One-upmanship is easily one of the worst things that people do. Yet we all do it.

It makes sense. We all want to feel important. Someone does something interesting, you want the spotlight.

Often, though, it’s unconscious, done without the intent of one-upping. When someone tells a story of an accomplishment, it feels natural to relate and share your own experience. The problem is that when yours is “better” you’ve now taken away from the initial storyteller. Degraded an experience they were proud of a moment earlier.

Mountain climbing is a perfect example of this. Someone summits a mountain. Another claims to have done it without gear. The next without guides. Finally, one mentions doing it in shorts.

Subconsciously, we’re less impressed by the first act — regardless of how fantastic and incredible the feat. The first climber also now feels as though his effort is of less worth.

We all do it. We all know people who do it. And we’re all annoyed when it happens.

Be proud of your accomplishments and share them with others. But be conscious of the situation. Climbing over others to gain attention degrades more than the other person’s experience.