Are You an Introvert? 5 Characteristics Which Can Be Used to Your Advantage

Somewhere along the way, society has gotten the mixed-up message that an introverted personality is a huge roadblock for success. Nothing could be further from the truth. In fact, introverts account for more than a few highly successful people, including:

• Albert Einstein
• Bill Gates
• JK Rowling
• Warren Buffett
• Dr. Seuss
• Barack Obama

In other words, if you’re an introvert, you’re in excellent company – and in no manner unable to achieve greatness. In fact, if these introverts are any indication, some might say greatness is in your nature. These are five characteristics associated with an introverted personality that can be highly advantageous in life and in your career.

1. Intensely Self-Aware

Introverts often spend quite a bit of their time alone. This time is often spent enjoying silence and solitude and turning your thoughts inward. This introspection often leads to incredible insights about yourself that allow you to understand how you respond to others as well as how to motivate others based on your own insights and experiences.

2. Independent Thinking

Because you tend to think things through ahead of time, you are not given to diving in headfirst or following the crowd. Peer pressure and trends are somewhat lost in you as you pursue more logical conclusions, independent of what the rest of the world, or even people within your industry, are doing.

While industries that live and die by jumping in with the latest trends might suffer from independent thinkers, those that are changing the world and creating the trends desire introverts for the free-thinkers they are.

3. Thoughtful Consideration and Insights

You’re not much of a gambler and dislike making hasty decisions. For this reason, you offer insights and input that are carefully thought out, well-reasoned, and often highly regarded by others within your industry. Some may accuse introverts of over-thinking before committing to a course of action, but few will ever accuse you of carelessness or rash action.

4. Extremely Goal-Oriented

Introverts like to dig deep when you have specific goals in mind. You tackle new ideas and research them thoroughly and completely before moving on to the next idea on your list. You also aren’t prone to wasting time with idle chit-chat or small talk. Instead, you prefer to focus on a task until it is done. That being said, you’d much rather take care of information sharing through written communications than meetings and rarely contribute much in meetings or conversations. Because you don’t overshare, your words, when spoken, often carry greater weight.

5. Exceptional Listening Skills

Introverts may be sitting on the sidelines or standing in the corners, but you aren’t doing so idly. In fact, you’re paying close attention to the people around you and really hearing what they are and are not saying. This gives you a distinct advantage over people in every industry who simply like to make noise and hear themselves speak. It also helps you develop insights about trustworthy people to bring into your circle and have on your team.

These five characteristics of introverted personalities can be huge advantages you can use to achieve great success in your career and in life. Use them wisely.