Proverbs 27:2 says, “Let another praise you, and not your own mouth; someone else, and not your own lips.”

Have you ever met someone that clearly got the job as their own PR representative? They may not go around with a billboard that says, “Aren’t I awesome?!” but that’s clearly one of their main goals in life. You are in conversation with these people and it’s clear where the conversation is going. They creatively drop rhetorical hints at strategic points that are clearly intended to illicit instantaneous praise from the listener. Of course, because the person has learned to be discreet about it….this is all going on beneath the surface of the conversation.

I have a confession to make: I am a recovering self promoter. This may not be news to anyone but I’m trying to take some steps forward in this area. Self promotion comes from insecurity. People that do not feel confident in themselves feel the need to manage impressions in their favor so as to evoke the affirmation that they feel that they are lacking.

People like this are draining to be around. The bottom line for them in social interaction is to get their proverbial cup filled with praise and affirmation. They don’t come right out and say it but that is the undercurrent of most of what they say. You find yourself just wanting to go locate a little crown and put it on their head to end the seemingly limitless number of discreet insinuations that are intended to cause you to be impressed.

I have entered far too many conversations with this intention and I’m tired of that in myself. Why don’t we all step up and confront the elephant in the room: insecurity. Why do you feel insecure? Why do you enter a conversation and not feel good enough? Why don’t you walk around feeling affirmed?

I believe that if we will start to wrestle with these questions, we won’t feel the need to enlist others in our job of self promotion.

Thanks guys!

Chris