I was able to do very well at the things I was good at, yet I would still spent all my time striving to do better. This doesn't make any sense. But I was a very very silly person. Some people think of shy people as rude, unfriendly, or as snobs. This is a very bad misunderstanding.
Most shy people care a lot about other people.
In my case it is because I am often so worried about saying something inappropriate, that might be misinterpreted, hurt somebody, or that I don't genuinely mean, that it takes me a long time to think precisely what I want to say and how to say it before beginning to speak. Taking time to think what to say is particularly a problem in group conversations because by the time I have figured out what I want to say, someone else has already started speaking, and the thought I had is no longer is appropriate. My communication abilities will probably greatly affect both my own life and the lives of people around me. It is worth spending time trying to understand them and get them right. I have taken an interesting in understanding how well other people understand me and what aspects of my speech they find difficult.