I don’t deny that a lot of guys are narcissistic egomaniacs and sometimes that it can get out of control. But ego can also be a good thing; it gives guys confidence and makes us feel good ourselves. If you care about someone, it can be a good idea to big him up, even just a little. If you’re not sure how to purposely give the guy in your life a boost, I’m more than happy to share some tips. Here’s how to boost a man’s ego and make him feel like a million bucks.
- Call him tough. I know that this sounds macho and stupid, but that doesn’t make it wrong. Most guys do get an ego boost from feeling tough and strong. If you’re in a situation where it makes sense to tell a guy that he’s tough, please seize the opportunity to do just that and he’ll start to believe that he’s just a little tougher than he actually is.
- Say you feel safe with him. Deep down, men want to be your hero and your protector. That’s why it means a lot when you say that you feel safe with a guy. It makes us feel like we’re doing a good job and being a good boyfriend.
- Tell him he’s handsome. Please note that I said handsome and not cute. Little kids dressed up for their first communion and small dogs are cute, but guys like to be told that they’re handsome. We often need to feel like you’re attracted to us, so being reminded of that gives our ego a much-needed boost.
- Seek his advice. Frankly, no matter who you are, it feels good when someone you care about seeks your advice about something important. You feel valued and respected and your feeling of self-worth just goes up. I’m sure it’s the same with women, but guys like to know that their opinion is valued, so asking for our advice can boost our ego a little.
- Brag about him in front of others. Okay, so you don’t want to make it seem like you’re trying too hard or lay it on too thick. But bragging about something a guy has done or something you like about him around other people can make him feel great about himself. It makes us think that you like and appreciate us for who we are, which means a lot. It makes the most sense to brag about him in front of his friends and family. But if you really want to give him an ego boost, do it in front of your friends and family.
- Say you love his car. Again, I won’t deny that this is a little stupid, but I think we all know that some guys obsess a little too much about their cars. And I think it’s usually easy to tell when you’re with a guy like that. Even if it’s a little dumb, just play into that a little and tell him you like his car. I mean, don’t lie about it, but if his car is kind of cool or has some character, just let him know because it’ll mean a lot.
- Call him smart. Come on, everyone likes being called smart. Even guys that aren’t that smart like hearing it. In fact, those are probably the guys who need to hear this the most. I’m sure some women are the same, but guys will sometimes get self-conscious about their intelligence. That means an occasional reminder that a guy is smart can give him an ego boost when he needs one.
- Laugh at his jokes. One of a guy’s biggest goals with women is to make them laugh. We take great pride in being able to put a smile on your face and believe it’s a way to make you ladies like us. That means if you want a guy to feel good about himself, make sure you laugh when he tries to be funny. A guy will always get an ego boost when he knows he’s making a woman laugh.
- Tell him he’s perfect. Okay, he’s most definitely not perfect and he knows that, but that doesn’t mean he doesn’t enjoy hearing it. Just know that this is one you pull out when a guy is really down in the dumps. In other words, don’t say this to a guy with a healthy ego. But when a guy is a little down on himself, try to convince him that he’s perfect and amazing in every way.
- Give him credit for good ideas. Who doesn’t like getting credit for good ideas? Even if an idea wasn’t that good or wasn’t even his, giving credit to a guy will boost his ego for sure. It’s another thing that will make him feel like he’s valuable and contributing to the relationship in a meaningful way. Feeling like that will definitely boost his ego.
- Acceptable PDA. I know this isn’t the most feminist thing to say, but there are still guys who get an ego boost from showing off their girlfriend in public. They want to send a message to the rest of the world that you are their possession. Again, not saying I agree with this anti-feminist stance, I’m just saying it happens. You can help a guy out with this by engaging in some PDA, at least to the extent that he’s comfortable showing PDA. If he’s cool with it, showing affection in public will boost his ego and make him feel good about the state of the relationship because he’ll think that you’re happy.
- Tell him he’s the best ever. You understand that when I say to tell a guy that he’s the best ever, I mean in bed, right? I know, it’s probably not true, but guys do care a lot about being great in bed. Again, I can’t stress out stupid and immature this sounds. But there are few things that guys like more than hearing that they rocked your world in bed. This is perhaps the best way to boost a guy’s ego.
