Yes, there is such a thing. Here’s how to tell if you’re one. In large part due to Susan Cain’s bestseller Quiet, the differences between introverts and extroverts have been receiving a great deal of attention lately. No doubt all this chatter has resulted in you to consider, which am I? Many individuals give an instantaneous and emphatic answer to this inquiry. The very fact they’re an introvert or extrovert is really as obvious as the color of their hair. But many others aren’t so sure. They read about reserved introverts, that happen to be slow to loosen up in social situations and require lots of time alone to recharge, and about people-loving extroverts, who get jazzed up by large gatherings, and in addition they think, in some ways I’m like one and in many ways I’m like the other.
Are these people just weird? Not at all, according to experts. Apparently introversion and extraversion are just two ends of a scale, and most of us fall somewhere in the middle. Those who blend characteristics of both extremes are called ambiverts. If you’re an ambivert, not only are you not strange — you’re actually in the majority — you’re also more likely to succeed in sales, science says.
In short, personality is much more complex compared to the old introversion/extraversion binary suggests (complicating things further, there are actually several sub-types of introvert as well). So what are some signs you might be a healthy combination of different types? On The Muse recently, Jenn Grannemann outlined 10 tells you’re an “outgoing introvert.” Among them:
Outgoing Introvert – 5 Signs
1. You will find people to be both intriguing and exhausting.
“People watching? Yes. Meeting new people and hearing their life stories? Fascinating. Spending every weeknight getting together with a different group of friends? Not a chance — as much as you prefer people, you are able to endure only so much socializing before you need downtime,” writes Grannemann.
2. It really takes less energy to express what’s on your mind compared to make small talk.
“Fake small talk bores you and also drains your life force.” (Here are some tips on avoiding another chat about the weather, in case you are interested.)
3. You’re selectively social.
When it comes to friends, quality beats quantity for you. “It’s difficult to find people you click with, therefore you just have a few close friends. However you are OK with that.”
4. You don’t have any interest in attempting to prove yourself within a crowd of strangers.
“‘Working the room’ isn’t your thing. Nor do you feel the desire to draw lots of attention to yourself. You’re content chilling out at the edges of the party, talking to just a couple of people,” explains Grannemann.
5. You’re often confused for an extrovert.
“Your family and friends don’t buy that you are an introvert because you’re simply so social. In reality, it may well have taken a while for you to realize you’re an introvert simply because you play the extrovert very well.”
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