The INSIDER Summary:
- There's a difference between quiet and shy. Introverts are quiet.
- They find social settings draining and need time alone to recharge.
- Introverts think before they speak, while extroverts tend to think out loud.
According to Susan Cain, author of the bestseller "Quiet," one third to one half of the world is made up of introverts.
Despite this staggering number, introverts are often misunderstood. Their need for restorative solitude is deemed anti-social; their observant nature is mistaken for shyness; their quiet demeanor comes off as standoffish.
When you live in a world built for extroverts, and that values big personalities that can walk into a room and charm the pants off of everyone, it's no wonder why many people overlook the value that introverts bring to their relationships and surroundings.
Here's what introverts wish you understood about them.
There's a difference between being quiet and being shy. Introverts tend to be quiet.
In her TED Talk, Cain classifies shyness as "fear of social judgment." That's different than keeping your thoughts to yourself and speaking only when you feel like you have something of value to contribute.
Because they don't always feel the need to insert their opinion, they make fantastic listeners.
Introverts are often overshadowed because they think through what they want to say before talking, while extroverts think out loud.
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