To overcome shyness, you must risk tiny embarrassments. It’s a powerful truth I’ve seen play out time and again. Those small, awkward moments are the secret fuel for building real, lasting confidence.
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Meaning
The core message is simple but profound: courage isn’t something you’re born with, it’s something you build, brick by brick, through small, deliberate acts of social bravery.
Explanation
Look, here’s the thing most people get wrong. They think they need to feel brave *before* they act. It’s the opposite. You act *first*, and the courage follows. Every time you force yourself to make eye contact, to ask a follow-up question, to walk into a room alone—even if your voice shakes a little—you’re not just doing a thing. You’re sending a powerful signal to your own brain. You’re telling it, “Hey, I survived that. I can handle this.” And that signal, repeated over and over, is what forges enormous, unshakable courage out of what used to be fear. It’s a neurological hack, really.
Quote Summary
| Context | Attributes |
|---|---|
| Original Language | English (3668) |
| Category | Personal Development (697) |
| Topics | courage (145), growth (413), risk (54) |
| Literary Style | didactic (370), encouraging (17) |
| Emotion / Mood | motivating (311), realistic (354) |
| Overall Quote Score | 80 (256) |
Origin & Factcheck
This gem comes straight from Leil Lowndes’s 2002 book, Goodbye to Shy: 85 Shybusters That Work, published in the United States. You sometimes see similar sentiments floating around, but this specific, elegant phrasing is uniquely Lowndes’s. She built a career on translating complex social dynamics into actionable steps.
Attribution Summary
| Context | Attributes |
|---|---|
| Author | Leil Lowndes (235) |
| Source Type | Book (4032) |
| Source/Book Name | Goodbye to Shy: 85 Shybusters That Work (50) |
| Origin Timeperiod | Contemporary (1615) |
| Original Language | English (3668) |
| Authenticity | Verified (4032) |
Author Bio
Leil Lowndes writes about striking conversations with unknown people and how to put others at ease and maintain relationships. Her techniques are straightforward and practically usable that readers can apply immediately in their workplace, and everyday life. Her book list includes How to Talk to Anyone and Goodbye to Shy which have reached international audiences.
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Where is this quotation located?
| Quotation | To overcome shyness, you must risk the tiny embarrassments that build enormous courage |
| Book Details | Publication Year/Date: 2000; ISBN: 9780071412946; Last edition: McGraw-Hill, 2004; Number of pages: 304 |
| Where is it? | Chapter 22: The Courage Curve, Approximate page from 2004 edition |