Why making your value visible isn’t arrogance — it’s a responsibility

Nobody taught me this at school.
Or in my first job.
Or even in my first few years of managing teams.

But eventually, it hit me:
If you don’t sell yourself, someone else decides your value.
Or worse — no one notices what you’re worth at all.

Now, when I say “sell yourself,” I don’t mean turning into a self-promotional machine.
No fake hype. No loud voices.
I’m talking about something much simpler — and more powerful:
Making your value visible. Every day.

You’re already doing it — whether you know it or not

You “sell” yourself more often than you think:
– When you speak up in a meeting
– When you write a message to your team
– When you ask for help
– When you pitch an idea
– When you post something online
– When you negotiate your salary

Most people don’t think of these moments as “sales.”
But every one of them shapes how others see you.

And here’s the thing:
If you wait for the perfect moment to be noticed…
You’ll be waiting a long time.

The mindset shift that changed everything

For a long time, I kept quiet. I thought my work would speak for itself.
It didn’t.
At least not loud enough.

So I started doing one small thing:
Telling short stories about what I did — and why it mattered.

Nothing flashy. Just clear, simple moments:

“We had this problem → I tried this → here’s what changed.”

People started to listen differently.
I didn’t become louder.
I became clearer.

But isn’t that… arrogant?

This is the most common fear I hear:

“I don’t want to sound like a show-off.”

And I get it. That fear is real.

But let me reframe it:
Selling yourself isn’t arrogance. It’s clarity. It’s confidence. It’s respect — for yourself and your work.

If you don’t lead your own narrative, others will fill in the blanks.
And trust me, their version won’t be as generous.

Start small. Build the habit.

You don’t need a personal brand or a social media strategy to start.

Here’s where I recommend you begin:
– Reflect on one recent success
– Boil it down into a short story
– Practice telling it to a friend or writing it out

Make it a habit.
Like brushing your teeth — but for your professional self-worth.

Final thought

The more you practice showing your value,
the less it feels like “selling” — 
and the more it feels like simply being yourself.

Don’t wait for the world to notice.
Help it understand who you are and what you bring.

Question for you:
What’s one small way you made your value visible today?

Don’t forget to read How to Sell Anything to Anyone

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