When I was at university (some years ago) there was one class that was dominated by a handful of opinionated English public-school (i.e. fee-paying school) boys whose confidence was completely out of proportion to the value of their contribution. They talked loudly and without hesitation on topics they clearly knew very little about. Maybe it’sContinue reading “Hollow confidence”
Tag Archives: shy
Overthinking
I remember my art teacher at school asking me if I thought a particular painting had been done from life or from a number of separate studies. It was Renoir’s ‘Luncheon of the Boating Party’. Looking at it now, it is very clear that the answer is that it was a compilation of studies broughtContinue reading “Overthinking”
A fear of horses
Sometimes it is the fear that is the problem, and you learn to fear the fear. I suspect the only solution is exposure. Safe, small steps which teach you to focus on the skills, not the emotions, and help you realise that these things are manageable. Start with a small, fat, old pony, for example,Continue reading “A fear of horses”
The power of ‘no’
I need a job where the core skill is to be cynical. That is my real expertise – finding the reasons ‘why not’; identifying all the downsides. It’s a skill I have honed over many years. Unfortunately, most jobs call for people to take a more balanced approach – to weigh up the pros andContinue reading “The power of ‘no’”
