Feeling uncomfortable with compliments is not a sign of modesty. The moment you are complimented, several thoughts come up at once: the pressure to do as well next time, the feeling that the other person has misjudged you, and not knowing how to respond.
Compliments raise the standard. Being told you did well this time sounds like being told you must do as well next time, and in that moment you feel pressure before happiness.
The gap between the self you know and the self the other person saw is another reason. When the gap is large, the compliment feels like a mistaken judgment rather than something to be glad about, and your first urge is to correct it.
Modesty is an attitude someone chooses. Discomfort with compliments is a reaction they do not choose. A modest person accepts the compliment and then downplays it, while someone uncomfortable with compliments struggles to accept it in the first place.
That is why they are not at ease inside either. Politely declining the compliment may look the same from the outside, but what is going on inside is completely different.
It amounts to rejecting the other person's judgment. Repeatedly saying it is not true tells the person who complimented you that their judgment was wrong, and next time they are less likely to say anything.
It also costs you. Each time you deny it, you stop counting what you did well as your own, so no matter how much you achieve, you never gain evidence of your ability.
The simplest response is a single thank you. You do not need to add an explanation, and you do not need to correct the other person's judgment.
If it feels awkward, you can ask what they liked. Hearing which part they liked turns a vague compliment into specific information, so the pressure drops and you have more to use next time.
It works better to compliment what someone did rather than the person. Saying which part they did well and how, rather than saying they are amazing, lets the listener accept it without pressure.
Compliments in front of a group can be uncomfortable for some people. If someone is uncomfortable being the center of attention, it is better to tell them briefly in private.
How high your standards are and how uncomfortable attention makes you need to be looked at separately. If your standards are high, a compliment sounds like praise for something that fell short. If attention makes you uncomfortable, the compliment itself is uncomfortable.
The Beyond Persona assessment reports Self Certainty, which shows how much you trust your own judgment, and Withdrawal, which shows how much you tend to feel anxious or hold back, as separate results. They can help you decide whether to adjust your standards or change how you handle being the focus of attention.
This page describes behavior patterns for self-understanding. It is not a medical or psychological diagnosis, and it does not replace professional care. If difficulties persist and disrupt daily life, please seek professional help.
This page covers the type in general. How it actually shows up in your own combination is what the measurement tells you.