Personally, I don’t find outright bragging to be a good quality in men either, and I avoid those who do. I’ll agree — there’s a ton of guys here and elsewhere online who tout their own success. I don’t think it’s helping them, either, even if they don’t experience quite the same blow back. There’s a way to talk about your life, your struggles, and your triumphs that sounds similar to what your friend has done. They make it a compelling story.