If this is a surprise to you, then you’re not the only one. I thought the personality traits of introverts and extroverts extended only to external behaviour. For example, the way we act around others, whether we like social contact or whether we prefer to be left alone.
For instance, a typical introvert will tire easily in company and find solitude the best way to recharge their batteries. On the other hand, extroverts love to be the centre of attention and find alone time hard to deal with.
However, I didn’t realise that we could also think in an introverted or extroverted way. So what exactly is introverted thinking?
You might imagine that when we think, we do so in a kind of social and personal vacuum, but that’s far from the truth. Every experience, every connection, every person we’ve ever met colours our thinking process. As a result, when we think, we bring up all this knowledge and it shapes our thoughts.
So, it stands to reason that someone who is, by nature, more of an introverted person is not suddenly going to start thinking in an extroverted way. But it’s actually more complicated than that. There are very clear differences between introverted and extroverted thinking. And some you might not have thought of.
Albert Einstein, Charles Darwin, Larry Page (Co-founder of Google), Simon Cowell, Tom Cruise.
Introverted thinkers don’t mind mess and chaos because it allows them to sift through the mess to find answers. They like to analyse a situation before they make a decision.
They will gather all the necessary information they have on the subject, measure it carefully against what they already know, and see if it corresponds or not. Any new information gets stored for later use, anything that’s incorrect gets tossed.
They continue to work in this way, re-evaluating every situation until they are satisfied they have the right conclusion. Having said that, they are always open to new information because at the end of the day they want the truth.
They have an almost obsessive need to know how things work and, as a result, are renowned for coming up with new inventions. They understand complex theories which they can then use in the real world.
Julius Caesar, Napoleon Bonaparte, Martha Stewart, Judge Judy, Uma Thurman, Nancy Pelosi (US Speaker of the House).
Extroverted thinkers can’t stand mess. They are typically much-organised people who need to know where everything is before they can either start work or begin to relax. You won’t find an extrovert with a messy desk. Moreover, if you are messy and disorganised, just ask one to help you and you won’t ever regret it.
Extroverts are direct people and this applies to their approach to life. They won’t faff about. They make quick decisions, take the fastest route or skip lunch to make a meeting. They plan in advance, schedule appointments and know exactly when their train or bus is due to arrive.
Also, they stick with what they know and don’t like new information because it might mess up their carefully thought-out plans.
ISTPs & INTPs use introverted thinking.
Do you find you are always fact-checking before you repost on Facebook? Did you question your tutors at school? Do you take things with a pinch of salt? These are all signs of introverted thinking.
No one can accuse you of making rash decisions or acting on impulse. You won’t be rushed when it comes to important decisions.
Some people don’t like confrontation, but that’s not you. If you believe you are right, you’ll back yourself, even if it makes you unpopular.
Just because it makes sense to you doesn’t mean it’s easy to tell someone else.
People that follow their own path, whether it’s getting up late and working until midnight, or going vegan, natural rule-breakers are introverted thinkers.
ENTJs and ESTJs use extroverted thinking.
You have a tendency to believe and trust people. You look to experts to give you advice and you’re happy to follow it.
There’s no ‘doing it tomorrow when you can do it today’ for you. In fact, you don’t get the point of putting something off and you can’t understand why someone would.
People can rely on you in a crisis because of your quick thinking and the fact that you are not afraid of making hard choices.
You can easily externalise your inner thoughts to others. It’s part of how you can communicate easily and get the job done.
Following the rules allows things to run smoothly and that lets you plan and organise your world more efficiently.
Did you recognise yourself in any of the above descriptors? If you want to know more, why not see which Myers-Briggs personality type you are?
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In my real life at honestly, I am naturally an introvert then I am not narcissist as I have been the most misunderstood person since early life at my younger age. The people in public( teachers in my 4 schools and college, my out-of-state family, and others in local eniveronment) still don't understand me and my lifestyle so well. I have no interests to attend the social activities & events around this town. I focus many interested subjects in the quiet solitude in most of times as the "Night Owl". Then I have a few of my close friends so here in apartment complex. Remainder that I am a private citizen in my current residence--Not a public figure in a fact. Christa D'Auria
Ummm....well....that's a pretty good description of me. I mean,...well there's so much..stuff. the earth spinning around the sun, talking to animals, hearing trees sing, feeling, and yes to some extent, manipulating the energy of people around me, using energy to become invisible right before people's eyes, putting people to sleep, umm...non of these in a mean way...well this one dude, he was jerk and I was testing my abilities soo... my bad. Uhh....precognition? I think, I'm an artist. Painting and 3d animation and music. Lol. I've known I was an Empath long before I knew it was a real thing. But why? What's the point? What am I supposed to do with all this?
As to messy desks, there is more to it than extrovert or introvert. There are introverts with either very tidy desks or messy ones and vice versa.