From the editor
working in media can be intense. Look to your left and you’ll see a peer with an Instagram following four times the size of yours, and to the right, one who commits to every extracurricular opportunity going, juggling five freelance projects and networking in their spare time.
When I started in this industry, I found the confidence and ambition of others incredibly intimidating. While they seemed to find joy in attending every event and maximising every social-media moment, I couldn’t think of anything worse. I panicked that by wanting to literally and metaphorically switch off when I left work, I was damaging my chances of success.
That was until, one day, I built up the courage to confide in a friend that I was worried I was falling behind. Could I ever get ahead as an introvert in a world filled with extroverts? Thankfully, she reassured me that the best thing I could do was work hard and be myself. So, I did.
Since then, I have realised two things. Firstly, that no one is 100% confident all the time. Even the biggest extrovert has their own insecurities and hang-ups. Our cover star, Paris Hilton, might seem like one of the biggest extroverts out there, with a career built around her 11.6 million Instagram followers and a history of pap-able outfits. But the original influencer explains on p72 that even she struggles with trusting others and dealing with the competitive nature of celebrity.
Secondly, introversion is a strength. It can mean you’re more sensitive to the feelings of others, more thoughtful, and more strategic as a result. Now, things I once saw as major weaknesses have become strengths. Don’t believe me? Turn to p62 for our introvert’s guide to thriving at work.
Whether it’s your mum (p104), friends or significant other, surround yourself with the people who know you best. Because introvert or extrovert, it’s who you really are that’ll set you apart.