“I’m very picky with whom I give my energy to. I prefer to reserve my time, intensity and spirit exclusively to those who reflect sincerity.” – Dau Voire
In our society where the extrovert is constantly celebrated and the introvert often ignored, we don’t spend enough time reflecting on the benefits that a diversity of personalities can bring to the table.
To celebrate the importance of introverts I wanted to share 14 strengths that they have over extroverts!
1) They are able to develop deeper focus. Because they spend more time on quiet activities, introverts are able to concentrate more easily. This is a skill that they have typically learned over years of unintentional brain training.
2) They have stronger personal boundaries. When you live outside the confines of the group, you don’t feel the need to adjust your feelings to suit everyone else. As a result, introverts are more upfront about what they want from a situation, which sets boundaries and actually prevents feelings from getting hurt in the long run.
3) Introverts don’t get bored. Because they are stimulated by their internal worlds, they don’t constantly feel the need to seek entertainment from the outside and don’t get bored as easily their extroverted counterparts.
4) They are easier to get along with. Extroverts sometimes clash when there’s more than one loud person in the room, introverts on the other hand will happily take a backseat, or just avoid situations whereby there may be a lot of chest pounding or egotism.
5) Introverts have a lowered chance of obesity. A study by Cornell Food and Brand Lab found that extroverts are more likely to take larger food portions, which in the long term can lead to obesity.
6) They understand themselves better. Spending more time alone allows you time to reflect and learn to better understand yourself.
“Nothing, to my way of thinking, is a better proof of a well-ordered mind than a man’s ability to stop just where he is and pass some time in his own company.” – Seneca
7) They learn from their mistakes. Internal homework allows introverts to spend time reflecting on why things happen and make a real effort to improve them. This skill means that they are therefore much more likely to correct errors they make.
8) Introverts are less impulsive. Extroversion has been linked with behavioral impulsivity in a number of studies. Introverts, on the other hand, think their actions through and generally make better thought out decisions.
9) They are more creative. Because introverts tend to focus more intensely on things, including ideas and preferences, they develop a more obsessive and longer-term relationships with their hobbies, which often results in greater creativity. Consider Steve Jobs passion for Apple Computers or Albert Einstein’s fascination with physics.
10) They’re better at reading emotions. Because introverts spend more time listening, they can sometimes have a greater ability to read the emotions of those who they are talking to.
11) They are more loyal. When it comes to personal relationships, introverts value quality over quantity. This means that those friendships that do develop are often stronger and more highly valued than the more fluid and dynamic social world of the extrovert.
12) They can be more effective leaders. Though there is a stereotype of a leader as a loud extrovert, this isn’t necessarily the case. When in leadership roles, introverts have been found to celebrate the diversity and creativity of their staff, whereas extroverts tend to want to put their own stamp on things.
13) Introverts are less emotionally reactive. This is related to the impulsivity. Because they take the time to reflect, introverts are not emotionally reactive in the moments, like we often see with the louder people in a room.
14) Introverts leave bigger legacies. Though in the short term the extrovert may be more memorable, many introverts tend to plug away at their life’s passions in solitude and create a body of work that is more comprehensive than those who spend a lot of energy socializing. Examples of this include Elon Musk, Albert Einstein, Eleanor Roosevelt, Steven Spielberg, JK Rowling, and Michael Jordan.
Are you an introvert? What strengths do you think you have because of this part of your personality? Let us know in the Facebook comments!
Source: Expanded Consciousness
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