Personality Culture: Three Advantages of Being an Introvert

I hide in a corner as I frivolously bite my nails and prepare myself for the worst. “This is it,” I say to myself as I take a step out of the shadows, which once protected me from socializing with the “outer world.” “All I need to do is to talk a little bit louder and look up once in awhile”, I half-heartedly encourage myself, “I can do that, it's so easy!” The teacher looks up at me, and I immediately begin to dread it all; my life, my school, my teacher, everything! She calls my name and urges me to go in front of the class to present. I slowly make my way to the front and just as I begin my presentation, I look up to see everyone staring at me. All I see are eyes. Eyes here and eyes there. Following me at every step, noticing every detail, judging me. I freeze.

That is one of my memories of being an introvert in my childhood. It may not be a memory that I am fond of, however my introvertedness has a huge role to play in getting me to where I stand today. I may not be as introverted as I was before, but I still get a little anxious in large crowds from time to time. I wonder what helped me overcome my introvertedness and this is when I realize something: being an introvert is not a disadvantage at all; instead it can be a great advantage! Here are some advantages of being an introvert:

Self-Sufficiency and Independence

The first advantage is that you are self-sufficient and can provide for yourself. Since you are an introvert and not really a people person, you mostly depend on yourself to get tasks done. You do not look for others’ assistance as much as the rest of the society does, and this is what can make you so competent.

Thoughtfulness and Introspectiveness

If you are an introvert, you are probably introspective as well. This is because you spend most of your time by yourself. You begin to understand your thoughts and actions better than others do and are able to keep yourself in check every now and then. Being able to thoughtfully reflect on your actions is a great practice since it allows you to work on your shortcomings and helps you become a more conscientious person.

Make Meaningful Contributions

You don’t necessarily like to talk in public places, but when you do decide to contribute, those contributions are meaningful ones. You run ideas through your head a few times before you decide to share them. If you are an introvert, any type of social interaction is a big ‘NO’ for you. Having the courage to participate in a discussion allows you to share very meaningful and valuable contributions.

These are some of the main reasons why introverts can have a greater advantage over the rest of the population and are an asset to our society.