I’ve been told my whole life that I should be more extroverted. But honestly, I find that advice baffling because it doesn’t make sense to me. If you’re an introvert and you’ve been told the same thing, here’s some friendly advice on how to respond if someone tells you to act like an extrovert:
Stop telling introverts to act like extroverts
- Stop telling introverts to act like extroverts. Extroverts and introverts are different people. If you’re an extrovert, it’s important to respect your co-workers who are more reserved in their communication style and don’t think it’s necessary for everyone to be loud and talkative in the office all day. Likewise, if you’re an introvert, it’s crucial that you understand how important it is for some people—your colleagues or customers—to speak up when they need something or have a question so they can get what they need from you as a business owner or service provider.
- Learn about each other’s strengths and weaknesses so there isn’t any misunderstanding between your personalities when communicating at work or socially outside of work (if applicable). For example, Introverts tend to show up as quiet because they don’t like talking just for the sake of talking; however, there may be times when speaking up would be beneficial (e.g., asking questions during meetings). On top of this note that many introverts often prefer writing over speaking whether it’s via emailing clients back and forth instead of having face-to-face conversations with them at events/conferences where everyone else might be chattering away while sipping wine together after dinner…
You can be successful as an introvert.
You probably know this already, but it’s a common misconception that introverts are bad leaders and ineffective at working with other people. While these things may be true for some people, it’s not true for all of them. Introverts can be good at networking and public speaking just as much as extroverts. In fact, there are many successful careers that require both great leadership skills and being able to connect with others—from business owners to politicians!
Introverts don’t need to “shake things up.”
Not all introverts are in need of change, but if you find that your tendency toward quieter behaviour is making it difficult for you to move forward in a current situation, then by all means try something new! If you want out of your comfort zone and into a new career path or relationship status, then take steps—but know that there’s no shame in staying exactly where you are.
- There’s nothing wrong with being an introvert.
The best way to accept and embrace yourself is by giving yourself permission to be who and what you are right now: an introvert! Once we understand our own nature, we can begin working on better understanding the people around us (and vice versa).
Introverts aren’t broken, and they can’t fix themselves by acting differently.
Introverts are not broken. They aren’t sick, they don’t need fixing, and they can’t be fixed by acting differently. Introverts have different needs and goals than extroverts do. For example, introverts need quiet spaces in order to recharge their batteries; they also crave a lot of alone time in order to reflect on how they’re feeling and make sense of what’s happening around them.
Introverts also tend to have a smaller circle of friends than extroverts do—not because they’re “just not that into you,” but because it takes a lot of energy for them to be around other people for extended periods of time without needing some alone time afterwards. This doesn’t mean that introverted people don’t want friends or enjoy spending time with others; rather, it’s just easier for them than it is for extroverted people who require constant stimulation from those around them (in fact, this is why some introverted folks actually prefer hanging out with other introverts).
Introverts aren’t trying to be aloof.
Introverts are not cold and distant, nor anti-social or shy. They’re just different from extroverts in how they interact with the world around them, and if you’re an introvert yourself, you know that’s more than okay—it’s pretty much what you expect from life at this point.
And if you’ve been reading this blog for any length of time at all, it should come as no surprise that I’m a big fan of non-traditional opinions because they make us think differently about things we take for granted every day! Do you see my point?
Introverts need quiet spaces more than they need more friends.
You might think the best way to recharge an introvert is by getting them out of the house and into a fun, loud party full of people. But that won’t work for them because introverts need to spend time alone in order to recharge their energy. They’re not anti-social; they just need more quiet time than extroverts do in order to gather their thoughts and process what’s happened during the day.
So instead of urging me to go out more often or join clubs, how about we all just admit that some people like being around other people more than others? And then respect each other’s differences? I don’t have anything against extroverts—I’ve actually had some great times with them!—but I don’t want my personality type forced upon me as though it were wrong or defective in some way (which is what many articles tell me).
Introverted people have different needs and goals than extroverts do.
You might be one of those people who think that introverts need to act like extroverts in order to thrive. If so, you’re wrong. Introverts and extroverts are different in ways that go beyond the way they act socially.
Introverts have different needs and goals than extroverts do. Introverts tend to feel drained by social interaction, while extroverts feel energized by it—and the same can be said for other types of stimulation, such as loud noises or busy environments. This is why introverted people often have a hard time sitting in crowded cafes or talking loudly at parties; it’s draining for them not just physically but also mentally because it goes against how their brains work best when receiving information from the outside world (which is usually quieter).
But there’s even more: introverted people don’t want more friends—they simply want friends who understand them better than others do because their brains process things differently than most people do biologically speaking (and yes this means us too). The key isn’t finding another person who shares our exact interests; we just want someone else who understands where we’re coming from so they won’t try forcing us into situations where we’ll struggle out of our element simply because they assume having more friends will make life better overall.”
Conclusion
I understand that it can be frustrating to work with an introvert, especially if you’re in a field where extroversion is prized. But remember that there’s nothing wrong with being an introvert and even if there were, there’s nothing you can do about it. So don’t try to force someone into acting like an extrovert or try to change them because they’ll only get more frustrated by not being able to “fix” themselves. Treat introverts like people who need quiet spaces and alone time just as much as any other person—and maybe even more!
There’s nothing wrong with being an introvert.