Alternate

I discovered today that I'm a thoroughbred introvert. There is no doubt about it. I'm as pure classic introvert as it's possible to find. This may come as a surprise to some people in my life but that's merely because of a misunderstanding of the meaning of introversion. I think it is quite commonly bracketed with shyness. People confuse the two concepts, which actually have very little to do with each other. I am not shy at all. But I am highly introverted. I understand this now as I never have done before. I wish I'd been as clear about it thirty years ago.

The reason for this epiphany is picking up Susan Cain's book Quiet again. I started reading this at around the same time last year but then I began commuting on the bike, time for reading disappeared, and it got forgotten. I took a break from the bike today as the forecast was for freezing fog in the morning and rain in the evening, neither of which I relished on tired legs, and needed something to read on the train. This book kind of jumped off the shelf this morning.

I do remember having an interesting discussion about this at a local blipmeet when I suggested that most blippers are likely to be introverts. We had one exception but I think we agreed that the majority of us in the pub then were introverts, certainly a much higher percentage than you'd find in the population as a whole.

So, what about you? Like all personality traits it's not an either-or situation. It is a spectrum and each of us sits at a point somewhere between the two extremes. In the book the author presents an informal quiz so you can try to determine your level. Answer each question "true" or "false", choosing the answer that best applies. The more you answer true the more introverted you are. Give it a go ...

1. I prefer one-on-one conversations to group activities.

2. I often prefer to express myself in writing.

3. I enjoy solitude.

4. I seem to care less than my peers about wealth, fame, and status.

5. I dislike small talk, but I enjoy talking in depth about topics that matter to me.

6. People tell me that I'm a good listener.

7. I'm not a big risk-taker.

8. I enjoy work that allows me to "dive in" with few interruptions.

9. I like to celebrate birthdays on a small scale, with only one or two close friends or family members.

10. People describe me as "soft-spoken" or "mellow".

11. I prefer not to show or discuss my work with others until it's finished.

12. I dislike conflict.

13. I do my best work on my own.

14. I tend to think before I speak.

15. I feel drained after being out and about, even if I've enjoyed myself.

16. I often let calls go through to voice mail.

17. If I had to choose, I'd prefer a weekend with absolutely nothing to do to one with too many things scheduled.

18. I don't enjoy multitasking.

19. I can concentrate easily.

20. In classroom situations, I prefer lectures to seminars.

So, it would be really great if you'd be happy to confess your score in a comment so we can take a straw poll of as many blippers as possible. I scored a maximum of 20. I wouldn't be at all surprised if a lot of you don't come up with the same kind of number. I'm beginning to feel quite proud of my introversion right now. There have been other times in my life when I've craved to be more extrovert. Not any longer ... not that I think it's something we can do anything about even if we wanted to!

Go on ... which way do you face?