“It takes great talent and skill to conceal one’s talent and skill.”

The Daily Laws, April 30, Never Appear Too Perfect

Downplaying our talents and skills is an incredibly difficult task.

As such deeply social creatures, we crave validation from the people around us.

And we assume that impressing people by appearing so great and mighty will grant us this acceptance we so intensely desire.

To conceal our virtues, then, is a fundamentally unnatural act.

It goes entirely against our most instinctive impulses.

In fact, it may even scare us a little.

We start to worry that being seen as even slightly weak or vulnerable might result in our rejection from the group.

In reality, however, the opposite is true.