The Gift of Introversion

12. You seek meaning
When you’re the type of person who thinks deeply about your world, it’s hard to
settle for shallow relationships, shallow goals, or shallow conversation. If you
seek a sense of meaning in your job and your relationships, and prefer
meaningful conversation over small talk, it could be a sign you are an introvert.
13. You feel out of place in an “extroverted” society
Extroverts often don’t notice it, but our society assumes that people should be
chatty, social and quick to speak up — pretty much all the time. Did you feel
pressure to talk more even at a young age? Did you always feel out of place, or
even wonder if there was something wrong with you for not being more social?
This single factor may be the biggest sign you’re an introvert.
These are just some of the signs of an introvert, and not every introvert will match all of
them. But if you — or someone you love — matches most of them, it’s a pretty strong
sign. Want even more? Check out 21 Undeniable Signs You’re an Introvert.
There’s No Such Thing as a Pure Introvert
No two introverts are exactly alike. What’s true for one introvert may be be quite
different for another. Each introvert has a different level of tolerance for socializing and
other types of stimulation.
Above all, there is no such thing as a pure introvert or extrovert. “Such a man would be
in the lunatic asylum,” the famous psychotherapist Carl Jung once noted. Introversion
and extroversion are on a spectrum, meaning, they are not all-or-nothing traits.
Everyone acts introverted at times and extroverted at other times. It’s all about what
your preference — in general — tends to be.
If you’re not sure whether you’re more of an introvert or more of an extrovert, you can
take the introvert quiz and find out.
Can an Introvert Become an Extrovert?
There are two answers to this:
1. No, introverts cannot become extroverts.
2. Why would we want to?
Why we can’t: The research is clear that introverts express their temperament from a
young age. In fact, one study by psychologist Jerome Kagan found that it’s possible to
predict which babies will grow up to be introverted based on their reaction to stimuli at
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