Quote
“The secret to life is to put yourself in the right lighting. For some, it's a Broadway spotlight; for others, a lamplit desk.”
— Susan Cain, in Quiet (2012) · Quiet →
Why it was said
Susan Cain uses this image in Quiet to sum up her argument that introverts and extroverts do their best work in different conditions. The passage around it encourages readers to apply the strengths that often come with introversion, such as persistence, concentration and insight, to work they care about.
What it actually means
Cain's book argues against a single standard of success built around the bold, talkative extrovert. 'Lighting' is her word for conditions: how much stimulation, how much solitude and how much time in the spotlight a person needs to do their best. Neither setting is better; the mistake is forcing everyone into the same one. For introverts the line is permission to arrange work around quiet. For managers it is a reminder that open-plan offices, constant meetings and group brainstorming suit some people and drain others.
How to use it
- 1Notice where your best work of the past month happened, and arrange more of your week to look like that.
- 2If you lead a team, ask each person what conditions help them do their best work, and adjust at least one routine.
- 3Offer a written option, such as comments before or after a meeting, for people who think best alone.