I noticed something odd about narcissists.
Almost all of them react in the same way when someone tells them about an achievement.
None say: “That’s great, I’m happy for you.”
They all use the same phrase:
“I did something similar too, but bigger.”
Instead of congratulating you, they turn your achievement into their own. It seems like a small detail, but it changes how you’re perceived. Sometimes, the way they react to your success reveals more about them than anything they say about themselves.
Second, learn how to genuinely compliment others on their accomplishments. I’m not talking about a generic “oh, that’s really great” or “nice, I’m so happy for you” but a relevant comment that informs them that you genuinely understand what it is they have achieved and why they are pleased to have achieved it. Do not, under any circumstances, start talking about how their accomplishments relate to your own, except when doing so illustrates that you truly comprehend and appreciate what they’ve done.
