There’s the story of who you are, and then there’s who you really are. We call this self-story the ego. The ego, by definition, is less accurate than it is self-serving. In fact, most people spend an incredible amount of energy trying to convince others of the truth of their ego story. See how smart I am, how nice I am, how important I am? This is the subtext that drives the vast majority of human interaction. Ironically, it simply doesn’t work.
Telling everyone how great you are doesn’t make everyone think you are great. It makes them realize you are desperate for their approval. If you really want to impress others, be a good listener. Be encouraging. Set aside your self-marketing for a time and just be with another person. Quit jockeying for position, quit trying to somehow leverage the situation to your advantage, and be 100% there, open to whatever happens. This is presence, and it cannot be hustled.
