4. Praise him lavishly for making an effort: “You look good when you are working hard.”
“It’s not a bad feeling when my girlfriend tells me I look good.” Flattery can go a long way when you are dealing with guys with a big ego. Think of different ways to tell him he looks good. Encourage him by saying things like, “You look really determined,” “I love seeing you work hard,” and “I love how you [XXX].”