Don’t apologise for being awesome (and two words you need to stop using)

Big headed. Boastful. Full of yourself.

When it comes to bigging ourselves up, we’re conditioned to keep it in check. To not get too big for our boots or to shamelessly plug our awesomeness.

But I’m calling crap on that. 

In the business world, we need to get better at boasting about ourselves, and shouting about our excellence from the rooftops. 

Because if you’re not going to say you’re great, why should anyone else? 

It’s a fine line to walk. Obviously you don’t want to be using every piece of content you share to sing about your wins, but achieving a work milestone, being nominated for an award, or winning a new client (which has you jumping for joy), are all things worthy of celebration. 

Find your balance. 

It’s about finding a balance. Share the wins, but occasionally share the struggles too. It’s ok to be transparent about business – it’s always going to be a rollercoaster. 

You’ll have big wins and great feedback. 

But you’ll also have dud projects, missed deadlines and ‘meh’ days. 

It’s ok to share your wins and your struggles, even better if you can use them to help others, and educate them about what’s working for you. 

Discover your inner awesome. 

When you’re caught up working ‘in’ your business, the daily grind can get in the way of celebrating success. 

Finding time to share the wins is tough, and so is building confidence in who you are, what you do, who you do it for and why you’re great at it.  

Getting clarity on how you add value by making the lives of your customers and clients easier, is a great place to start. Think about recent feedback you’ve had, or wins you’ve helped your clients achieve.

Frame your success as a shared success, and it will feel less cringeworthy when you go to post about it.

Where to start? 

One of the best ways to start is to share positive feedback you’ve had. 

Sharing client and customer testimonials is a safe bet – it’s a way of using someone else’s words to talk about your business superpowers, without feeling like you’re ‘showing off’ too much. 

Celebrating client work as a shared achievement is another great option. Posting about the projects you’ve contributed to is a way to showcase your own skills, while also raising the profile of your client. Double win. 

Be bold. 

I’m always amazed at the number of awesome business peeps I meet who have never even considered entering an award. 

No matter what you do, where you are or which industry you’re in, there’s guaranteed to be an award program you could be putting yourself forward for. 

Entering an award can feel like a bold move, but it’s a great opportunity to reflect on your recent achievements, and the words you write for your entry can often be repurposed elsewhere, so it’ll never be a waste of time. And if you end up being a finalist or winner, even better. 

Oh, and about those two words…

Remember the two words I mentioned I’m banning in the headline of this article? 

Well, they’re: ‘only’ and ‘just’. 

“I’m only working part time.”

“I’m just a copywriter.”

“I’m only good at certain things.” 

It’s time to stop it. These words are apologetic and minimising. They’re a way of making ourselves small, and they aren’t serving you in business. No way. 

And they have a habit of sneaking into our conversations and emails. 

Try to be intentional with the words you use. Be bold about the way you talk about yourself, your business and its success. I dare you. 

Ready to start shining the spotlight on yourself or your business? Get in touch to have an obligation-free chat about how I can help.