Success as an Introvert For Dummies

Chapter 2

Are You Really an Introvert?

In This Chapter

Recognizing introversion

Identifying shyness

Understanding sensitivity

Your best friend says you’re an introvert. Your mom calls you sensitive, and your dad tells people you’re shy.

So who’s right, and who’s wrong? As you find out in this chapter, the answer isn’t as simple as you may think. Shy, sensitive, and introverted all mean very different things, but in many cases, they overlap.

For example, you may have many traits of an introvert, some traits of a shy person, and a few traits of a sensitive person. People don’t fit easily into cookie-cutter molds, which is what makes them so interesting. The tips I offer in this book for succeeding as an introvert can also be helpful for people who are shy or sensitive. So whether you’re a clear-cut innie, a shy person, or a sensitive soul, there’s something in these pages just for you.

To help you find out which of these terms describes you best, this chapter takes a look at each one. First, you find out whether you’re really the introvert you think you are. After that, I discuss the two kissing cousins of introversion: shyness and sensitivity. And I also talk a little about the ...