A little embellishment of one’s achievements is common to many people and is not generally considered a serious vice. Worse is when a person tries to prove that they are much better than they really are.
Some pretend to be rich, some pretend to have lots of friends, some pretend to have plastic surgeons. Let’s be honest – even make-up is a bit of a pretense, although there’s nothing wrong with it.
But when a big lie grows out of a little embellishment and a person ceases to be who they really are, it’s already a bad thing. If you don’t know how that can turn out, look at the main character in American Psycho. In the meantime, our colleagues at Maximonline have compiled nine false signs that a person is successful.
1. FLAUNTING ‘NAMES’
This is called neumdropping, when a person, in order to emphasise his status, starts relentlessly listing the VIPs with whom he is “short-staying”. All these stories, if they become too numerous, should be divided by two or even by four.
2. SHOWS EXPENSIVE THINGS
A truly successful person will never wear a jumper with a giant brand name across his belly and will not defiantly lay out on the table phone decorated with precious stones. First of all, truly status things look modest and only those “in the know” can understand their true value.
Secondly, it is possible that this “luxury-bag” in the wardrobe of your interlocutor is the only one, bought on credit, as well as an expensive SUV. And the watch is counterfeit. Well, at least the photos in social networks beautiful.
3. JEALOUS
If you have all life full of “success”, you can genuinely rejoice in other people’s achievements. If you haven’t achieved anything yourself, you will feel envy even in your congratulations through your teeth.
4. TRYING TO PLEASE EVERYONE
Do you think the egg should be broken from the blunt end? He totally agrees with you. But don’t be surprised if just five minutes later you hear him endorse the “pointy-toothed” position. Such a person can instantly change his opinion to the opposite, just so as not to quarrel with anyone. He is a talkative person, always ready to carry on a conversation and he seems to have a lot of friends. But in reality, it’s all a sham.
5. HE IS ALWAYS “IN THE RESOURCE AND IN THE MONEY FLOW”
Have you ever laughed at platitudes on social media? This is about the same thing, but on business topics. A couple of money marathons and now everyone knows that ‘the universe gives me everything, I’m in the money flow, you need to know how to ask properly’.
6. ASKS WHAT KIND OF CAR YOU HAVE AND WHERE YOU VACATION
We’re not ruling it out as a normal conversation starter, but if a person is absolutely fixated on secondary signs of success, it’s not a good sign. Especially if the conversation slips into phrases like the old anecdote: “And in the shop around the corner the tie is 50 dollars more expensive.
7. ONLY TAKES “STATUS” PHOTOS.
This is me in Moscow City on business, this is me on a business course, and this is us in the Maldives renting the most expensive yacht. The main thing is to remember that photos on social networks are always different from reality.
8. DEMONSTRATES SNOBBERY
He can publicly blow the waiter’s mind for folding a napkin incorrectly, defiantly refuses to go down to the underground, even to get one stop – and it’s okay to stand in traffic for three hours. He is defiantly pissed off by everything that is simple and accessible. Probably because it’s really the only thing he has.
9. ADORES ANGLICISMS.
In principle, he could speak in Russian, but it’s not cool. So half a sentence should be spoken in English with a Harvard accent, and then switch to the native “oka” speech.