The Pain of Flattery

Flattery gets some people everywhere; some are full of tardy praise to cloak their broken promises, some use it wisely to gain favour. You can flatter people sparingly, a little bit here and there, or it may be your forte in life, but to be on the receiving end, beyond what is actually deserving, is courting and postponing a moment of failure. Flattery raises expectations and if you can’t meet or surpass these expectation then you’ll be facing your little Waterloo.
Beware people who flatter and praise too much. They may do it out of gratitude, kindness, or sincerity, but isn’t that their greatest weapon? Remember that all the energy expended on praising you, or even a miserly amount, could just as well been used to scorn you.