Today, we celebrate World Introvert Day – the global holiday of 56.8% of all people (according to MBTI stats).
I like this greeting card from Florida National University from last year:
As a self-proclaimed “justice warrior,” I’ve been defending my quiet corner of the world as many of us:
- are too shy to speak out
- have missed out on tons of personal and career opportunities over the years
- don’t have the energy to match extroverts
- often get neglected due to louder noises
- are absolutely slashed in remote meetings (Zoom allows for one voice at a time, good luck showing up as an introvert)
Extroverts take up most of the media space purely due to their natural aptitude.
Bill Clinton, Donald Trump, Margaret Thatcher, Boris Yeltsin, George W. Bush, Winston Churchill – a brief shortlist of popular extroverts shaping rules and employment policies based on their personal viewpoint.
In turn, that shapes anything from kindergarten through the education system, how people get measured, tested, and interviewed, to how success is traditionally tied to influence and controlling the masses.
The bestseller on influence, “How to Win Friends and Influence People,” by Dale Carnegie, is also a primer on extrovert (ENFP) writing the playbook to success.
And in the other end of the spectrum, we still have inspiring examples shaping the world for the better in the introvert corner.
Albert Einstein, Bill Gates, Sir Isaac Newton, Warren Buffett, Abraham Lincoln, Larry Page, Gandhi are some esteemed examples here.
Grumo featured a podcast a few years back called “Being loud doesn’t make you right.” But his episode also features excerpts from a book called “Quiet: The Power of Introverts in a World That Can’t Stop Talking.”
This isn’t a beef between good or bad, loud or quiet, or picking sides.
But in an ecosystem designed around the fight for attention, standing out as a quiet voice isn’t easy.
Even though Jan 2 has been picked as a recovery day after a long late December haul of family gatherings or New Year’s Eve, it’s not always the best time of the year to be able to find the mental space to recover. It’s the first business day of the year today and most kids are back at school tomorrow or next week.
Many introverts have to take a “rain check” once again and carve the time to rest.
Meanwhile, my fellow introverts, I salute you.
You are seen.
Here’s to a strong and prosperous year.
If you feel lonely or drained out after December, reach out via the contact form or any social network (just make sure you don’t get flagged as a spam by accident). Vent away or reset as you can and wish.
2025 will be a better and calmer year.
It won’t happen overnight – and will require your cooperation – but we’re set to better times again.
