“There is nothing noble in being superior to your fellow man; true nobility is being superior to your former self.” – Ernest Hemingway

When Did Pride Become a Problem?

For so many of us—especially those in caring, service-driven, or modest professions—pride has been confused with arrogance.

We were taught not to boast. To keep our heads down. To let our work speak for itself. But the truth is, our work doesn’t always talk—not unless we give it a voice.

What would it look like to permit yourself to be proud—openly, unapologetically, and with grace? What could you achieve?

Why This Matters

Do you downplay achievements, downplay compliments, struggle to showcase your wins during an appraisal or meeting or inadequately fill out the strength section within an application form? Likely, you're not alone. You may have internalised the message that being proud = being self-important.

This thinking needs to shift. If you're proud of an achievement, then talk about it, as it will help you align with your worth.

The Real Cost of Hiding Your Success

Staying silent and not talking about what we've achieved affects us in different ways. Over time, it undermines our credibility and makes us invisible to others.  In turn, we miss out on valuable opportunities, further reinforcing or limiting beliefs about who “deserves” to be visible.

Especially for underrepresented groups, the need to own and share our stories isn’t ego—it’s empowerment.

📌 Are You Ready to Take the #IAmRemarkable 8-Day Challenge?

CHALLENGE 1: REFLECT ON & EMBRACE YOUR ACHIEVEMENTS

💎 Start tracking your achievements - write down five personal and five professional achievements that you're proud of. Sit down and give yourself some quiet time to reflect.

CHALLENGE 2: REPLACE NEGATIVE SELF-TALK WITH POSITIVE SELF-TALK

💎 Describe yourself with 10 words, and then take the opportunity to replace all the negatives with a positive you can aspire towards.

CHALLENGE 3: CREATE AN ACTION PLAN FOR YOUR DREAM GOAL

💎 Decide on a goal and make a 10-step plan to make it happen. You may wish to set a date or work towards a step-wise plan.

CHALLENGE 4: MAKE EACH DAY COUNT

💎 Break down your day into five steps - big or small, or take a look at your action plan to see what can be achieved today! Assess what you can achieve today and reassess what went well the next day.

CHALLENGE 5: ADVOCATE FOR OTHERS

💎 Introduce a three-step approach to acknowledge the achievements of others in a group setting. Remember to attribute ideas correctly, acknowledge the accomplishments of others and ask probing questions to inspire further reflection. 

CHALLENGE 6: LOOK FOR ROLE MODELS TO MIMIC AND LEARN FROM

💎 List 3 people who motivate you to improve your self-promotion ability. What are these individuals doing to achieve their own goals? If you don't know, then ask to learn from them.

CHALLENGE 7: GATHER FEEDBACK & LEARN FROM IT

💎 Ask for honest feedback from others around you to identify five strengths and five areas of improvement that you can start to action. If you don't ask, you'll never know.

CHALLENGE 8: MAKE SELF-REFLECTION A HABIT

💎 Take 15 minutes to reflect on the things you've learnt during this challenge and write down at least one thing that has made you proud. Make this into a weekly habit and build your list of accomplishments ready for that next job role, promotion, or to have on a pick-me-up day.

If you've enjoyed this challenge, please let me know. If you would like a #IAmRemarkable workshop for your organisation, then reach out. 

The #IAmRemarkable programme is a powerful 60–90-minute workshop designed to:

✅ Empower individuals, especially underrepresented groups, to celebrate achievements
✅ Tackle imposter syndrome, stereotypes & cultural barriers
✅ Raise awareness about the power of self-promotion

 If you wish to chat and ask for more information, please email me at [email protected]