Fishing for compliments is about trying to get people say good things about you.

Sometimes, people fish for compliments because their achievement has gone unnoticed and they hope to subtly bring attention to their success.

Often, it’s pretending to be modest about something and hope they disagree and give you praise. It’s intentionally saying self-deprecating things or belittling your achievements, “I’m just lousy at this.” It’s an over-the-top admission of blame, “I’m such an idiot. How do you put up with me?” This usually stems from self-esteem issues.

Some people just need to be the center of attention and seek the limelight.

If you find that someone in your life is consistently fishing for compliments, consider if you are indeed acknowledging their efforts and accomplishments often enough. What can you do to build their self-esteem?