7 Things We Can Learn From Introverts
For most of his childhood, Albert Einstein did not actually receive recognition as a great student, but rather as an introvert, that is, inward-looking. Over time, however, his work left us with one of the most important scientific legacies of the 20th century: theoretical developments in physics that were only within the reach of this genius we remember today.
There are many books written about his life and they all agree on one thing: he undoubtedly had an introverted personality. Just like Einstein, it is said that many other people known for their creativity and intelligence had introverted personalities, such as Bill Gates and Gandhi.
But introvert and extrovert (outward-looking) personalities are not mutually exclusive. Very often they mix, as there are extroverted people who behave shyly in certain situations and introverted people who show signs of liveliness, sociability and other typically extroverted traits.
Studies on introversion and extroversion
The first person to work with the concepts of introversion and extroversion was Carl Jung . In his book Psychologische Typen (Psychological Types), Jung talks about two different ways of action that define each person: behaviors that focus on the outside, others, and society, and those behaviors that are directed toward the private realm. These two ways of acting define two psychological types: extroversion and introversion.
In addition, he combines these two psychological types into two archetypes. Jung associates the introversion with the archetype of Apollo (described by introspection, rationality, and restraint) and the extroversion is associated with the archetype of Dionysus (characterized by disorder, the search for new things, and an interest in the senses).
Later, the German psychologist Hans Eysenck also studied the subject, but he adhered to the scientific approach. Eysenck focused on the biological and genetic basis of man, which means that he focused on what is not learned through experience, but what is expressed in terms of how we need to adapt to our own environment.
For this reason, Eysenck argues that the relationship between introversion and extroversion is a dimension of temperament present in each, defined by our physiology, state of excitation, or retention in the face of an external stimulus.
What can we learn from an introvert
Harvard University conducted a study to analyze possible characteristic formulas in the brains of people identified as introverts. This study found that introverted people have more gray matter in their brains and that it is also thicker in certain parts of the forebrain that are associated with abstract thinking and decision-making.
This may be why introvertes devote more time to abstract thinking and become described as less impulsive, more detailed, and more uncomfortable in situations where social interaction is unavoidable or there is no alternative to teamwork. Below, we analyze some of the things we can learn from introverted people.
Ability to enjoy solitude
An introvert knows how to be alone and use this time to read, go to the movies, write, shop, travel, etc. They enjoy their time and do whatever they want to do. They don’t need anyone else to accompany them. There is also a reason for the existence of this isolation, as the introvert charges its batteries when alone.
Ability to listen
When an introvert speaks, he does so after pondering and listening first. The introvert prefers to be quiet and pay attention to what others are saying to intervene in the conversation later. Their behavior in the conversation is not motivated by the fear of being interrupted, but rather that they don’t want to get involved until they are sure they can add something valuable to the conversation.
Analytical and pensive
The introvert makes decisions based on past experience he or she has accumulated through research, observation, and interpretation. They like to test, analyze, think, and they are usually people like that who are quite cautiously considerate and not very impulsive.
Care and precision
A study at Cornell University (New York) came to the conclusion that introverted people show greater stimulation in the brain as they go through visual information that helps them notice details that go unnoticed by other people.
Different enjoyment of social relationships
Introvert also enjoy their relationships with other people, but differently than extrovert. The introvert prefers to be in bilateral situations with people and avoids larger forces where they usually choose a secondary role when embarrassed by the amount of stimuli.
Sensitivity
Introvertes, although they sometimes seem cold and distant, tend to be quite sensitive. In fact, some of the most profound literary works that describe emotions the richest are written by extremely introverted people.
Creativity
The reflection and self-examination that characterizes introvertes makes them more creative . They use their own loneliness to dedicate themselves to reflection. In this way, they can achieve higher levels of concentration that allow them to create new things and new solutions to problems.
