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Embracing your weaknesses
Welcome to The Introverted Path!
Happy Thursday y’all! I’m enjoying this fall weather here in Kansas City. Things have started to cool down and I can go for long walks without getting drenched in sweat 🥵. Hope everyone has had a great week so far.
Last week, I wrote about embracing your introvert superpowers. And today, I wanted to talk about introvert weaknesses. Not nearly as fun of a topic as superpowers, but equally as important.
In today’s email:
Disadvantages of being an introvert
5 common examples
Links to other content I enjoyed this week
Let’s dive in 🤙
Disadvantages of being an introvert
Much of what I discuss throughout this newsletter is based on generalities. While introverts and extroverts have distinct traits, every individual is unique.
The same will be true for this week’s topic — I will be highlighting some common disadvantages that introverts may face. But it doesn’t mean these apply to all introverts.
I highlight these so that you can think about yourself and where your own weaknesses may lie. I’ll try to provide tips along the way that help me deal with these traits.
So without further ado, let’s get to it!
5 common disadvantages of introverts
1. Avoiding confrontation
Introverts aren’t always keen on social interactions in general, so we sure as hell don’t enjoy confrontations.
This can be a positive — not everything needs to be hashed out immediately. Especially in relationships or workplaces, sometimes it pays to let the dust settle and cooler heads prevail.
But there are certainly other times where the situation needs to be addressed head on. And letting it sit longer only makes things worse.
The key is knowing when to embrace confrontation and when to avoid it. And the best way to learn this skill is through trial and error.
In my experience, once you know something needs to be addressed, it’s best to rip off the bandaid and do it asap. Otherwise you will get even more in your own head.
2. Seeking approval
As humans, we are always seeking the approval of others. Friends, family, coworkers, classmates. It’s part of our nature.
But as introverts, we can take this to a whole different level.
We prioritize other peoples’ approval over our own needs. We make decisions based off what we think other people want us to do.
And by doing that, we unknowingly sell ourselves short.
So make an effort to put yourself first. Don’t just agree with someone because you think it will make things easier. Be confident in your opinions and what you believe in.
3. Being unassertive
In today’s world, you have to put yourself out there and take what you want. Closed mouths don’t get fed.
As introverts, it is easy for us to remain quiet and not speak up for ourselves. Especially when in a room full of extroverts.
There’s a difference between choosing to be quiet to listen and being unassertive.
When the time comes to stand up for yourself, then don’t let others drown you out.
4. Over-analyzing situations
This is another one of those double edged swords. Introverts are great at taking in all available information and opinions before making a decision.
But some situations require immediate action. It isn’t always best to take your sweet time before coming to a conclusion.
Having the confidence to make a quick decision is important in a lot of situations.
You can make a quick decision but still remain calm. Many times being confident in your decision is half the battle.
5. Socializing/networking is draining
I’ve talked about the need for introverts to recharge their batteries. Large social settings can be extremely draining.
But there are some situations where you don’t want to be sitting on the sidelines. If you’re at a networking event for work or at a wedding with family, you want to make the most of it.
By ensuring you are recharged before the event, you can get ahead of this.
And you don’t need to be socializing the entire time. Pick someone to talk to for 5-10 minutes and then move on and take some time to yourself.
Think of it as running sprints instead of a marathon.
My thoughts 💭
Most of the items I outlined all hit home to me.
When I avoid confrontations, I find myself getting passive aggressive since I haven’t actually addressed the situation. And that just makes things worse.
I also frequently find myself agreeing with others as to not rock the boat. In my mind this is easier than getting into a back and forth. But this is selling myself short in thinking my opinion doesn’t matter as much as other people’s.
Large social gatherings can also be very draining for me. But I have learned the power of saying ‘no’ in order to preserve my time. More JOMO (joy of missing out) and less FOMO (fear of missing out).
The good news is once you realize these weak spots, it is certainly possible to improve upon them.
And who knows, maybe we can even turn them into superpowers 🦸
Links that I enjoyed this week 💥
That’s it for today - hope you enjoyed this week’s newsletter!
Best,
BG