Be it for their love of quiet conversations, or their reticent demeanour at social gatherings, introverts have long been misunderstood. Even as most of us believe that it’s extroverts who dominate parties and rule the roost at workplaces, a new research breaks the myth and infers that introverts are actually among the greatest social influencers.
The study goes on to state that around 40 per cent professionals at the executive level, as well as some of the most prestigious writers, artists, inventors and diplomats, display strongly introverted characteristics.
For someone who had many female fans drooling over him despite his not-too-loud nature in the Bigg Boss house, Hrishant Goswami tells us, “I just choose the people I want to speak to. I don’t open up easily with anyone and everyone. If that’s being an introvert, you can call me one. I feel you don’t have to be a charmer to be successful.”
In a world dominated by extroverts, introverts often find it hard to find a place of their own, yet many believe it’s best to be who you are rather than trying to be what you’re not. “I find people fascinating, I learn a lot from them and I’m not completely socially inept. But I don’t go about socialising just for the sake of it. Being with people exhausts me. As a kid I would often think it’s so ‘not cool’, but I’ve done pretty well for myself and realised the room at the top is definitely alone,” says Ashwini, a naval engineer.
Introverts are people who can tackle a difficult situation better than extroverts, say experts. Dr Rajat Mitra, psychologist, shares a little secret about introverts here. “They have a survival personality. They are people who maneuver themselves to walk out of a situation. Extroverts, on the other hand, depend on relationships. They look out for people to seek help,” explains Dr Mitra.
Monica, who has been an introvert throughout school, says she didn’t have any problems making friends in college despite her shy nature. “I was told by my cousins that I must change myself to be able to make friends and interact with people. Initially, I was apprehensive and thought being an introvert was a crime. But I did make some great friends in college and even got selected by one of the companies during the campus placement. I feel you have to be comfortable being who you are,” she says.
Model Aanchal Kumar has made a place for herself in the entertainment industry despite the fact that she is not pushy. “In today’s time people appreciate a ‘no nonsense’ attitude. Introverts or shy people know how to keep aloof and often find a corner for themselves. I think it’s best to be yourself than pretend to be someone else. There’s enough drama in real life so straight-forward are liked,” she sums up.