Need tips on pretending to be proud?

Question

I have to get up in front of some people and pretend to be proud of some work I did, but I'm having trouble figuring out how to fake it. The confusing thing is that usually people will either have some stupid smile on their face, or they'll just look uncomfortably serious. Just looking for helpful tips so I can wing it.

Answer 1

I've been a performing artist for nearly 50 years - and there have been times when I (personally) was less than proud of my performance yet people came up to me and congratulated me on my success - or told me how much my music inspired them etc. etc.

The only appropriate answer to such praise is a genuine "thank you so very much! I certainly appreciate your support! You really made my day!"

Nothing else will do.

But it's hard to do that when you personally feel you could have done much better.

So here's what I do - daily - I practice my smile. I have a mirror in my car's visor - and when I'm at the stop light - or in the parking lot - I practice smiling. And I keep practicing it until it becomes second nature. That way when I am faced with this kind of situation, I can give a "real" smile and a real thank you.

Here's what you must NEVER do - Never say that you didn't think you do all that great. What you've just done is told that person they were wrong. What a way to make someone dislike you - tell them they were wrong - or misguided or in some way don't know what they're thinking.

So the only appropriate answer is to say "Why thank you so very, very much! You really made my day!" and leave it at that.

Yes, I practice my "thank you's" as well - so they don't sound fake - just second nature.

Trust me. Knowing how to take a compliment (even if YOU don't think you deserve it) is a vital life skill.

And yes, it takes practice -

That way you'll have fans who love you.