"Full many a flower is born to blush unseen," said Thomas Gray - and most of them, unfortunately, are female. Look around you. Women are modest to the point of disappearing. That doesn't mean, of course, that there isn't a steely determination running through the female breast, just that we're hopeless at demanding recognition for our achievements.
This is really odd. Girls outperform boys at school. Women successfully compete with men in the job market while, at the same time, doing the lioness's share of bringing up children and running a home.
And yet, when we're put on the spot, we rush to soften the edges of our success. "I just happened to be in the right place at the right time," said a friend recently, completely underplaying her meteoric rise to the dizzying heights of the boardroom.
Modesty may be an endearing quality, but it's only affordable if your achievements are already emblazoned on advertising hoardings across the country. Ambivalence will never get us the recognition we deserve.
Here, we teach you how to talk yourself up in some of the most crucial situations:
HOW TO TALK YOURSELF UP...
WHEN YOU'RE NETWORKING
WHEN YOU'RE APPLYING FOR A JOB
WHEN YOU'RE 'JUST A MUM'
AT LARGE FAMILY GATHERINGS