An introvert processes information internally. This is the person who just shows up one day and announces "I got a new job" and you had no idea they were looking for a new job. And an introvert re-energizes by escaping the stimulation of the outside world and other people. They like parties, but they also really like going home at the end of the day.
An extrovert processes information externally. This is the person who needs to talk through everything before making a decision. And an extrovert gets their energy from being around people. For this person, sitting at home by themselves is almost painful.
So my point here is that my introversion characteristic has largely shaped my path in this world - my career, my goals, my decision-making, where I live, lots of things. But in the past few years, I have taken on roles that have really challenged my approach to life. I decided to start two new businesses. I knew I had the business acumen to put together a profitable business, but I didn't know if I could actually sell my business. Extroverts are sales people, not introverts. But I didn't have millions of advertising dollars to hide behind, so I would have to be the face of the business. I would have to go out into the world and sell myself. I would have to pretend to be an extrovert. Scary.
First, I had to face rejection. People wouldn't get my idea. People might not like me or what I had to offer, but I had to be prepared to hear that, still have confidence in myself and business, and move on to the next person. This was really hard at first. But for every person who didn't get it, there was someone who did. And that gave me the confidence I needed to keep going, keep adjusting my business and my message, and get even better. What an amazing life experience! And one that I should have had 20 years ago, but I didn't have the courage then. To anyone who hasn't forced themselves into a position to really put themselves out there and face rejection, I highly recommend it. Your life will be forever changed and improved! Imagine what you can accomplish if get rid of your fear of rejection.
Next, I had to learn how to lean on others. When you don't have millions of advertising dollars to lean on, you need other people to be your advocates. Often times, those people are actually other business owners (virtual strangers), not friends and family. I have really built my life around being independent and not needing help from anyone. So not only was it hard to ask for help, it was also hard to learn how facilitate the types of relationships that will generate help.
Which leads me to my last point. I've learned a completely new approach to business relationships (which I could apply to my personal relationships, too). I have learned to approach relationships with the idea of what can I do to help this person. This is so brilliant that I can't believe I never understood this concept before. I have struggled my whole life with asking people for help. I felt guilty imposing upon them. But by approaching people with idea that I want to help them first...that takes all of the pressure off when I actually need to ask them for something. Big duh moment for me. And of course, it ensures I'm building relationships with other people who have the same approach...and thus, I'm building relationships with the kinds of people who are going to be most successful.
So for all of the introverts out there who think being a business owner or going into sales sounds scary or painful, I recommend giving it a shot at some point. It will feel scary and painful, but it will be so freeing! You will be amazed what you can accomplish once you've experienced the extrovert world for awhile.
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