Some people really can’t help but toot their own horn.
There’s nothing wrong with patting yourself on the back sometimes or being proud of your accomplishments, but a little humility goes a long way. If you say these things in everyday conversation, you’re clearly a bit of a show-off and need to tone it down a bit.
1. You casually mention how much your car cost.
There’s nothing subtle about slipping the price of your new ride into conversation. “Oh, this old thing? It only set me back £50,000.” I get it, mate, you’ve got a nice car. But unless someone’s specifically asked about the cost, bringing it up unprompted is a classic show-off move.
2. You love to remind everyone about the uni you went to.
“When I was at Oxford…” If this is how you start most of your sentences, you might want to rethink your conversation starters. Yes, getting into a prestigious uni is an achievement, but constantly name-dropping your alma mater can come across as pretty obnoxious. There’s more to you than where you studied, right?
3. You always find a way to mention your job title.
“As a senior executive…” Dropping your job title into unrelated conversations is a dead giveaway that you’re fishing for admiration. It’s great that you’re proud of your career, but unless it’s directly relevant to the topic at hand, it just sounds like you’re showing off. Your job isn’t your entire identity, after all.
4. You can’t help but brag about how busy you are.
“I’m just so swamped, I barely have time to breathe!” If you’re constantly talking about how packed your schedule is, you might think you’re impressing people with your productivity. In reality, you’re probably just annoying them. Being busy isn’t a competition, and it doesn’t make you more important than anyone else.
5. You love to talk about your extensive travels.
Source: Unsplash “Last month in Bali… the month before in New York…” Always finding a way to mention your globe-trotting adventures is really annoying. While travel is wonderful, constantly bringing up all the exotic places you’ve been can make you sound like you’re showing off. Not everyone has the means to travel extensively, and rubbing it in their faces isn’t cool.
6. You regularly name-drop celebrities you’ve met (or even seen from a distance).
“Oh, that reminds me of the time I bumped into Brad Pitt…” If you’re constantly mentioning your brush with fame, it’s pretty clear you’re trying to impress. Sure, meeting a celeb is exciting, but bringing it up all the time makes you sound like you’re trying too hard to seem important.
7. You always one-up other people’s stories.
“That’s nothing, wait ’til you hear what happened to me!” If you can’t let someone else share an experience without trying to top it, you’re definitely showing off. It’s not a competition, and always trying to have the best story can make people reluctant to share with you.
8. You love to talk about how early you wake up.
“I’m usually up by 4 am to start my day.” Congratulations, you’re an early bird. But constantly mentioning your crack-of-dawn wake-up time doesn’t make you seem more dedicated or hard-working. It just makes you sound like you’re trying to prove how disciplined you are.
9. You can’t stop mentioning how much you can lift at the gym.
Source: Unsplash “I just deadlifted 200 kg, no big deal.” Unless you’re actually at the gym or talking to fellow fitness enthusiasts, bringing up your lifting stats is unnecessary and egotistical. Your physical strength isn’t a measure of your worth, and not everyone is impressed by how much iron you can pump.
10. You always talk about how much money you save.
“I’ve managed to save 70% of my income this year.” It’s great that you’re good with money, but constantly bringing up your savings rate can come across as braggy. It’s especially insensitive if you’re talking to people who might be struggling financially. Your bank balance isn’t a personality trait.
11. You love to mention how many books you’ve read.
“I’ve already finished 50 books this year.” Good for you! Reading is great, but turning it into a numbers game and always mentioning your tally makes you sound like you’re more interested in quantity than quality. It’s not about how many books you’ve read, but what you’ve learned from them.
12. You can’t help but brag about your social media following.
“I just hit 100k followers on Instagram!” Unless you’re actually working in social media or influencer marketing, constantly bringing up your follower count is a show-off move, and a bit of a sad one, to be honest. Your worth isn’t determined by your online popularity, you know.
13. You always mention how little TV you watch.
Source: Unsplash “Oh, I don’t own a TV. I prefer to use my time more productively.” Insert eye roll here! While there’s nothing wrong with having other interests, acting superior because you don’t watch telly is just another form of showing off. It doesn’t make you more intellectual or interesting, it just makes you sound judgmental. I’ll be tuning into “Corrie,” thanks!
14. You love to talk about how healthy your diet is.
Source: Unsplash “I haven’t touched processed sugar in years.” That’s nice, but constantly bringing up your diet can be pretty off-putting. It often comes across as judgmental towards other people’s eating habits, and let’s face it, nobody likes a food snob.
15. You always mention how little sleep you need.
“I function perfectly on just 4 hours of sleep.” Bragging about how little you sleep doesn’t make you seem more productive or dedicated. It just makes you sound like you’re trying too hard to prove how tough or committed you are. Plus, it’s not exactly healthy.
16. You can’t stop talking about your kids’ achievements.
“Little Callum is already reading at a secondary school level.” While it’s natural to be proud of your children, constantly bragging about their achievements can be grating. Remember, not every parent wants to hear about how gifted your kids are all the time. It’s okay to be proud, but try to keep it in check.
