Let’s stop the circle jerk.

If you’re a marketer, social media manager, business leader or PR pro, a scroll through Twitter, Facebook or LinkedIn will deliver up troves of fellow professionals pontificating on the merits of the latest digital trends and greatest content/branding strategies. A peek at Snapchat (and now, Instagram) will give you much more of the same.

There is no shortage of outstanding information out there, and I’m grateful for the plethora of insights that I can access at the drop of a hat. I love that we’re able to share information, triumphs and frustrations as they happen.

However, I’m over the self-promotion and glorified pats on the back that pads all of this content.

It’s time we stopped the circle jerk, and started openly sharing.

I’m all for celebrating accomplishments. If you just published a book, got accepted to a conference, signed an exclusive client or are just feeling badass, go ahead and share it! Give others a chance to do the back patting and give your fellow communicators who are in the trenches the motivation to keep going.

However, when every article you write or livestream you post starts off with, “I’m a social media ninja, guru and sensei” or “18 of my posts are now featured on the front page of Google, Forbes and Inc,” you’ve lost me (and I’m not the only one).

You think that you sound like this:

However, you actually sound like this (except not as cool or as funny as this guy):

I get it. Showcasing your accomplishments is sometimes necessary to highlight a point, boost your credibility or receive the props you need to lose out on another hour of sleep so you can complete the next project.

You don’t have to pound the point home every time you talk or write, though. Let the work you’ve done branding yourself speak for itself. Let your accomplishments come before you — instead of dragging them along to plop them at the feet of everyone you talk to.

Is this you?

I can’t hear your insights if your bloviations speak louder.