In the words of Susan Cain:
The bias against introversion leads to a colossal waste of talent, energy, and happiness.
Shyness is inherently uncomfortable; introversion is not. The traits do overlap, though psychologists debate to what degree.
Even when the attention focused on me is positive, I am uncomfortable being looked at by a lot of people - it's just not my natural state of being.
There is no one more courageous than the person who speaks with the courage of his convictions.
Introverts living under the Extroversion Ideal are like women in a man's world, discounted because of a trait that goes to the core of who they are.
I prefer listening to talking, reading to socializing, and cozy chats to group settings.
Cross the street to avoid making aimless chitchat with random acquaintances.
I worry that there are people who are put in positions of authority because they're good talkers, but they don't have good ideas.
Jealousy is an ugly emotion, but it tells the truth. You mostly envy those who have what you desire.
There are only a few people out there who can completely overcome their fears, and they all live in Tibet.
Scores of studies have shown that venting doesn't soothe anger; it fuels it.
Any time people come together in a meeting, we're not necessarily getting the best ideas; we're just getting the ideas of the best talkers.
We've known about the transcendent power of solitude for centuries; it's only recently that we've forgotten it.
We put too much of a premium on presenting and not enough on substance and critical thinking.
The pressure to entertain, to sell ourselves, and never to be visibly anxious keeps ratcheting up.
Opposites attract, and I think temperament is so fundamental that you end up craving someone of the opposite temperament to complete you.
Some introverts are perfectly comfortable with public speaking; I'm not one of them.
One honest relationship can be more productive than fistfuls of business cards.
I'm insatiably curious about human nature. I feel very lucky that as a writer I get to learn so much about it just to do my job right.
We don't need giant personalities to transform companies. We need leaders who build not their own egos but the institutions they run.
Introverts prefer to work independently, and solitude can be a catalyst to innovation.
It's never a good idea to organize society in a way that depletes the energy of half the population.
I get a lot of letters from introverts asking how they can meet people. The key is to make sure that you are doing things you enjoy.
Extroversion is an enormously appealing personality style, but we've turned it into an oppressive standard to which most of us feel we must conform.
College students who tend to study alone learn more over time than those who work in groups.
Introverts need to trust their gut and share their ideas as powerfully as they can.
I actually find extroversion to be a really appealing personality style.
Though shyness per se was unacceptable, reserve was a mark of good breeding.
Your tendency to be inward-directed or outward-directed is huge; it governs every part of the way you live and work and love.
As a parent, if give yourself what you need, your children will watch you doing that and will give themselves what they need.
Our culture is biased against quiet and reserved people, but introverts are responsible for some of humanity's greatest achievements.
Being relatively unmoved by rewards gives you the incalculable power to go your own way.
If you enjoy depth, don't force yourself to seek breadth. If you prefer single-tasking to multi-tasking, stick to your guns.
I'm continually amazed by how many people who appear to be extroverts are actually introverts.
We have a two-tier class system when it comes to personality style. To devalue introversion is a waste of talent, energy and happiness.
There's zero correlation between being the best talker and having the best ideas.
I look back on my years as a Wall Street lawyer as time spent in a foreign country.
When you're more focused in getting your message across than you are worrying about how people are viewing you, that's huge.
Introverts are capable of acting like extroverts for the sake of work they consider important, people they love, or anything they value highly.
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