Rule: If you have to say that you were the smartest person in the room, you were not the smartest person in the room.
Not by a long shot.
Corollary: Always allow others to sing your praise. Self praise is almost always disgusting. If you don’t feel like you’re receiving the credit you deserve, you haven’t earned the credit you deserve. Try harder. Do better.
Corollary to the corollary: If you engage in self praise, please know that people will most assuredly disparage you when you are no longer present.
Addendum to the corollary: Self praise is permitted in the private company of spouses, significant others, and in salary negotiations. But even in these cases, it must be deployed with grace, humility, and moderation.
Additional addendum to the corollary: Sarcastic, exaggerated, tongue-in-cheek self praise is permitted when done to be amusing because humor trumps all.
Note about the additional addendum to the corollary: Donald Trump has permanently tainted the use of the verb “trump.”
