You’re (Probably) Not An Introvert

Summary

• In my 20s, I realized I was introverted because I had no shared interests with people around me. Talking to them was draining.
• When I was 24, working as a personal trainer, I was chosen for a leadership training. At first, I didn’t want to manage people because I believed I was better off alone.
• Looking back, I think I would have succeeded and found happiness faster if I had understood that I needed to be around people with similar values.
• It took me years to find out that being drained by others was due to a lack of common interests, not a flaw in myself. This realization helped me seek out better environments and relationships.

Video

How To Take Action

I would suggest implementing these strategies to grow your small business, practice entrepreneurship, or pursue personal growth:

Find Like-Minded People: Start by identifying groups or communities that share your values and interests. This could be local meet-ups, online forums, or social media groups. Being around people who share your goals and passions is invigorating and will help you find joy and motivation.

Value-Based Networking: When attending events or gatherings, focus on finding people who share similar values rather than just expanding your network. Prepare a few questions that highlight your interests and listen actively to find common ground.

Leverage Your Strengths in Leadership: As you step into leadership roles, understand that managing people doesn’t mean giving up on your strengths as an individual contributor. Use your passion and skills to inspire and guide your team. Doing this can minimize the feeling of relying on others for success.

Embrace Personal Growth: Reflect on why certain environments drain your energy. Being aware of this makes it easier to seek out spaces and relationships that empower you rather than deplete you.

Low-Cost Implementation:

• Daily Reflection: Spend 5 minutes each day reflecting on interactions and identifying what energized or drained you.
• Targeted Conversations: Use social media wisely by following and engaging with people and businesses that align with your interests.

By focusing on these actions, you’ll find that your business and personal growth will accelerate, and you'll be much happier.

Full Transcript

in my 20s you know people like well you're very introverted I didn't like to go to the social events I didn't like to go to the Gatherings like I just want to be by myself it took me years to realize it was that I had no shared interests with anybody that I was around and the things that they wanted to talk about bored me to death and I felt like I was being depleted of energy when I was talking to them when I was a personal trainer at 24 one day they told me that they had to send me to a training I show up and they're like so this isn't a training you've been selected because we think that you're are a potential leader and I remember I sat there and I was like dude this I want to manage people you kidding me have to rely on them for my success I'm so good on my own why would I want people and that was only 12 years ago I look back at that and I think to myself wow I wonder how much faster I would have succeeded and excelled and honestly just found happiness if I just understood that I just wasn't around people who had the same values as I did