to me mentioning that I had seen the actor, and it didn't really add anything the conversation. I was probably better off not mentioning it. Doing that too much definitely reads as obnoxious.

Talking about your experiences in everyday conversation is the equivalent of showing your vacation pictures to everyone. Nobody cares.

mathlete

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There's usually a way to enthuse and converse with someone that doesn't involve dominating the conversation with your own stories and experience.

Conversation 1

Person A: "Oh! They're re-issuing The Beatles White Album!"

Person B: "That's awesome. McCartney is my favorite artist to see live. I've seen him 5 times now I think."

A: "Really?"

B: "Yeah. Back in 2002, he was touring just after George Harrison died. He played "While My Guitar Gently Weeps" at Buckingham Palace. I swear, no one in the crowd didn't shed a tear."

A: "I bet."

B: "Yeah, it was crazy. Afterwards, he attended this big banquet with the royal family. My London business associate had a connection and we were actually able to get in."

A: "No way."

B: "Yeah hold on, I actually got a pretty great photobomb on the queen."

(searches phone for photo)

Conversation 2

Person A: "Oh! They're re-issuing The Beatles White Album!"

Person B: "Very cool! Have you ever seen them live?"

A: "No, have you?"

B: "I've seen Paul a few times. You should definitely see him if you get the chance. What's your favorite track?"

A: "It's gotta be "While My Guitar Gentle Weeps", I was so bummed with George passed away."

B: "I know, tell me about it.

---

Conversation 1 is more remarkable, but conversation 2 is better overall. People are there to form connections with, not to be sounding boards while you relive your greatest moments.

Freedomin5

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The best way to get to know who other people are is to ask about them. Be genuinely interested in their lives. Once they feel that you are interested in them, most people will eventually ask about you. Only share about yourself if they ask. Or if your experience can contribute to a situation that they have shared about.

If you do it the other way around (share about yourself first) and then wait for others to share about themselves, it will come across as one-upmanship, because you come across as, “Oooh, look at me and how awesome I am! I’ve done so many awesome things! Don’t you want to be my friend?!”

DiamondIce

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I'd say if you are bragging, it's not big deal. Clearly you are proud of some of your accomplishments and it feels good to assert them and maybe even get some recognition for it. I hope you can be Guilty as Charged and sleep fine at night.

The problem comes in when people ALWAYS talk about THEIR accomplishments and THEIR values and THEIR virtues with no real interest in mine or anyone else's. This is narcissism and a drag to be around.

Some narcissists are charismatic or have skills and offer something of high value. They can get away with it for a while, but it personally, I can handle it in small doses.

pudding

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There's usually a way to enthuse and converse with someone that doesn't involve dominating the conversation with your own stories and experience.

Conversation 1

Person A: "Oh! They're re-issuing The Beatles White Album!"

Person B: "That's awesome. McCartney is my favorite artist to see live. I've seen him 5 times now I think."

A: "Really?"

B: "Yeah. Back in 2002, he was touring just after George Harrison died. He played "While My Guitar Gently Weeps" at Buckingham Palace. I swear, no one in the crowd didn't shed a tear."

A: "I bet."

B: "Yeah, it was crazy. Afterwards, he attended this big banquet with the royal family. My London business associate had a connection and we were actually able to get in."

A: "No way."

B: "Yeah hold on, I actually got a pretty great photobomb on the queen."

(searches phone for photo)

Conversation 2

Person A: "Oh! They're re-issuing The Beatles White Album!"

Person B: "Very cool! Have you ever seen them live?"

A: "No, have you?"

B: "I've seen Paul a few times. You should definitely see him if you get the chance. What's your favorite track?"

A: "It's gotta be "While My Guitar Gentle Weeps", I was so bummed with George passed away."

B: "I know, tell me about it.

---

Conversation 1 is more remarkable, but conversation 2 is better overall. People are there to form connections with, not to be sounding boards while you relive your greatest moments.


Thanks for writing that out like that! 

Although myself if someone told me #1, I'd be thinking what an awesome story. I'd come back with the time I sneaked back stage at the MC5 gig and ended up partying with them.                   Oops, I did it again!  lol

#2 seems OK, but to me it seems to miss out the exciting bits. Like putting on a colourful shirt to go out in, then looking in the mirror and liking it... but changing into a beige coloured one so as you won't stick out or upset people ...     ;)

pudding

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There's usually a way to enthuse and converse with someone that doesn't involve dominating the conversation with your own stories and experience.

Conversation 1

Person A: "Oh! They're re-issuing The Beatles White Album!"

Person B: "That's awesome. McCartney is my favorite artist to see live. I've seen him 5 times now I think."

A: "Really?"

B: "Yeah. Back in 2002, he was touring just after George Harrison died. He played "While My Guitar Gently Weeps" at Buckingham Palace. I swear, no one in the crowd didn't shed a tear."

A: "I bet."

B: "Yeah, it was crazy. Afterwards, he attended this big banquet with the royal family. My London business associate had a connection and we were actually able to get in."

A: "No way."

B: "Yeah hold on, I actually got a pretty great photobomb on the queen."

(searches phone for photo)

Conversation 2

Person A: "Oh! They're re-issuing The Beatles White Album!"

Person B: "Very cool! Have you ever seen them live?"

A: "No, have you?"

B: "I've seen Paul a few times. You should definitely see him if you get the chance. What's your favorite track?"

A: "It's gotta be "While My Guitar Gentle Weeps", I was so bummed with George passed away."

B: "I know, tell me about it.

---

Conversation 1 is more remarkable, but conversation 2 is better overall. People are there to form connections with, not to be sounding boards while you relive your greatest moments.


Thanks for writing that out like that! 

Although myself if someone told me #1, I'd be thinking what an awesome story. I'd come back with the time I sneaked backstage at the MC5 gig and ended up partying with them.                 

 Oops, I did it again!  lol

#2 seems OK, but to me it seems to miss out the exciting bits. Like putting on a colourful shirt to go out in, then looking in the mirror and liking it... but changing into a beige coloured one so as you won't stick out or upset people ...     ;)

I have a friend who's a real modest guy in his 60's now. He's been a musician for along time.  I always knew he'd played in some good bands, but I didn't know just how much he'd done until about 3 months ago when a friend forwarded an interview that musician friend had done with a magazine.

It turned out he'd lived in Johnny Rotten of the Sex Pistols house in 1977, Saw Rotten chase Sid Vicious and Nancy Spongen with an axe, also wrote one of Spear of Destiny's big hits amongst other things.

In a way I appreciated his story more as it had come out in such a modest way, but on the other hand if he hadn't of done the interview I'd likely never have known.






pudding

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Do the stories you tell seem to come up organically?  Or is it a pause in the conversation that you fill with, "I went to high school with Left Shark, and this one time..."?

Also, perhaps you need to make a point of asking  other people about their lives.  Maybe you already do this, but it's something to consider.  Next time you see the group organizer, ask him about his life?  And try to do so in a way that doesn't give the impression you might be comparing yourself.  Maybe ask about things beyond music experiences and accomplishments, as that can easily come off as trying to see if his are better than yours.  Ask how his weekend was, discuss his hobbies, etc.  Resist the urge to share your stories, even if they are great and relevant.  And when others do tell stories, don't always share the related story you may have.  Engage them on their story.  Let them have that moment.   Don't try to be interesting or funny or clever. That said, maybe Organizer-Guy is just not a fan and never will be, and that's okay, too.

I've lived overseas for the last 9 years, and most of my closest friends at this point have lived overseas as well (which is how/where we met).  It's always a topic of conversation among us that we worry we sound douchey because so many of our stories start with, "In Japan..." or  "The Germans have..."  or "When we were in the Netherlands...".  To us, we are just discussing our life and there is no brag intended, but we are all keenly aware that because our experiences are unusual and, to many, enviable, it can very easily come off as boastful.  We have discusses how we all make it a point to censor ourselves a bit.  We don't hide our experiences, but sometimes we leave off the location of stories, or opt not to tell those stories if we've already told other related stories.


Thanks Villanelle, that's some great advice!

(Also, perhaps you need to make a point of asking  other people about their lives.  Maybe you already do this, but it's something to consider.  Next time you see the group organizer, ask him about his life?  And try to do so in a way that doesn't give the impression you might be comparing yourself.  Maybe ask about things beyond music experiences and accomplishments, as that can easily come off as trying to see if his are better than yours.  Ask how his weekend was, discuss his hobbies, etc.  Resist the urge to share your stories, even if they are great and relevant.  And when others do tell stories, don't always share the related story you may have.  Engage them on their story.  Let them have that moment.   Don't try to be interesting or funny or clever. That said, maybe Organizer-Guy is just not a fan and never will be, and that's okay, too.)

I think I'd do well to ask more about others lives and experiences, and as you say.. I'd do well to slow down on my own stories. I can see how they come off as comparing... to be real they often are when I first meet someone, but I'm interested to see where they are at too.

soccerluvof4

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imo the only time it becomes a problem is when your getting old and you tell the same stories over and over again to the same people! until then it doesnt matter as long as you take time to let others share there stories as well. Life is one big book your writing about yourself so share you stories but just be considerate of others and try not to tell the same ones to the same people over and over again and one up people.

Metalcat

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There's usually a way to enthuse and converse with someone that doesn't involve dominating the conversation with your own stories and experience.

Conversation 1

Person A: "Oh! They're re-issuing The Beatles White Album!"

Person B: "That's awesome. McCartney is my favorite artist to see live. I've seen him 5 times now I think."

A: "Really?"

B: "Yeah. Back in 2002, he was touring just after George Harrison died. He played "While My Guitar Gently Weeps" at Buckingham Palace. I swear, no one in the crowd didn't shed a tear."

A: "I bet."

B: "Yeah, it was crazy. Afterwards, he attended this big banquet with the royal family. My London business associate had a connection and we were actually able to get in."

A: "No way."

B: "Yeah hold on, I actually got a pretty great photobomb on the queen."

(searches phone for photo)

Conversation 2

Person A: "Oh! They're re-issuing The Beatles White Album!"

Person B: "Very cool! Have you ever seen them live?"

A: "No, have you?"

B: "I've seen Paul a few times. You should definitely see him if you get the chance. What's your favorite track?"

A: "It's gotta be "While My Guitar Gentle Weeps", I was so bummed with George passed away."

B: "I know, tell me about it.

---

Conversation 1 is more remarkable, but conversation 2 is better overall. People are there to form connections with, not to be sounding boards while you relive your greatest moments.


Thanks for writing that out like that! 

Although myself if someone told me #1, I'd be thinking what an awesome story. I'd come back with the time I sneaked back stage at the MC5 gig and ended up partying with them.                   Oops, I did it again!  lol

#2 seems OK, but to me it seems to miss out the exciting bits. Like putting on a colourful shirt to go out in, then looking in the mirror and liking it... but changing into a beige coloured one so as you won't stick out or upset people ...     ;)

Yup.

#2 would bore the shit out of me.

I actually get, like, irritated level bored when talking to people who are clearly being "beige" in order to be socially benign.

Also, #2 sounds like one of those people who tries ever so casually to throw in that they've done cool stuff without looking like they're drawing attention to it. There's almost nothing I hate more than false modesty. I would prefer talking to an outright narcissist, at least their stories tend to be fantastic.

I mean, who cares what I prefer, but my point is that you can't win with everyone. You can't make yourself universally likeable. What works for some will fail with others.

Honestly though, overall, the LESS effort you put into thinking about what you should say to be likeable, the more likely people will genuinely like you. Focus as much as possible on others and connecting with them, and the ones who will like you will like you. The others will ignore you, and that's okay.

JoshuaSpodek

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I asked Frances Hesselbein about this issue and wrote up the experience in my blog. Here's what I wrote:

Quote
What do say about yourself when you’ve hung out with half a dozen Presidents of the United States, won a Presidential Medal of Freedom, learned from Peter Drucker, been called the best leader in the world by CEOs of Fortune 100 companies, befriended four-star Generals, and things like that?

Do you keep it to yourself, as modesty would suggest? How do you mention those things without bragging, or sounding like you are?

Frances talked about them throughout the conversation. She didn’t go out of her way to, nor did she sound like she was bragging, but she didn't avoid them either.

I noticed only one other person I could think of did that, Marshall Goldsmith. He grew up in Kentucky, so I thought his motivation was like a newly rich person showing off his wealth. But he learned leadership from her, so maybe they shared a common reason. I was curious.

At the risk of speaking too bluntly, I pointed out this commonality in their communication styles and asked why she did it.

She answered very simply, without a thought, “I do it when it adds a dimension.”

Those few words clarified it in an instant. Bragging is about yourself. She wasn’t bragging because her point of mentioning these things wasn’t about herself. It was about the conversation and the other person. If talking about something added a dimension and helped the other person, she would talk about it. From that perspective, why wouldn’t she? Why consider the risk of bragging when you aren’t thinking about yourself? There is no risk because you aren’t coming from the same place.

This perspective fit with her philosophy, To Serve Is To Live, because her speaking, as I understood it, is part of her serving and leading. She speaks as necessary to serve the conversation and other person.

No wonder I enjoyed the conversation so much. She was speaking to serve the conversation.

Her practice, serving the conversation, was the opposite of what it looked like from the outside, talking about herself.

I decided to try to emulate her, to speak to serve the conversation.

Miss Tash

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I follow this advice.
https://www.ted.com/talks/celeste_headlee_10_ways_to_have_a_better_conversation

Last year I began a new venture that involves folks of all ages and backgrounds.  Often I go over the 10 things before I meet with this group.  It is hard sometimes to be present in the conversation and not sidetrack it toward myself, but I feel that I've made more solid connections over the year I've been working on this than I have in similar situations in the past.  Knowing these skills also makes it easy to recognize when other people break "the rules".  I tend to gravitate toward those who either naturally are good communicators or have (like me) practiced.
Eventually, everyone finds out about you anyway but it's nice to be able to guide the process.

pachnik

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Thanks for the link to the TED talk.  It was really good. 

mozar

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I enjoy hearing someone brag the first time, but not thereafter. That's what I think a braggart is, someone who says the same story over and over or can only talk about themselves.
I think the people who are trying to enforce an invisible hierarchy are of a different sort, and it's hard to avoid them sometimes.  My math tutor is like that and she'll try to one up me on the dumbest things. I don't act intimidated or I will to steer the conversation in a different direction and that usually works. With people who are egregious with their one up manship don't usually last long in my life when they realize it's impossible to make me feel as insecure as they feel.

Road42

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I think a big thing also is what role you play in your stories. Are you always the star, the hero, the one who managed to solve a problem or be impressive? Or are you an observer of an interesting phenomenon, or someone who learned something, or who made a mistake? The first guy is a braggart. The second guy is living an interesting life insightfully. With the Beatles example, guy one would focus on how he got to see this show or that show, see this or that celebrity, mingle in this or that backstage area. Guy two would pivot to discussing the differences he noticed between what a song sounds like live versus recorded, or learning that his musicianship wasn't everything he thought it was cracked up to be, or tell a self-deprecating anecdote about an embarrassing moment. Guy one is intolerable, guy two is a raconteur.

Warlord1986

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I’m mostly posting to follow, but also today this is a really great thread and I’ve learned a lot from it!

pudding

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Since posting this I've had an opportunity to practise and observe how I am in social settings.

I noticed some things I was doing that could be turning people off.

Had a chance to ask someone about her musical achievements, which were interesting to listen to and I'm sure she appreciated the opportunity to share her story.

I also saw how someone else appeared to be maybe jockeying for position. I could kind of see why it was important to him to do that and it turned off any need I felt to somehow 'step up' my own behaviour.

All in all I'd say that I stayed more 'aware' and didn't get into trying to be funny and witty etc.. at least not too much of the time. I felt more satisfied with the situation.

One thing I also did that I think is important to mention, is that I didn't hide my 'unhappiness' I guess I'd call it, that I felt towards the person that was pretty unfriendly towards me and prompted me to write my first post.  Said person seemed to pick up on it and it would seem made an effort to show some friendliness towards me.

I was happy about that as it's important to me to stay engaged with this group of people, and to 'want' to stay engaged with them for the fun of it, rather than it become something I stick with because 'I'm not going to quit'.


FIREby35

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Those are interesting notes Pudding. One thing you mentioned that I have also felt is being more satisfied with the overall situation because I did less. I might be off, but for me, it was a sense of calm and peace that I didn't have to be "the show" or otherwise be "doing something" to ensure everyone was having a good time (myself included). I didn't have to make telling my stories or my satisfaction at the center of whether I had fun. As a result, I could watch others and not feel pressure to speak or be entertaining. That naturally led to being more peaceful and relaxed. Once I was in a more relaxed mindset, it was easier to see others and, as you described, listen and connect.


BTDretire

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I enjoy hearing someone brag the first time, but not thereafter. That's what I think a braggart is, someone who says the same story over and over or can only talk about themselves.
I think the people who are trying to enforce an invisible hierarchy are of a different sort, and it's hard to avoid them sometimes.  My math tutor is like that and she'll try to one up me on the dumbest things. I don't act intimidated or I will to steer the conversation in a different direction and that usually works. With people who are egregious with their one up manship don't usually last long in my life when they realize it's impossible to make me feel as insecure as they feel.
When my daughter was in H.S. we met the parents of one of her girlfriends. The father was a braggart, he road his bike great distances, he caught huge fish from small canoes, he had many stories and I started early on discounting most of what he said. One day he told me he swims 5 miles at the local college during their morning lap swim. I didn't mention I hadn't missed any of the swims for the last 11 months, and I never saw him there.

markbike528CBX

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Sometimes I know I come across as a braggart.
I have a gift of telling the absolute truth to an audience and having it discounted/disbelieved.

Some times I realize it later.
  I was at a secret ex-Soviet nuclear city making preparations for one of their decontamination devices to be tested at our facility in the US.
Q) We need a chemist to mix up the solutions
Me) Yup, I'm a chemist or one of my colleagues can to that.

Q) We need someone to run the gamma spectrometer
Me) Yup, that is my home office job.

Q) We need someone to hook up and run the steam maker
Me) I can or one of the shop guys can do that.

Q)  We need someone to be a Health Physics Technician
Me) I'm a Jr. HPT, and we have several more on staff.

This is all in an ex-Soviet city where the Chief Design Engineer for the whole place had to approve lengthening a screw by 2mm.
Our US group was about 40 people at the time, nearly all of whom traveled 30%+ of the time, so everybody wore many hats.
Not until I got home and wrote up the trip report that I realized what I probably sounded like (before OR after translation).

I have been many places and seen/done things that are sort of notable, so the laundry list of those things probably gets tiring.
I try not to repeat the same story to the same person, but I get confused on whom I've told what.


Parizade

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Since posting this I've had an opportunity to practise and observe how I am in social settings.

I noticed some things I was doing that could be turning people off.

Had a chance to ask someone about her musical achievements, which were interesting to listen to and I'm sure she appreciated the opportunity to share her story.

I also saw how someone else appeared to be maybe jockeying for position. I could kind of see why it was important to him to do that and it turned off any need I felt to somehow 'step up' my own behaviour.

All in all I'd say that I stayed more 'aware' and didn't get into trying to be funny and witty etc.. at least not too much of the time. I felt more satisfied with the situation.

One thing I also did that I think is important to mention, is that I didn't hide my 'unhappiness' I guess I'd call it, that I felt towards the person that was pretty unfriendly towards me and prompted me to write my first post.  Said person seemed to pick up on it and it would seem made an effort to show some friendliness towards me.

I was happy about that as it's important to me to stay engaged with this group of people, and to 'want' to stay engaged with them for the fun of it, rather than it become something I stick with because 'I'm not going to quit'.

I'm really impressed with this post @pudding. You have clearly taken some time to work through your thoughts on the issue and to step back and rationally observe the situation as objectively as possible. You've used your observations to come to some rational conclusions and you have taken appropriate action to correct what you perceived to be the problems.

Thank you for demonstrating such maturity and common sense, you kind of made my day. I wish it wasn't so rare to see someone behave this way but unfortunately it is.

six-car-habit

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When my daughter was in H.S. we met the parents of one of her girlfriends. The father was a braggart, he road his bike great distances, he caught huge fish from small canoes, he had many stories and I started early on discounting most of what he said. One day he told me he swims 5 miles at the local college during their morning lap swim. I didn't mention I hadn't missed any of the swims for the last 11 months, and I never saw him there.

This seems like the perfect opporunity to deflate a lying braggarts bubble.  Firsthand knowledge that the "feat" never actually happened.
  You have more restraint than i would...