No one is born timid; timidity is a protection we develop. If we never stick our necks out, if we never try, we will never have to suffer the consequences of failure or success. If we are kind and inobtrusive, no one will be offended – in fact, we will seem saintly and likeable. In truth, timid people are often self absorbed, obsessed with the way people see them, and not at all saintly. And humility may have its social uses, but its deadly in seduction.
Robert Greene, in The Art of Seduction. Chapter 23, “Master the art of the bold move”
