Overcoming Shyness Other shy actors include Glenn Close, Ruth Negga, Keanu Reeves, Dove Cameron, Liv Tyler, Milo Ventimiglia, Alexis Bledel, Rooney Mara—and the list goes on. So if nerves start to take hold before an audition, remember you're not alone.
Shy people can be actors because an actor's shyness becomes irrelevant if the actor can make themselves feel that they have complete privacy. You can develop this ability to tune out the outside world by practicing your lines in public, watching your own performances, and doing improv in groups.
There are many professional actors and performers who are introverts: Emma Watson, Glenn Close, Tom Hanks, and Harrison Ford, just to name a few. Being an introvert in no way hinders one's performance. It's knowing how to take care of yourself, how to give yourself that important alone time. That's the key.
And yes, that includes shyness. In fact, shy celebrities aren't exactly rare. Sure, there are some on this list that are a given (stars like Kristen Stewart and Robert Pattinson, who occasionally come across as awkward or stiff in interviews because of their shyness).
Conversely, Lithuania is the number one most introverted country, at 55.6%. .
Sigourney Weaver, Winona Ryder, Jim Carrey, Danny Aiello, Melissa Rauch, Jim Parsons, Chris Pine, Tom Hanks, and Al Pacino are all known to have endured painful shyness during their childhoods. In fact, Pacino insists, “My first language was shy.
“Many highly successful and accomplished people are shy," she says. "The thing is not to 'overcome' shyness, but to accept it and develop the skills to manage it.” Being your authentic self, Friedman says, is always your best bet—even if you're shy or reserved.
Not only do introverts make great listeners, they're mindful of their environment and the things happening around them. Because they're observant, they're able to notice both the mistakes and successes of others and pick up on what to do and what to avoid in order to be successful.
Elon Musk is a self-proclaimed introvert entrepreneur. There is a common misconception that only extroverts can succeed in business.
It wouldn't be so surprising to find out that Swift was an introvert, but all of Swift's qualities, from her talent to her enjoyment of her downtime, have contributed to her success in all areas of her career.
On the contrary, introverts have attractive qualities because they're active listeners. They speak less and listen more, which gets people interested in them. What makes introverts attractive is their ability to observe beyond the words people speak. They pay close attention to details and are extremely prudent.
Despite her fame, Zendaya is a self-professed introvert—"When I was younger, my parents had to go to a seminar about shy kids"—but acting helped pull her out of her shell and became her passion at an early age. "My passion was always in the arts," she says.
Introverts are often great listeners and observers, highly empathetic and sensitive to others as well as deep, creative thinkers. These qualities are fantastic for an actor to have, so don't underestimate your strengths.
While many of us introverts tend to keep to ourselves, we all need a creative outlet to express ourselves. With acting, there is the opportunity to not just express yourself, but being able to express yourself through the eyes of various different characters brings with it so much freedom.
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Writing jobs make perfect careers for introverts and those with social anxiety – I know from experience! Writing can be a great type of work for introverts.
Someone with social phobia — or extreme shyness — can overcome it! It takes time, patience, courage, and practice. But it's worth the hard work. The payoff is enjoying more friends, having more fun, and feeling more confident.
According to Eley: Shyness is roughly 30 percent genetic. The rest comes from the environment in which you were raised.
Shy people don't think they're more important than others
But it is a trait that most of us find very likable and attractive in others. In fact, psychologists have consistently found that both men and women rate humility as one of the most desirable traits in a partner.
Shy people are often altruistic – they help others. In fact, you often think far too hard about people's reactions when figuring out how you should behave and what you are going to say. You are sensitive to what others are feeling, and this is beneficial when dealing with others with kindness and consideration.
Chloe Foster, a clinical psychologist at the Centre for Anxiety Disorders and Trauma in London, says shyness in itself is quite common and normal and doesn't cause problems unless it develops into more of a social anxiety.
1. Albert Einstein. As one of the world's most recognized and revered physicists, Einstein has often been quoted as saying, “The monotony and solitude of a quiet life stimulates the creative mind.” Einstein received the Nobel Prize for Physics in 1921 and is best remembered for developing the theory of relativity.
Hanks has an iconic face, voice, and talent for becoming the characters he takes on. Knowing how he easily steals the show, it's hard to imagine that Hanks wasn't always this way and that he was actually very shy and withdrawn in his youth.
Most of the set-up for acting is highly introverted, in the respect that it deals with a lot of independent thinking and deep intra-personal reflection. And once all of this business is brought to the stage, extroversion alone still isn't enough to succeed.