When people hear the word “introvert,” they almost always think “shy,” or picture someone with his nose buried in a book, or with noise-cancelling headphones as her constant companion. And it’s true – we do like our solitude. We not only like it, we need it. But on the other hand, if we’re called to bring an important message to the world, we’re almost required to balance that solitude with celebrity, with putting ourselves out there and being more in the public eye.
Now with the publication of her book (“Quiet: The Power of Introverts in a World That Can’t Stop Talking“), a highly successful TED Talk, and a whirlwind of publicity, when people hear the word introvert, they’re just as likely to think of Susan Cain as they are to think of the word shy. Susan has had to learn to walk that tightrope between solitude and celebrity, and I’m excited to share this conversation we had about her experience and advice for introverts who want to fully embrace their introvert personality.
Susan shares with us:
- How she worked through her nervousness about public speaking
- What introverts can do to feel at ease in uncomfortable situations
- The benefits of being aligned with your passion
- Why understanding introversion is so important to the next generation
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Thanks, Beth, I really enjoyed this! You are a great interviewer.
Oh so cool!!!
COOOL!!!!!!!! I loved Susan’s TED video…listening to the interview now!
Great interview! Loved the Ted talkk too and have read the book Quiet. It spoke to that weirdo kid who thought it odd that she never wanted to be the center of attention but has been able to use “quiet” successfully! Thank you!
Beth Buelow rocks!
Great interview Beth!
Interesting. I’ve never thought that being “shy” is the main characteristic of an introvert. I thought what makes you an introvert is a tendency to deeply analyze your own and others emotions/actions. This nonstop analysis fully occupies introvert’s brain so he doesn’t have much need (or even brain resources) to look for external stimulus. In other words – so much is going on inside that there is no time for outside. But when we have to go “outside” we can be laud and be center of attention. 🙂 Anyway I just never had a problem being an introvert.
Interesting. I’ve never thought that being “shy” is the main characteristic of an introvert. I thought what makes you an introvert is a tendency to deeply analyze your own and others emotions/actions. This nonstop analysis fully occupies introvert’s brain so he doesn’t have much need (or even brain resources) to look for external stimulus. In other words – so much is going on inside that there is no time for outside. But when we have to go “outside” we can be laud and be center of attention. 🙂 Anyway I just never had a problem being an introvert.
Interesting. I’ve never thought that being “shy” is the main characteristic of an introvert. I thought what makes you an introvert is a tendency to deeply analyze your own and others emotions/actions. This nonstop analysis fully occupies introvert’s brain so he doesn’t have much need (or even brain resources) to look for external stimulus. In other words – so much is going on inside that there is no time for outside. But when we have to go “outside” we can be laud and be center of attention. 🙂 Anyway I just never had a problem being an introvert.
Thanks for using one of my questions!
Thanks for using one of my questions!
OMG you rule the world!!!!!!
I will listen to the podcast soon. I just finished watching the TED talk. Fantastic!!! So eloquent, so uplifting. Thank you Susan Cain. I’m going to tell everyone to watch.
Thank you Beth & Susan…great podcast interview! I’ve appreciated watching Susan’s Google & TED talk…(& sharing it)…so looking forward to reading her book, “Quiet”…I like many others apparently have been “quietly” waiting for these words & affirmations (and some of us praying, I might add) lol…thx again to you both ^__^.
Awesome! I am so looking forward to hearing this 🙂
Anastasia Paushkina, you’re right – introvert and shy are two different things. It’s simply that most people collapse the two and when they think introvert, the word “shy” is what comes to mind first. I experience it with every presentation I make – when I ask, “what words come up when you hear ‘introvert’?” the group is never shy about yelling out “shy!” :-). Introversion/Extroversion is about how you gain and drain energy (innies gain from solitude/less external stimulation, outties gain from social ineraction/more external stimulation), and how you relate to the world (innies=inside out, outties=outside in). It’s wonderful how comfortable you are with your introvert energy. I think for most of us, there’s a tension we’re always aware of between our internal needs and external demands. My hope is that learning to understand and honor the internal needs (which often draw the short straw) will help ease that tension :-).
Much appreciated… I eagerly anticipate reading Susan Cain’s book. I’m sure her “Quiet” will be right up there on my list of best books for Introverts to read, along with Elaine Aaron’s “The Highly Sensitive Person” and the greatest hits of Carl Jung himself. Freud’s theories, “on the other hand,” were all about sex and so he would probably label Introverts as people who’d rather “do it for themselves” (or with themselves)! 🙂
If I may offer a couple of suggestions for the front page of the blog, I would like to see two other sites geared towards introverts: James Wedmore (jameswedmore dot com), Carl King (carlkingdom dot com), and Shrinking Violet Promotions (shrinkingvioletpromotions dot blogspot dot com). I’m not so sure if I can put regular links in these comments so just replace the “dot” with exactly what it says on the label 🙂 (Note that I’m not affiliated in any way with these sites; I don’t even have a blog myself ^_^ but I do find these places informative and fun to read 🙂
Much appreciated… I eagerly anticipate reading Susan Cain’s book. I’m sure her “Quiet” will be right up there on my list of best books for Introverts to read, along with Elaine Aaron’s “The Highly Sensitive Person” and the greatest hits of Carl Jung himself. Freud’s theories, “on the other hand,” were all about sex and so he would probably label Introverts as people who’d rather “do it for themselves” (or with themselves)! 🙂
If I may offer a couple of suggestions for the front page of the blog, I would like to see three other sites geared towards introverts: James Wedmore (jameswedmore dot com), Carl King (carlkingdom dot com), and Shrinking Violet Promotions (shrinkingvioletpromotions dot blogspot dot com). I’m not so sure if I can put regular links in these comments so just replace the “dot” with exactly what it says on the label 🙂 (Note that I’m not affiliated in any way with these sites; I don’t even have a blog myself ^_^ but I do find these places informative and fun to read 🙂
loved listening to this podcast and looking forward to reading Susan’s book!
Yes, I’m reading this now…
Hi Beth. What a coup getting Susan Cain on The Introvert Entrepreneur! I really enjoyed listening to your interview with her. Just wanted to let you know that I am a huge fan of your work and your podcast and have blogged about it on my new website Write Health: http://writehealth.co.uk/the-introvert-entrepreneur-podcast/