In Swedish there is a term called självdistans, which would be directly translated to "self-distance", which means possessing a certain objectivity towards yourself, to be ego-less or not taking yourself too seriously. In other words, it's a quality in a person that would be modest and not too egoistic. Important thing to stress here is that an apparent lack of "self-distance" is a negative thing while too much self-distance can also be seen as a negative trait as it would been that you are actively trying to avoid giving yourself credit for something you have done, or dismiss any praise you might get from others.
I am not sure if what I am trying to get at is clear enough or if I should try to explain it better. At any rate, I am trying to find a word or expression to express the same quality but I can't seem to find "self-distance" in any English dictionary. Is there a good, semi-formal word that fits in this context?
Best Answer
You should consider words such as modesty and humility. These are both seen as being positive traits but could be taken to an extreme where a person doesn't take appropriate credit for their accomplishments or abilities.
Another word to consider would be objectivity. This captures the sense of lack of egotism, but it isn't necessarily understood to be reflexive.