--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: I'm basically as shy a person as I was…" description: "\"I'm basically as shy a person as I was when I once worked in an office in London in the late Sixties. I like my own company. I didn't need a lot of fri..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/134/gilbert-o-sullivan-8367_late_i-m-basically-as-shy-a-person-as-i-was-w_2713700.jpg" --- # I'm basically as shy a person as I was when I once worked… ![“I'm basically as shy a person as I was when I once worked in an office in London in the late Sixties. I like my own company. I didn't need a lot of friends.” quote by Gilbert O'Sullivan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/134/gilbert-o-sullivan-8367_late_i-m-basically-as-shy-a-person-as-i-was-w_2713700.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/134/gilbert-o-sullivan-8367_late_i-m-basically-as-shy-a-person-as-i-was-w_2713700.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/134/gilbert-o-sullivan-8367_late_i-m-basically-as-shy-a-person-as-i-was-w_2713700.jpg) > “I'm basically as shy a person as I was when I once worked in an office in London in the late Sixties. I like my own company. I didn't need a lot of friends.” [Gilbert O'Sullivan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gilbert-o-sullivan/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. Expresses preference for solitude and limited social circles, valuing personal space. **In simple terms:** Enjoys being alone. Key Takeaway Embrace personal solitude. Themes introversion self-reliance comfort Mood calm introspective Type personal philosophical When to use this quote - creative work - writing - remote work - personal reflection Key Concepts solitude personal space social preference Questions to Reflect On - When does solitude help you? - How to balance solitude and connection? A Different Perspective May limit networking opportunities. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Basically Shy](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/basically-shy-636812/) [Late](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/late/) [Like Company](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/like-company-395460/) [London](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/london/) [Lot Friends](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/lot-friends/) [Person](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/person/) [Shy](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/shy/) [Shy person](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/shy-person/) [Sixties](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/sixties/) [Worked Office](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/worked-office-1212241/) ## Related quotes > [I've always had to conquer fear when I'm on stage. Basically, I was and still am a very shy person. It's absolutely in conflict…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/steven-wright/i-ve-always-had-to-conquer-fear-when-i-m-on-stage-basically-i-was-and/) [Steven Wright](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/steven-wright/) > [I'm basically a shy person.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/martin-kemp/i-m-basically-a-shy-person/) [Martin Kemp](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/martin-kemp/) > [Basically, I'm a shy human being. Very introverted.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/george-hamilton/basically-i-m-a-shy-human-being-very-introverted/) [George Hamilton](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/george-hamilton/) > [Let's say that, in reality, I'm basically very shy when it comes to men.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/donna-summer/let-s-say-that-in-reality-i-m-basically-very-shy-when-it-comes-to-men/) [Donna Summer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/donna-summer/) > [A male whos basically shy, sensitive, and easily hurt might concoct a tough macho image to conceal that, deep within, hes really quivering jelly.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kumar-anupam/a-male-whos-basically-shy-sensitive-and-easily-hurt-might-concoct-a/) [Kumar Anupam](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kumar-anupam/) > [I worked in an office for eight years, so I know what it's like to slog through for money, but now to be able…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/calum-scott/i-worked-in-an-office-for-eight-years-so-i-know-what-it-s-like-to/) [Calum Scott](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/calum-scott/) > [I have never worked in an office.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jose-calderon/i-have-never-worked-in-an-office/) [Jose Calderon](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jose-calderon/) > [I worked in an office. I was like an assistant. So, I would just answer phone calls, coordinate events. It was a great day…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kelly-marie-tran/i-worked-in-an-office-i-was-like-an-assistant-so-i-would-just-answer/) [Kelly Marie Tran](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kelly-marie-tran/) > [I never worked in an office in my life.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jack-vance/i-never-worked-in-an-office-in-my-life/) [Jack Vance](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jack-vance/) > [When I worked in an office, I was definitely using a computer that should've been long gone over a decade ago but wasn't because…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kate-herron/when-i-worked-in-an-office-i-was-definitely-using-a-computer-that/) [Kate Herron](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kate-herron/) > [I've worked in an office. People are sitting down doing their stuff, or pretending to do their stuff, and they're bored. I've heard a…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ricky-gervais/i-ve-worked-in-an-office-people-are-sitting-down-doing-their-stuff-or/) [Ricky Gervais](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ricky-gervais/) > [Good people climb quickly - just like in a company.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rolf-dieter-heuer/good-people-climb-quickly-just-like-in-a-company/) [Rolf-Dieter Heuer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rolf-dieter-heuer/) > [Hollywood is a cross between a health farm, a recreation center and an insane asylum. It's a company town, and I happen to like…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/michael-caine/hollywood-is-a-cross-between-a-health-farm-a-recreation-center-and-an/) [Michael Caine](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/michael-caine/) > [If you're asking me if I like your company, the answer is yes. If, on the other hand, you're asking me if I could…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/paulo-coelho/if-you-re-asking-me-if-i-like-your-company-the-answer-is-yes-if-on/) [Paulo Coelho](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/paulo-coelho/) > [I like my own company.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anne-reid/i-like-my-own-company/) [Anne Reid](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anne-reid/) ## More by Gilbert O'Sullivan > [Whenever I write lyrics and an Americanism slips in, I always cut it straight out. I can't use the word 'babe,' for instance. It…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gilbert-o-sullivan/whenever-i-write-lyrics-and-an-americanism-slips-in-i-always-cut-it/) [Gilbert O'Sullivan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gilbert-o-sullivan/) > [The music is the thing. I am not writing for critics; I don't want to become a personality.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gilbert-o-sullivan/the-music-is-the-thing-i-am-not-writing-for-critics-i-don-t-want-to/) [Gilbert O'Sullivan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gilbert-o-sullivan/) > [Song writing is very serious; it is hard.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gilbert-o-sullivan/song-writing-is-very-serious-it-is-hard/) [Gilbert O'Sullivan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gilbert-o-sullivan/) > [The writing is everything of course but you can't be making records and not be willing to go out there and perform.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gilbert-o-sullivan/the-writing-is-everything-of-course-but-you-can-t-be-making-records/) [Gilbert O'Sullivan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gilbert-o-sullivan/) > [The perception that if you're not on 'Top Of The Pops' you're dead and buried is a good one for pop music, because 'TOTP'…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gilbert-o-sullivan/the-perception-that-if-you-re-not-on-top-of-the-pops-you-re-dead-and/) [Gilbert O'Sullivan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gilbert-o-sullivan/) > [I'd love to see myself on sale in shops. It tickles me, does the idea of me being marketed.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gilbert-o-sullivan/i-d-love-to-see-myself-on-sale-in-shops-it-tickles-me-does-the-idea/) [Gilbert O'Sullivan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gilbert-o-sullivan/) > [I didn't come into the music business to make money. I came into it to be a success. Of course, if you're successful, you'll…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gilbert-o-sullivan/i-didn-t-come-into-the-music-business-to-make-money-i-came-into-it-to/) [Gilbert O'Sullivan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gilbert-o-sullivan/) > [Nothing Rhymed,' my first single in England, was a nice ballad, which I thought would sound like a songwriter typical of the day -…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gilbert-o-sullivan/nothing-rhymed-my-first-single-in-england-was-a-nice-ballad-which-i/) [Gilbert O'Sullivan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gilbert-o-sullivan/) > [I never wanted global fame you know.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gilbert-o-sullivan/i-never-wanted-global-fame-you-know/) [Gilbert O'Sullivan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gilbert-o-sullivan/) > [I think if every song I had was, 'I love you, you love me,' there would be a problem.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gilbert-o-sullivan/i-think-if-every-song-i-had-was-i-love-you-you-love-me-there-would-be/) [Gilbert O'Sullivan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gilbert-o-sullivan/) > [What I would hate to go through is what happened in the mid-90s playing in front of a half-empty theatre, which prompted me to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gilbert-o-sullivan/what-i-would-hate-to-go-through-is-what-happened-in-the-mid-90s/) [Gilbert O'Sullivan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gilbert-o-sullivan/) > [I'm not a great socialiser. Nor am I a red carpet person.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gilbert-o-sullivan/i-m-not-a-great-socialiser-nor-am-i-a-red-carpet-person/) [Gilbert O'Sullivan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gilbert-o-sullivan/) > [When I started out I thought just hearing one of my records on the radio would be magical. Fortunately, that naivety has always stayed…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gilbert-o-sullivan/when-i-started-out-i-thought-just-hearing-one-of-my-records-on-the/) [Gilbert O'Sullivan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gilbert-o-sullivan/) > [You see, I read reviews of people like Paul Simon, and they don't talk about the fact that he's looking old or whether he…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gilbert-o-sullivan/you-see-i-read-reviews-of-people-like-paul-simon-and-they-don-t-talk/) [Gilbert O'Sullivan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gilbert-o-sullivan/) > [At school, I was basically a loner, it was hard until I was 15 or so. Then I went to art school and was…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gilbert-o-sullivan/at-school-i-was-basically-a-loner-it-was-hard-until-i-was-15-or-so/) [Gilbert O'Sullivan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gilbert-o-sullivan/) [Explore all 81 Gilbert O'Sullivan quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gilbert-o-sullivan/) ## More Late quotes > [You smile upon your friend to-day, To-day his ills are over; You hearken to the lover's say, And happy is the lover. 'Tis late…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/you-smile-upon-your-friend-to-day-to-day-his-ills-are-over-you/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [I am on sabbatical as of right now, been too busy to think of about my OWN needs as of late.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jim-diamond/i-am-on-sabbatical-as-of-right-now-been-too-busy-to-think-of-about-my/) [Jim Diamond](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jim-diamond/) > [The Beat Generation, that was a vision that we had, John Clellon Holmes and I, and Allen Ginsberg in an even wilder way, in…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jack-kerouac/the-beat-generation-that-was-a-vision-that-we-had-john-clellon-holmes/) [Jack Kerouac](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jack-kerouac/) > [The late 1990s were really a moment of still tremendous hope and optimism about the relationship between Russia and the United States.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/antony-blinken/the-late-1990s-were-really-a-moment-of-still-tremendous-hope-and/) [Antony Blinken](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/antony-blinken/) > [There was a product on late night TV that you could attach to your garden hose - "You can water your hard-to-reach plants with…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mitch-hedberg/there-was-a-product-on-late-night-tv-that-you-could-attach-to-your/) [Mitch Hedberg](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mitch-hedberg/) > [God is never late, we're just impatient.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lecrae/god-is-never-late-we-re-just-impatient/) [LeCrae](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lecrae/) > [The right decision is the wrong decision if it's made too late.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lee-iacocca/the-right-decision-is-the-wrong-decision-if-it-s-made-too-late/) [Lee Iacocca](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lee-iacocca/) > [Love is all a matter of timing. It's no good meeting the right person too soon or too late.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/wong-kar-wai/love-is-all-a-matter-of-timing-it-s-no-good-meeting-the-right-person/) [Wong Kar-wai](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/wong-kar-wai/) > [And my experience is the best titles, for me, emerge in the process of writing. They don't usually come at the very beginning and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/edward-hirsch/and-my-experience-is-the-best-titles-for-me-emerge-in-the-process-of/) [Edward Hirsch](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/edward-hirsch/) > [For me, the melancholy of the late XXth Century is walking late at night by the Mont Blanc pen store and seeing these things…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/william-gibson/for-me-the-melancholy-of-the-late-xxth-century-is-walking-late-at/) [William Gibson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/william-gibson/) > [“To all the secret writers, late-night painters, would-be singers, lapsed and scared artists of every stripe, dig out your paintbrush, or your flute, or…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/shauna-niequist/to-all-the-secret-writers-late-night-painters-would-be-singers-lapsed/) [Shauna Niequist](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/shauna-niequist/) > [I relish the time I have when there are no interruptions. Most often the best time for writing is late at night.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/franny-armstrong/i-relish-the-time-i-have-when-there-are-no-interruptions-most-often/) [Franny Armstrong](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/franny-armstrong/) > [I've always been a late bloomer in some ways, and extremely precocious in other ways. When I was twenty I was living in New…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/meghan-daum/i-ve-always-been-a-late-bloomer-in-some-ways-and-extremely-precocious/) [Meghan Daum](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/meghan-daum/) > [I swam with my first shark in the 1980s. I was 20 miles off the coast of Rhode Island, working with a group of…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/brian-skerry/i-swam-with-my-first-shark-in-the-1980s-i-was-20-miles-off-the-coast/) [Brian Skerry](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/brian-skerry/) > [God alone knows how great it is. All I hope is that it is not too late. I am very much afraid that it…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/winston-churchill/god-alone-knows-how-great-it-is-all-i-hope-is-that-it-is-not-too-late/) [Winston Churchill](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/winston-churchill/) [Browse all 5,113 Late quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/late/) ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "I'm basically as shy a person as I was when I once worked in an office in London in the late Sixties. I like my own company. 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