Introvert Personality and Creativity
The introvert personality is often overlooked by the rest of the world. By nature, they are the ones who mostly listen rather than speak. They can be criticized for not being more gregarious or outgoing like their extrovert counterparts. But the truth of the matter is, there is room for both. And that’s fantastic. Introverts make up one third to half of the planet’s population. Some of the biggest contributions to arts, science, engineering, and society in general, have come from introverts.
An inc.com article from 2015, listed 23 of the most successful introverts in history. Among them are names like Albert Einstein, Eleanor Roosevelt, Rosa Parks, Elon Musk, Steve Jobs, Steven Spielberg, Meryl Streep, Bill Gates, and Dr. Seuss, to name just a few. One could argue that those people are (or were) constantly in the limelight. They were indeed, but that’s hardly where they were the most comfortable. Many of them have said their moments of genius or their strongest creativity came from the time spent alone.
Some of today’s A-list actors absolutely hate doing interviews or red-carpet events.
Think Harrison Ford, Julia Roberts, David Letterman, and Michael Jordan. And while being in front of crowds of people isn’t where introverts are the most comfortable, some, like the A-listers, learn how to manage around others and under a spotlight.
In Susan Cain’s book, Quiet: The Power of Introverts in a World That Can’t Stop Talking, she states, “It’s not a bad thing to go to a meeting and, even if you feel uncomfortable, push yourself to speak,” Cain noted. “We all do have to act out of our true character sometimes. But it’s not healthy to act out of your true character most or all of the time.”
Where extroverts express themselves outwardly, introverts express themselves through creativity, whether it be through the arts, science, engineering, or writing. Introverts utilize the power of quiet moments to do their best thinking and creating. They don’t need an endless stream of constant chatter. In fact, small talk is usually painfully agonizing and a waste of time. They think before they speak and only speak if there’s something worth saying. Large gatherings can be exhausting. And the best careers for introverts would…
