The Misunderstood Introvert
Since time immemorial, fierce battles have been waged between introverts and extroverts. There has never been a clear champion through the ages, and unlikely to have one in the near future as well. Seriously though, is it that important?
Modern society
There is an inclination towards extroverts coming up on top. They stand out more, everyone knows them, vibrant. In contrast, you probably don’t even know the introvert is in the room, unless they want their presence made known.
There are studies that say introverts are better leaders, though. To each his/her own.
The way our world categorises the two are as such:
- Extroverts gain energy through interaction with external forces and will go nuts if they are left alone
- Introverts revel in their own self and lose energy the more they interact with external forces
- And now under modern theory there is Ambivert, which says that a person can achieve a balance of both extroverts and introverts (I don’t buy this one bit for many obvious reasons – it’s like saying you can find a balance between FD risk and crypto returns *cough*)
I’m an introvert, by nature, and I fully embrace it. Here I’d be sharing 5 main ways I operate as an introvert. Yes, my gears.
(1) Introverts โ Shy
The first thing everyone talks about is the avoidance to interaction / talking by introverts. That is in part true, but it is more of a preference and choice, rather than being “afraid to speak”. This stems from 2 main reasons:
- I take time to process what is being said before I respond
- I have a limited amount of energy to expend throughout the day on talking
In our fast paced world, you can see where this may pose an issue. Every question posted in a meeting needs to be answered the next second. Every action needs to be met with the best reaction in an instant. But this doesn’t work for introverts. I need time to take in the information shared, chart 100 different things in my head, before giving our best response accordingly.
You’d be surprised what a person can come up with, if given the time to think things through.
Deep down in my heart, I know that if I were to respond immediately, it’s going to be a hit or miss. That is:
- 50% it’s nonsense
- 50% I got lucky
A shy person, however, just feels stressed speaking to another person. This is understandable given that our society is so focused on how people judge us. An introvert can engage in an impactful conversation with anyone as long as he/she chooses to.
Then we have the energy part to address, which brings us to point number 2.
(2) Interaction Energy Bar
An introvert can be outgoing, but the length and intensity of it depends on each individual’s energy bar.
I tend to limit the amount of hours when it comes to interactions – meetings, events, social, etc. If I have a full day of meetings, my ability to focus wanes off at the tail end of the day. Maybe even after half day.
It’s like those mobile games with life where you will spend 1 life to play 1 game (e.g. Candy Crush). Same thing for me when it comes to interactions. At the end of 0 life, I just want to stay in my cave and stare at the ceiling.
However, on the same note, the solitary moments give me time to reflect and think through things. Often times, the mysterious brain will magically whip up something during these moments.
(3) Heightened Awareness
This is akin to Spiderman with his catch phrase:
Since introverts spend the time observing, thinking and assessing, there is a strong awareness of what is happening around them. I prefer listening and feeling the environment before jumping into anything. There is just this innate need to comprehend the environment first and get a sense of who / what. In other words, I’m a very judgmental person.
The down side? I suck at ad-hoc emergencies.
(4) Quality over Quantity
Given how introverts function – more me time – there is a focus on quality over quantity in many aspects. I would often times find myself deep diving into something to ensure that I get the best results possible before moving on to the next thing. There is always something to improve upon and it takes time to learn when to “let go”.
This can be a problem when I want to get many tasks done in a certain period of time. The constant struggle is to balance the need to achieve the best possible quality and at the same time complete all required tasks.
In addition to that, I keep to a close and small group of friends.
“It is just IMPOSSIBLE to stay connected with so many people” – says the introvert. It’s true, no?
(5) The Ultimate Me Time
Say what you want about the Movement Control Order (MCO) or lockdown. It’s like a godsend for introverts!
Jokes aside, this point is more about me having my own timing to go about my day and any interruptions are highly unwelcomed. This is especially true when I am in the midst of a certain task or reflection and something else crops up – refer to point 4. Often times, I would just ignore the interruptions and continue the task at hand.
The advantage? Focus and gets things done.
The disadvantage? People will hate me.
Closing Thoughts
Both (introverts and extroverts) have their upsides and downsides, just like everything else. I can only share this as a fellow introvert. And to my fellow introverts out there, your strength lies within.
Acknowledge it, leverage it, and become the champion that you are meant to be.
