“Shyness”. We’ve heard this word a lot. Indeed, research shows that 93% of all people have experienced shyness at some point in their lives. What does it really mean to be “shy”? For some, it may mean being quiet, reserved, or timid. For others, shyness is a catch-all word to describe what may at first seem like a personality trait, but is in fact a fear response. Shyness, in fact, pervades their lives and prevents them from doing things they would like to do, such as finding personal fulfillment or achieving career goals.

Since 1978, in working with thousands of people of all ages who call themselves “shy”, I have come to realize that this word is too general to be of much help in identifying a problem and solving it. The actual response to the stress of interaction is called social anxiety. Social anxiety manifests itself across a broad spectrum of behavior, from mild nervousness to social phobia, in which interaction-related anxiety is extreme, so extreme that a person avoids – sub-consciously or consciously - the specific situations that cause the anxiety.

In reality, shyness is a form of social anxiety. When an individual understands the phenomenon in terms of behavior, cognition, emotion, and physiology, there is more potential to control it versus the abstract generalization of “shyness”.

Your Options to Overcome Shyness

1. Free CD. Hear Robert, an extremely gifted salesman, explain; in depth, how he conquered his crippling fear of public speaking via telephone therapy
2. Free Introductory CD
3. Public speaking anxiety therapy in Great Neck, New York
4. Public speaking anxiety therapy via telephone
5. Comprehensive self-therapy audio CD program
6. The book, "Beyond Shyness: How to Conquer Social Anxieties" (Simon & Schuster)
7. Subscribe to the Tip of the Month Club