“It was only in South Africa that I got over this shyness, though I never completely overcame it. It was impossible for me to speak impromptu. I hesitated whenever I had to face strange audiences and avoided making a speech whenever I could. Even today I do not think I could or would even be inclined to keep a meeting of friends engaged in idle talk.”
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Source: Autobiography, ch. 17 'Shyness My Shield'.
About this quote
Some traits soften but never fully leave, and pretending otherwise wastes energy. The honest move is to admit the limit, then arrange life around it — preparing carefully where you can't improvise, and stepping back from situations that only expose the weakness without any gain.
When to use it
- A speaker who scripts every word because improvising in front of strangers rattles him.
- Someone who grows easier in meetings over years but still never enjoys the spotlight.
- Declining a chatty networking mixer to save energy for work that suits you better.