Introvert Me

I’ve known that I’m an introvert for a very long time, but it’s been only about a couple of years since I found out there was actually a word for it, and that it’s actually a very common personality type. Charlie’s latest video inspired me to talk more about it, because there are just way too many misconceptions about introverts.

First of all, no one is 100% introverted or 100% extroverted, although in most cases a person tends to lean to one side more than the other. Secondly, being introverted doesn’t necessarily mean you’re shy, in a lot of cases that’s true, and it’s one of the more prevalent misconceptions, but that’s the case simply because the shier introverts are easier too spot than the outgoing ones. I probably lean more towards the shier introvert side, though I’m trying to step away from that. You can stop being shy, but you can’t stop being introverted, just like you can stop being social but you can’t stop being extroverted.

So with this in mind, what does being introverted/extroverted actually mean? One simple thing. It is your personality type, a tag placed on people to describe how they energize themselves. Introverts are energized by being alone in the sea of their own thoughts and personal private work. This doesn’t mean that they are anti-social or depressed, which is common for people to assume. That’s just how we feel in our element. Being with other people may be just as fun as it is for an extrovert, but it drains our energy. We think before we talk, we try not to speak unless there’s a need to and we can actually provide useful input, not just to fill the silence. For that reason a lot of introverts do completely suck at starting conversations, but start one that interests them and good luck trying to get them to shut up.

The opposite can be said for extroverts; they gain their energy from being around others, and drain it when they’re by themselves. But I want to focus on introverts because I find it sad how a big chunck of the world still see us as inferior, and often favor the more extroverted people. In my opinion, one is not better than the other, they simply have different things to offer the world. Take for instance that the best and happiest couples you see are usually a mix of an introvert with an extrovert. Yet when they’re the same personality type, they tend to clash on a a lot of things.

If you get anything out of this, just understand that introverts make around a third or even close to a half of the population. We don’t want to be excluded, we just sometimes want to be secluded for a little while so that when we do join you, we have all the energy to put into good use. And this is just a snippet of how we are, there’s still so much more to us, and we want you to be interested. Come find out.

If you think you’re an extrovert, but have a lot in common with introverts, you may be quite right. Remember that no one is 100% one thing.

I’ll just leave you with some famous introverts, some which you probably expect, and others that may leave you surprised. (Not sure if this list is 100% true, but take it as you will)

Albert Einstein
Robert De Niro
Mike Myers
Julia Roberts
Meryl Streep
Tom Hanks
Steve Martin
Steven Spielberg
Charles Darwin
Angelina Jolie
Gwyneth Paltrow
Johnny Depp
Mahatma Gandhi
Jim Carrey
Clint Eastwood
Harrison Ford
Rosa Parks
Tom Hanks
J.K. Rowling
Steve Wozniak
Sir Alfred Hitchcock
David Letterman
Michael Jackson
Keanu Reeves
and
LADY GAGA

While looking for more famous introverts I stumbled unto this, 10 Myths About Introverts. I didn’t wanna make this longer than it already is, so if you’re interested it’s a very good read, and it’s short.