When an Introvert Speaks It Means They Have Something to Say

The truth is that we live in a society that celebrates extraverts but is built on the successes of introverts. In school and in the workplace, we’re told to speak up or criticized (in harsher environments even called stupid) for being quiet. Yet Einstein, Rosa Parks, Bill Gates, Freddy Mercury, Barack Obama and Gandhi are all introverts. Each has also made history. I’ve spent a lot of my life learning to accept myself and find who I am; but one thing I’ve known from as long as I’ve understood its meaning is that I am an introvert. I am proud of this and you know what? When an introvert speaks publicly; you can be damn sure they have something to say!

In The World of Sales

People are encouraged to speak for the sake of speaking. Even if what is said, doesn’t need saying. We see this everywhere though because we live in a world of sales. We’re selling ourselves to colleges, universities and employers. Marketers are selling their ideas. Businesses their products. Politicians their… well, never mind what our politicians are currently trying to sell us but whatever it is, it stinks!

My point is, there is a mentality in the world of sales that it is better to speak and keep people distracted than to say nothing at all. Saying nothing is a sign that you have nothing to say and we are all supposed to be sales people working on our next sales pitch.

Silence

The world we live in is loud. Visually and audibly. There are distractions everywhere and in some ways that’s good. In the age of information, getting lost in every disaster might just break your spirit. The thing is, introverts naturally look inside themselves (or a close circle) to recharge and take things in. Sure we have our own distractions, issues and anxieties but great strength comes from this. A singer like Freddy Mercury might give the performance of his (or your) life back when. A techie like Gates might work out how to solve a complex user interface issue with his team. A physicist like Einstein might solve one of our biggest scientific dilemmas. In silence comes thought, analysis and perspective. When that silence is broken, like Rosa Parks once did, the initial spark of great change might come.

The Introvert’s Voice

When an introvert speaks properly, I don’t mean casual chit-chat but truly puts their voice out there. It is because they are passionate. They’ll ask questions because they care about the answer.

Stand up to you not for conflict’s sake but because of ideal or principle.

An introvert writes because the words need to be written, sings because the song must be sung and shouts only when the words must be heard. To do otherwise is needlessly difficult and against their nature.

In a world of needless noise and unyielding distraction; people do listen and pay attention. When these people make a stand, be in for gender equality, racial equality, mental health awareness or environmentalism – it isn’t to be a part of the conversation or to add to the noise, it is because their passion and sense of right compels them to make a stand and speak. That this is a reason worthy of doing so.