10 Effective Tips for Introverts to Succeed in Business (and Life)

What do Michael Jordan, Bill Gates, and Steven Spielberg have in common, other than that they are all famous?

They are all introverts.

In fact, there is a long list of successful people who were/are introverts: Abraham Lincoln, Eleanor Roosevelt, Albert Einstein, Audrey Hepburn, Warren Buffett, Mark Zuckerberg, and yes, Barack Obama.

One third of the population are introverts. Success has NOTHING to do with someone being an extrovert or introvert.

Being an introvert, however, can sometimes set us back. If you are an introvert, here are 10 simple but effective tips that will help you.

1. Accept that you’re an introvert, and that being an introvert is not a problem.

2. Recite positive things to yourself like “You can talk.” or “I’m not afraid to talk to them.”

3. Accept invitations. Practice by going out with friends and colleagues

4. Stop thinking that the people you talk to are there to make you feel like a fool. They have other things in mind. Trust me.

5. Don’t over-analyze things. Maybe you’re always wondering if you’re making sense or not in a conversation. We are told to think before we talk. But if we overdo it, we forget to enjoy the conversation.

6. Be genuinely interested in what others have to say. As you listen to them, you’ll feel that it becomes easier for you to reply and talk to them.

7. Shift your focus away from yourself to the person or persons you’re talking to. When you think too much of what you’re going to say, then you begin to mess up.

8. Begin with small groups. Don’t pressure yourself to be the life of the party so soon.

9. Comment on things around you. Well, maybe not on the weather.

10. Forget about being too clever or impressive. You don’t have to obsess over constructing great and awesome responses. Just remember to be natural.

These 10 tips should give you a head start in overcoming your introversion. But remember this: We are meant to be unique. Don't try to be someone you are not, and be proud of who you are.

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