Have you ever heard of "humblebragging"? We use it to describe someone who seems to make a modest statement, but is actually trying to bring attention to something they are proud of.
For example, Li Ming says to his friend, "I just found out that I got accepted to Tsinghua University AND Beijing University. Maybe they got my name mixed up with someone else's!" He wants to tell others that he's been accepted to two good schools. But he doesn't want to seem too arrogant. So he words it in a way that seems more modest.
Although people who humblebrag think it will make them seem easy to get on with, a 2015 study published in the Journal of Personality and Social Psychology showed that humblebragging has the opposite effect.
According to one of the leaders of the study, "Humblebragging often makes others uncomfortable, because it seems not sincere. That ‘sadness is me' attitude with self-promotion does not lead to a good impression. Even simply bragging or complaining is better, because at least those messages are seen as more sincere."
In our daily life, we all humblebrag to some degree. Alibaba founder Jack Ma once said that his biggest mistake was starting the company. " I never thought this thing would change my life. I was just trying to run a small business, and it grew so big!" he said.
The best way to share your achievements is to admit your self-promotion and the prizes directly. In this way, people will see that you aren't just showing off and are simply being honest.
