Favorite Introvert Quotes

“I’m an introvert...I love being by myself, love being outdoors, love taking a long walk with my dogs and looking at the trees, flowers, the sky.”

— Audrey Hepburn

“I am rarely bored alone; I am often bored in groups and crowds.”

— Laurie Helgoe

“I’m very picky with whom I give my energy to. I prefer to reserve my time, intensity and spirit exclusively to those who reflect sincerity.”

— Dau Voire

“I think a lot, but I don’t say much.”

— Anne Frank

“Introverts crave meaning so party chitchat feels like sandpaper to our psyche.”

— Diane Cameron

“Originality thrives in seclusion free of outside influences beating upon us to cripple the creative mind. Be alone—that is the secret of invention: be alone, that is when ideas are born.”

— Nikola Tesla

“Stay true to your own nature. If you like to do things in a slow and steady way, don’t let others make you feel as if you have to race. If you enjoy depth, don’t force yourself to seek breadth. ”

— Susan Cain

“Blessed are those who do not fear solitude, who are not afraid of their own company, who are not always desperately looking for something to do, something to amuse themselves with, something to judge.”

— Paulo Coelho

“Most people in politics draw energy from backslapping and shaking hands and all that. I draw energy from discussing ideas.”

— Al Gore

“I don’t believe anything really revolutionary has ever been invented by committee… I’m going to give you some advice that might be hard to take. That advice is: Work alone… Not on a committee. Not on a team.”

— Steve Wozniak

“I would rather sit on a pumpkin and have it all to myself, than be crowded on a velvet cushion.”

— Henry David Thoreau

INFJ

In business school, I took the Myers-Briggs personality test (also known as the MBTI). The test told me that I was INFJ. INFJ stands for introversion, intuition, feeling, and judgment. I was pleased with the result since it put me in the same category as Mahatma Ghandi, Nelson Mandela, and Martin Luther King, Jr. (the one and only time I will be in the same category with any of them).

The main thing I remember about the test is how closely I scored on introversion and extroversion. I scored 11 on introversion and 10 on extroversion, which meant to me that I was able to turn on my introverted and extroverted personalities when I wanted.

Thinking back on my high school and college days, it made sense that I scored high on extroversion. To me, those days were all about how badly I wanted to fit in, be heard, and be liked.

Since graduating college, I've found myself becoming more and more introverted. I found myself not wanting to go out to the bars, being in a crowd of people, and having small talk with a bunch of strangers. Certain friends and family members made me feel like there was something wrong with me. I was told I was being anti-social, unfriendly, and distant. I felt guilty for not wanting to do what mainstream society told me I was supposed to do and feel how I was supposed to feel.

Then, I read "Quiet" by Susan Cain. While reading the book, there were so many moments I would read her descriptions of introvert behavior and think to myself, "yep, that's me". These words, in particular, made me feel like I was finally understood:

"Introverts, in contrast, may have strong social skills and enjoy parties and business meetings, but after a while wish they were home in their pajamas. They prefer to devote their social energies to close friends, colleagues, and family. They listen more than they talk, think before they speak, and often feel as if they express themselves better in writing than in conversation. They tend to dislike conflict. Many have a horror of small talk, but enjoy deep discussions."

"Quiet" validated my feelings and beliefs. It made me realize that there's nothing wrong with me after all. I'm simply an introvert.