<p>I, too, would like some advice from parents and others out there.</p>
<p>Like many who've posted on this thread, I too would classify myself as introverted (many of the descriptions of shyness sound very familiar to me). Yet, thanks to conscious effort and practice over the years, I've overcome a decent degree of that, to the point that very few people would ever call me "shy". Today, I have multiple leadership positions, have been pretty successful at UN (multiple awards), am a strong debater, and at places like Boys' State have won many elected positions.</p>
<p>Yet none of this is "natural" or even close, and that places limits on me. In other words, I'm a good speaker, but not that person who exudes charisma or personality whenever he talks. People place a lot of respect to my opinion when there's a job to be done, but I'm never the center of a social conversation. I can't effortlessly strike up a conversation with the stranger next to me. I can't woo people for hours with my words. I've met people who can with ease and I'm not among them.</p>
<p>As a general rule, I refuse to accept this limitation on me is permanent, merely something that I need to work to fix. But how to fix it? I have four years of college to work on it, but I'm not sure what direction to work in. I want to rise from merely "capable" socially, to "excellent". As for how to do it...that's my question.</p>