FIGJAM, Tall Poppies, and the Fine Art of Owning It

Getting a cup of tea in a friend’s kitchen, I noticed they had a jar of fig jam on the bench. Apparently, it was left over from a cheese board at last night’s dinner party. But I had to smile because fig jam is also an acronym for “F*** I’m good, just ask me”. And it was an expression that I hadn’t heard for about a decade.

You would use it in a quite disparaging manner and say, “Oh! He’s a bit FIGJAM”.

You probably know a FIGJAM. That person that’s got ‘tickets on themself’. And let’s be honest, nothing makes an Aussie recoil faster than someone who’s a little too impressed with themselves.

Blame it on tall poppy syndrome—that deeply ingrained cultural instinct to bring down anyone who dares stand out too much. We like our heroes humble, our praise understated, and our own achievements prefaced with “Oh, it was nothing.”

Except… sometimes it was something. Sometimes, you did nail that project, ace that presentation, or generally just knock it out of the park. And instead of saying, “Thanks, I worked hard for that,” you downplay it, hoping to avoid the dreaded who-do-they-think-they-are side-eye.

But here’s the thing—being good at something isn’t a crime. Owning your strengths doesn’t make you arrogant. In fact, the people we admire most aren’t the ones pretending to be average—they’re the ones who embrace what they bring to the table without making the rest of us feel like peasants.

So, how about a new approach? Let’s retire the FIGJAM energy and the tall poppy scissors. Instead of boasting or shrinking, let’s just be real. If someone gives you a compliment, say “Thank you.” If you’re proud of your work, own it. And if you see someone else shining, don’t cut them down—celebrate them.

At the end of the day, fig jam is nice with cheese, and tall poppies look nice in the garden.