Saturday, February 7, 2015

Power of Introversion - The quiet ones - Life Positive Feb 2015

Read an excellent article in Life Positive today. Excerpts from the article is given below. For full article refer: http://lifepositive.com/quiet-ones/

Common introversion traits:
Introversion is marked by a number of different sub-traits:
•    Very self-aware
•    Gets drained by excessive crowds and small talk
•    Thoughtful
•    Enjoys understanding details
•    Interested in self-knowledge and self-understanding
•    Tends to keep emotions private
•    Quiet and reserved in large groups or around unfamiliar people
•    More sociable and gregarious around people they know well
•    Learns well through observation

Dreamers, thinkers and creators
That explains why some of the greatest minds and creative thinkers have been introverts. Albert Einstein, Issac Newton, Charles Darwin, Marie Curie, Warren Buffet, Steven Speilberg, Vincent Van Gogh, Mirza Ghalib, almost all spiritual masters, and many leaders and thinkers have been introverts.

Following their bliss
"Introverts seem to think more carefully than extroverts, think before they act, digest information thoroughly, stay on task longer, give up less easily and work more accurately.”-Susan Cain

“Since they prefer the inside world to outside stimulation, thankfully their need for fame, glamour and money is far less,” says Susan Cain, author of Quiet: The Power of Introverts in a World That Can’t Stop Talking.

“Many may secretly desire it…but it is not necessary that they would be comfortable handling the pressures that come with it. When they realise this, they mostly choose their private space to public glare,”

Innovative Leaders
Introverts seem to think more carefully than extroverts, think before they act, digest information thoroughly, stay on task longer, give up less easily and work more accurately.”

“I have naturally formed the habit of restraining my thoughts… Experience has taught me that silence is part of the spiritual discipline of the votary of truth. We find so many people impatient to talk. It is so much waste of time. My shyness has allowed me to grow. It has helped me in my discernment of truth,” said Mahatma Gandhi.

Know yourself
One of the most popular and perceptive tests is the MBTI test (Myers-Briggs Type Indicator), which determines types based on four parameters: introversion/extroversion, thinking/feeling, sensory/intuitive and finally, perceptive/judging.

Says Sheela Mendes, “It was only after I took the test that I realised that I was an introverted, intuitive, feeling, and perceptive type (INFP). As an introvert, I understood that depth was my strength, that my hold on facts and figures may be blurred, but my capacity to see the big picture was exceptional. I realised that I belonged to the category of visionaries, with a unique capacity to contribute to the world.”

Be in balance
Yet there is no such thing as a total extrovert and a complete introvert. We keep oscillating between the two swings of the pendulum. However for a healthy balance, both introverts and extroverts need to embrace their true leanings, while at the same time, overcoming their limitations. If an extrovert finds that his inability to go into the depth of the problem is coming in the way of his effectiveness, he needs to work on that part of himself until focus naturally becomes a part of who he is, instead of imposing it on himself. Similarly, if an introvert is hobbled by his lack of social skills, he can cultivate this as a natural extension of himself.

Full article at http://lifepositive.com/quiet-ones/