Day 243: Vanity...

Boy I tell ya, I was all set to go off on a rant today over the lack of humility I see within my own social circle. The blatant self-promotion, praise parties and general "look at me" things I've heard and read really make me bristle. To share something you've accomplished or created is a good thing. You have every right to be proud and you should show it off so others can share in your achievement. But to splash your own praise onto it is about the most unattractive thing you could possibly do.

Excessively promoting one's abilities and attractiveness is the essence of vanity. Hey, if you're good at something it's a safe bet most of us will already know without you blasting your trumpets. Kinda puts a bitter taste in your mouth when someone does something pretty amazing and before you can say "Great job!" they're already screaming in your face "Did you see how AWESOME I am!?" You could've cured cancer or solved our economic woes but the fact you made such a big production over your own achievement, I can't help but file your accomplishment under "Who Cares".

You've heard the saying that when you point a finger at someone, three fingers point back at you. The more I stewed on this the more I realized I'm just as guilty of these social crimes as anyone else. The fact I have a blog and a Facebook presence pretty much proves I'm an attention whore. I’d like to think I’ve tempered that to some degree but I’m sure I’ve come off just as pretentious as those that set me off. If you've read any part of my blog you'll know that I'm the first one to point out my flaws. That doesn't mean it gives me "Carte blanche" to rag on someone else. I guess when it come to dolling out praise I have a tendency to judge (bad, I know) others as if they were me. I get physically uncomfortable when receiving praise. Can't tell you where that comes from but I've been like that for as long as I can remember. I guess when I hear folks trumpet their own achievements it makes me feel embarrassed because I couldn’t imagine trying to draw so much attention to myself.

Let your actions and achievements stand by themselves. If you have to chime in then perhaps your accomplishments aren’t as significant as you might think. If you’re an artist, display your work but use your inner voice to proclaim your greatness. In business, let your actions speak for themselves and let your boss and your peers sing your praise. Maybe that approach won’t get you the professional success and notoriety you desire. Perhaps we need to start asking ourselves why we do what we do. Is it for fame or personal gratification? Whatever the reason, be sure it’s the right one for you.