3 Tips to Overcome Shyness
Overcoming shyness often requires a long-term plan of
transformative change.
KEY POINTS
Nearly one in two Americans identify as shy.
Shyness configures itself differently from one culture to another.
Shy people may struggle to leave favorable impressions on others.
To overcome shyness, consider embracing humility, thinking like a
strategist, and understanding the process of change.
I've been meeting with Mohammed to understand his experience of
immigrating to the United States. Mohammed was raised in Yemen and was
excessively shy as a child. Today, he is so economical with words that he
often seems to finish speaking before he starts.
Mohammed grew up in a province in Yemen known as Hadhramout where, he
says, people are often unforthcoming with their feelings. Yet even in such a
reserved environment, Mohammed's pronounced shyness often prevented
him from leaving favorable impressions on people.
When I asked Mohammed just how his shyness had negatively affected him,
he recounted a moment from 2014, when he received a scholarship to study
in the United States. The scholarship was announced during a large
gathering. Mohammed was extremely happy and wanted to thank the
sponsors for the opportunity they had given him. But he found he couldn't utter
a word. His shyness prevented him from expressing his gratitude and
sharing the joyful experience with the crowd.
“I've always been an observant person,” Mohammed told me. “I'm never the
center of attention.” Throughout my own conversations with him, his
speaking style could be best described as fragmented. He never tells
extended and coherent stories and seems to dislike doing so. Anyone
listening would have to ask a lot of questions if they wanted to learn anything
from him. Mohammed told me that when he was once asked to speak in front
Overcoming shyness often requires a long-term plan of
transformative change.
KEY POINTS
Nearly one in two Americans identify as shy.
Shyness configures itself differently from one culture to another.
Shy people may struggle to leave favorable impressions on others.
To overcome shyness, consider embracing humility, thinking like a
strategist, and understanding the process of change.
I've been meeting with Mohammed to understand his experience of
immigrating to the United States. Mohammed was raised in Yemen and was
excessively shy as a child. Today, he is so economical with words that he
often seems to finish speaking before he starts.
Mohammed grew up in a province in Yemen known as Hadhramout where, he
says, people are often unforthcoming with their feelings. Yet even in such a
reserved environment, Mohammed's pronounced shyness often prevented
him from leaving favorable impressions on people.
When I asked Mohammed just how his shyness had negatively affected him,
he recounted a moment from 2014, when he received a scholarship to study
in the United States. The scholarship was announced during a large
gathering. Mohammed was extremely happy and wanted to thank the
sponsors for the opportunity they had given him. But he found he couldn't utter
a word. His shyness prevented him from expressing his gratitude and
sharing the joyful experience with the crowd.
“I've always been an observant person,” Mohammed told me. “I'm never the
center of attention.” Throughout my own conversations with him, his
speaking style could be best described as fragmented. He never tells
extended and coherent stories and seems to dislike doing so. Anyone
listening would have to ask a lot of questions if they wanted to learn anything
from him. Mohammed told me that when he was once asked to speak in front
