The Introvert Advantage: How Quiet People Can Thrive in an Extrovert World

by Marti Olsen Laney

Book Overview

An insightful, empowering guide to making the most of your hidden strengths. Are you energized by spending time alone? In meetings, do you need to be asked for your opinions and ideas? Do you tend to notice details that other people miss? Is your ideal celebration a small get-together rather than a big party? Do you often feel like a tortoise surrounded by hares? The good news is, you're an introvert. The better news is that by celebrating the inner...

• Format: Paperback
• Language: English
• ISBN: 0761123695
• ISBN13: 9780761123699
• Release Date: February 2002
• Publisher: Workman Publishing
• Length: 336 Pages
• Weight: 1.01 lbs.
• Dimensions: 0.8" x 6.1" x 9.0"

Customer Reviews

Not to be snooty or anything...

...but I along with all my fellow introverts are "da bomb." We really have something to be proud of, and something that makes us very unique. OMG! What an awesome book. I never realized that I was quite as introverted as I apparently am if you go by the little pop quizzes in the book...but that's NOT a bad thing. Introverts LOVE peace and quiet. Check 1. Introverts relish their privacy and can be quite secretive at times. Check 2. Introverts are watchers and listeners, not talkers. Check 3. Introverts don't need a lot of outside stimulation to be happy and at peace. You won't find them cliff diving or parachuting (as in jumping out of perfectly good airplains...never did understand that one...LOL), or speeding around in Indy cars to get a rush. Check 4. Yup, guess that makes me an introvert. Introverts are intellectual and tend to be much more intelligent than they're given credit for. They're also VERY imaginative and have creative streaks a mile long. BTW, the pathway through an introverts brain from input to response is much longer than an extrovert's. They tend to make excellent psychologists (big surprise there), and even though introverts account for only 25% of the population, you'll find that many if not most writers, artists, and a large number of entertainers (creative types in general) are introverted. I guess I don't need to tell you again what that means. In fact, some of the greatest minds in history belonged to introverts, such as Albert Einstein, Eleanor Roosevelt, Queen Elizabeth II, Charles Darwin, Steven Spielberg, Sir Isaac Newton, Jacqueline Kennedy Onasis, Carl Jung....oh, and here's a surprise...Michael Jordan! Now I'd say that's some pretty awesome company to be keeping. The author writes in such a way that lets the reader know that being introverted isn't bad, just different. And this book isn't JUST for introverts. Extroverts would do well to have a go at this one too because it will help them better understand the introverts that may be in their lives. This book gets a rave review from me.

Finally, an explanation!

I am so glad that introversion is being explained, not just to people who think introverts are shy or snobbish, but also to me. I have never quite understood why I act the way I do, especially when my behavior is not the social ideal. I feel more free to be myself and not apologize for it. Most authors don't stop to talk about the massive amounts of strengths that introspective people have, rather, they treat it as a condition to be pitied. This has finally given me some closure from all the years of feeling like I had to be someone else.

YES, But then on to which type of Introvert are you ?

I like this book. It is an excellent place to start exploring life as an Introvert, or for an Extravert to start trying to understand Introverts. Author Marti Laney sees Introversion as a personality type -- a particular collection or pattern of personality traits. Her 30-question quiz scores you on a continuum from Introverted to Extraverted. Yet a limitation shows up here, in that the Introvert prototype in this book is based on the exact combination of traits that the author says she herself possesses as an Introvert, which is actually just one subtype of Introversion. For example, Jungian personality type approaches talk about 8 subtypes of Introverts -- see David Keirsey's book Please Understand Me II for details. Below I will suggest step 2 in the quest for understanding Introversion, for follow up after reading The Introvert Advantage, by mentioning some books that focus on one or another subtype of Introverts: Thoughtful--introspective: Solitude by A. Storr Shy--socially anxious: The Gift of Shyness by A. Avila Artistic--creative: The Highly Sensitive Person by E. Aron Worried: The Positive Power of Negative Thinking by J. Norem Lonely--isolated: Just Your Type by P. Tieger Loner--alone by preference: Party of One by A. Rufus Low Energy: High Energy Living by R. Cooper Literary--observer: Jane Austen, The Complete Novels Different books for different introverts. As Carl Jung said, each individual is ultimately a unique crystal, but type theories can be helpful for navigating social life.

I couldn't stop reading this one....

I'm a college student that recently went away to school and it wasn't too long before I started getting cranky and depressed. Being an intovert my whole life, i figured that throwing myself into a social situation would increase my ability to like being social, but all it ever seemed to do was annoy me and make me feel like a failure because i hadn't adapted to all of my extroverted peers. I started reading this book one day when I escaped to the bookstore as a way to get away from campus. I usually don't appreciate any self help books, because they tend to make me feel worse about myself. But this book was quite different. The author has a way of empathizing with the reader and explained to me things about myself that I never would have suspected. The reviews on here that criticize the book for not being complete enough, should realize that it was probably not intended for that purpose. The book does give some quidelines however in helping the introvert understand their situation better. Overall, it gives the introvert hope and reasons to finally accept who they are, because it is difficult to be an introvert in an extroverted world.

Quiet Reflection on a Noisy Planet

"Introverts are like a rechargeable battery. They need to stop expending energy and rest in order to recharge. Extroverts are like solar panels that need the sun to recharge. Extroverts need to be out and about to refuel." ~Marti Olsen Laney Imagine feeling alone in a crowd, preferring a quiet corner to the limelight and feeling overwhelmed by phones, parties and office meetings. Do people often think you are shy, aloof or antisocial? If you are an introvert, you are going to completely relate to a variety of comments that are like fireworks going off in recognition of truth. Introverts can hide their talents and only show them in certain situations. Through reading this wonderful and often humorous book, you will be assured that nothing is wrong with you. In fact, there is a connection between Introversion and Intelligence. What is fascinating is how Marti Olsen Laney explains how introverts create energy in the opposite way extroverts do. I'm often drained of all energy after being with people for extended periods of time, but being with a book can set me on fire with creativity and energy. I can handle small groups and connecting with familiar faces can actually energize me, but after three hours, I want to find a more peaceful setting. This book helped me understand why I have deeper thoughts when I'm by myself than in a group setting. People seem to not know who I am in the "real-world," but online, I have found a place to show my true self. This is apparently because introverts are more comfortable with writing than speaking in public. Are You an Introvert? Are you detail oriented yet details in public spaces overwhelm you? Do you prefer small parties with intimate friends? Do you avoid crowds? Would you rather be reading books in bed in your pajamas? Do you get tired when you are around people, but energized when alone? Do you feel guilty about having to "limit" your social experiences so you can survive? Does your mind sometimes go blank in group situations? Do you dislike being interrupted in the middle of a project? The author has divided her comments into three main sections. First you find out if you really are an introvert, then you discover how to navigate the extrovert world. The last section explains how you can create the perfect life by "extroverting." This is just another way of saying that an introvert can also shine their light out into the world. After reading the list of famous introverts, you will see similarities in their personalities. The author also gives a list of movies to add to your "must-see" list. Marti also spends time seeking the in-depth answers to brain chemistry. You will also find out if you are a Right or Left-Brained Introvert. Then onward to "dating." The "Relationships: Face the Music and Dance" chapter shows how personality types collide, how to meet the challenge and then how to appreciate the differences. Even by reading the chapter on Parenting, I started to understand extrovert