3.6 stars out of 4.
“So stay true to your own nature. If you like to do things in a slow and steady way, don’t let others make you feel as if you have to race. If you enjoy depth, don’t force yourself to seek breadth. If you prefer single-tasking to multi-tasking, stick to your guns. Being relatively unmoved by rewards gives you the incalculable power to go your own way.”
Above is one of the MANY quotes I took away from reading Susan Cain’s “Quiet”. A book studying everything there is to know about the life of an introvert.
I, myself, come from a family containing introverts and always felt that there is NO way I could of been one of them. Do you feel the same? The reason for this? Stereotypes! I thought that since I am on the louder side, like to chat with my friends, and don’t get scared public speaking than I must be full winded on the extrovert scale. I feel as though society has taught us that introverts are loners, unhappy, and lazy. Wrong!
My old self looked at the list above and said no way, no how is that me. I was completely unaware that I was clueless. For example, I always figured that since I was so tired by the end of the day after not exercising that I must have some sort of disease. However, after reading this book I learned that I just spend forty hours a week at a social based company with an open floor plan and it is too much over stimulation for my introverted side. I am feeling drained because my mind is trying to focus on everything and doing it all at once. I feel overwhelmed to multi task. I am someone that needs “me” time in order to feel the most replenished. This is a huge flag for the introverted because the extroverted get their excitement from being around a group – the bigger the more lively they become! I should feel like coming back from a work day with all my friends ready to take on the world! However, I was running home to be in my pajamas with a book. Introvert!
This is just one example because I could go on and on of how many surprising things I picked up from reading this. I believe it would be a benefit for any manager, parent, teacher, friend, family member, etc to pick this up and educate yourself. Half of the population has introverted sides that are getting unused properly and to their full advantage. due to people (including the introverts) writing it off and trying to “overcome” it.
Take the child sitting alone in the back of the class, he/she doesn’t have problems but rather are trying to take on too much too soon with a group presentation. They are so desperate to contribute and do their fair share but are literally scared to the bone they can’t move. They are receiving pressure from the teacher to participate, the parent to try harder, and the peers to step up. Exhausting just to be themselves!
This book can help acclimate one to the ideal extrovert lifestyle in baby steps but also learn to teach new ways of integrating introvert perspectives into the day to day as well.
Please pick up this book I found it absolutely fascinating and jam pack with information. Finally, please remember, “Everyone shines, given the right lighting.”
