The Power of Introverts in a World That Can't Stop Talking

“You’re too quiet.”

This comment from others have plagued me almost all my life. I don’t know how many times I’ve been told that I needed to come out of my shell, to be livelier, or to talk more.

If you identify as a natural introvert like myself, you’ll understand the problems and obstacles we sometimes have to face. Whether it is pressure we put on ourselves or stigmas created due to remarks made by others, it can often feel as though we are perceived to be different.

As though being quieter than our extroverted counterparts will always be perceived as a bad thing. At times it can feel like, due to repetitive demands from others to be a little more outgoing; you will force yourself to start behaving like Extroverts becoming more social and the result, later you will fed up by realizing that you are draining your energy by tending to becoming someone than yourself.

Each time when someone told me I was “too quiet,” I wondered what exactly they were hoping to achieve anyway. Whenever i say something often people reaction was “Wow! He said something!”. 

Over the years, I’ve spoken to several talkative, extroverted people who've been told they’re too loud or that they talk too much. It seems whatever personality you’ve got you’re always going to be “too much” of something for someone.

What would you say investor Warren Buffet and civil rights activist Rosa Parks had in common? How about Charles Darwin, Al Gore, J.K. Rowling, Bill Gates, Sir Isaac Newton, Steven Spielberg Albert Einstein, Mahatma Gandhi, Abraham Lincoln, Emma Watson, Eleanor Roosevelt, Director Bala, A.R.Rahman and Google’s Larry Page? They are icons. They are leaders and achievers. And, they are introverts.

Introverts prefer less stimulating environments and tend to enjoy quiet concentration, listen more than they talk and think before they speak. Conversely, extroverts are energized by social situations and tend to be assertive multi-taskers who think out loud and on their feet.

Introverts are the ones who prefer listening to speaking, reading to partying; who innovate and create but dislike self-promotion.

Introverts, in contrast, may have strong social skills and enjoy parties and business meetings, but after a while wish they were home in their pajamas. They prefer to devote their social energies to close friends, colleagues, and family. They listen more than they talk, think before they speak, and often feel as if they express themselves better in writing than in conversation. They tend to dislike conflict. Many interested of small talks, but enjoy deep discussions. Introverts are people who know when to speak up and when to shut up, when to inspect and when to respond, when to push and when to hold back.

The highly sensitive [introverted] tend to be philosophical or spiritual in their orientation, rather than materialistic or hedonistic. They dislike small talk. They often describe themselves as creative or intuitive. They dream vividly, and can often recall their dreams the next day. They love music, nature, art, physical beauty.

Gandhi's work is proof positive that you don't have to be an extrovert to be an effective leader. He once said, "In a gentle way, you can shake the world”.

Introverts are the kind of leaders who are not afraid to get out of the way and let employees or volunteers shine. Because they are likely more self-aware, introverts may be more comfortable playing to their strengths because they are able to candidly assess what their gifts and weaknesses are.

Conclusion:

Don't think of introversion as something that needs to be cured.

So stay true to your own nature. If you like to do things in a slow and steady way, don't let others make you feel as if you have to race. If you enjoy depth, don't force yourself to seek breadth. If you prefer single-tasking to multi-tasking, stick to your guns. Being relatively unmoved by rewards gives you the incalculable power to go your own way.

Spend your free time the way you like, not the way you think you're supposed to. Stay home on any important festival if that's what makes you happy. Skip any meeting if doesn't interests you. Cross the street to avoid making aimless chitchat with random acquaintances. Read. Cook. Run. Write a story. Make a deal with yourself that you'll attend a set number of social events in exchange for not feeling guilty when you beg off.

Be yourself!  It’s important to honor and cherish yourself as well as your friends and colleagues, whether introverts or extroverts, and always follow the golden rule.

Whoever you are, bear in mind that appearance is not reality. Some people act like extroverts, but the effort costs them energy, authenticity, and even physical health. Others seem aloof or self-contained, but their inner landscapes are rich and full of drama. So the next time you see a person with a composed face and a soft voice, remember that inside his mind the person might be solving an equation, composing a sonnet, designing a hat, creating a story. He might, that is, be deploying the powers of quiet.

This post was written by DEEPAK.J, I year PGDM.

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