“…at the same time, personality
differences and differences in
temperament are incredibly powerful
and no one was talking about it. So,
ultimately, I thought I needed to.”
and differences in temperament are time that I practiced as a
incredibly powerful and no one was lawyer, and I just suffered
talking about it. So, ultimately, I thought through it. When Quiet was
I needed to. coming out, I really knew I
P: So—how does introversion
tie into gender and culture?
How does it stand apart?
C: About half of men are introverts and out and I didn’t want my fear
that the way to overcome any
half of women are introverts, so there’s fear is to expose yourself to the
wanted to get this message
to get in my way. I researched
the psychology and I found out
no difference in terms of numbers. The thing you fear… but you have to
difference is the way it plays out. For expose yourself in very small and
men, the problem is more often the managea ble doses, so I started
cultural pressure to be the alpha guy. practicing public speaking in safe
And for women, there’s kind of a new environments like Toastmasters
cultural pressure where, on one hand, or seminars for people with public
you’re not supposed to be the docile, speaking anxieties. I didn’t start by
quiet 1950s woman, but you’re also giving a TED Talk, and when I did
not supposed to be too assertive. So, give the TED Talk despite all those
there’s an increasingly narrow tightrope efforts I was still completely
to walk.
terrified. The amazing thing is that
since then, ever since that TED Talk, I now have a career
P: After writing Quiet, you gave one of the
most popular TED Talks ever despite a fear
of public speaking. How did you conquer
that fear?
C: I had a fear of public speaking all the way through the
as a public speaker. Like, right this minute I’m actu ally in a
taxi on my way to San Francisco to go give a speech at a
company conference. That’s what I do all the time and
without any fear, which I never would’ve thought that
possible.
aUgUSt
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