“Raj, you’re such an introvert!” This is something I’ve heard since childhood. I didn’t enjoy going out, partying, etc., but I never wanted to own that label because society considers it bad.
For years, I didn’t realize that being an introvert would be my secret weapon. It wasn’t until my seventh year into my career that a company sent me to the Eagle Program for leaders.
There, I learned something surprising about myself. This program changed my life completely. The faculty helped me harness the power of being an introvert.
Blessed are those who do not fear solitude, who are not afraid of their own company, who are not always desperately looking for something to do, something to amuse themselves with, something to judge. ~ Paulo Coelho
They introduced us to the Myers-Briggs Type Indicator (MBTI) and showed how leaders can use it to understand themselves and others’ personality traits.
(The Myers-Briggs Type Indicator (MBTI) is a self-report questionnaire that categorizes people into 16 distinct personality types. Although there’s no scientific research to support it, I find it works for me.)
The session began with a discussion of introverts and extroverts. We also took a multiple-choice exam that would reveal our type in two days.
I completed the sheet of 40+ questions and awaited the second day when we’d learn our traits.
Photo by Dallas Penner on Unsplash
I was certain mine would start with an I.
I had already spoken with the faculty, and she knew about me.
When the result paper was handed to me, the faculty member smiled and said, “You are unique, Mr. Raj.”
“Wwwhhhaaatt?” I turned the last sheet and saw, in red pen: You are The Advocate — INFJ.
“There you see, the I — Introvert!” I exclaimed. Later, I came to know it’s a rare type 😀
I’ve never believed in horoscopes, but this MBTI type fits me perfectly. Not because it’s rare, but because it describes me so accurately. Hats off to MBTI and the faculty.
Today, after all these odds, when I turn back on my life. Beyond my career,
I have contributed to open-source projects, which allowed me to talk with other developers internationally. I have formed and run four user groups, speaking at weekend sessions, colleges, and seminars. I’ve organized yearly events, invited many foreign developers, and traveled to other countries to share my experiences in running user groups.
Lighthouses don’t go running all over an island looking for boats to save; they just stand there shining. ~ Anne Lamott
“All because I am such an introvert.”
If I have to talk about my journey as an introvert, it’s not about what people think of us; it’s about our place in society that matters. Society can’t decide who you are or what you want to be. The time I spent in my shell was productive. The time I am alone in my den is equally valuable to the time I go out and learn.
As an Agile coach, I’ve guided many extroverts and introverts. It doesn’t matter if you get energy from being alone or from being with people. What matters is what you do, what you deliver, and what quality.
Whether you eat your lunch alone, walk alone, sit in the same place on the computer, read books most of the time, or attend parties or not, it matters how a person uses his time when he is alone.
