Quiet – The power of Introverts

I’ve always been an introvert, so this book immediately caught my attention. In fact, from a recent Myers-Briggs personality test I took discovered that I’m an INFP (Introversion, Intuition, Feeling, Perception). If you haven’t already, I recommend taking the test (free online) before reading this book. It’s amazing how accurate it was, at least for me.

Anyway, about the book: Quiet. Author Susan Cain brings to light the differences between introverts and extroverts in terms of brain chemistry, leadership, and social relationships. One compelling segment involves the differences in dopamine-processing between the brain of an introvert versus an extrovert.

At various points Cain accompanies her reflections with well-documented studies and makes the reader participate through true stories and personal anecdotes. I can personally relate I have always had few friends. For many years this filled me with bitterness… but I realize now that it is my nature, that I would rather cultivate one or two meaningful relationships than have a multitude of superficial ones. Quality over quantity.

I greatly appreciated Cain’s sensitivity in dealing with emotions and social relationships. In Quiet, she invites you to accept the introversion within you: to embrace it totally and make it a symbol, valuing its positive sides. The next generation of introverts can and should grow in their awareness of their own strength. Susan Cain’s book is important because it works an imperceptible change within us: it helps us to look with pride at what until yesterday we called a defect. It opens our eyes and moves us to tears.

Here is a beautiful speech Susan gave to the TED that sums up the entire philosophy of Quiet: