Here’s my story. I was a therapist for 25 years. Therapists take pride in knowing themselves. There is a reason for this. A therapist’s main tool is herself and through her education and self-knowledge, understanding someone else. Until a few months ago I believed I was an introvert. I’m not overly gregarious. I am outgoing but my friends describe me as calm and steady. I can happily spend time alone. Believing I was an introvert, I tried to figure out next steps in my coaching and consulting career sitting by myself with a pad of paper or staring at a computer screen.
At a recent workshop I learned from the results of an MBTI or Meyers-Briggs assessment that I am an extrovert! For anyone unfamiliar, the MBTI consists of a series of questions designed to determine four contrasting personality traits, introversion/extroversion, sensing/intuition, thinking/feeling, and judging/perceiving. Your preferences determine how you tackle life situations. I recommend that you research the MBTI if you are unfamiliar with it. I had taken an MBTI Assessment in the distant past, so I was familiar with it. Either I have changed, or the earlier test was inaccurate. And this time I took a more extensive, in-depth test.
I now call myself a quiet extrovert because I am closer to the line between extrovert and introvert than to the more pronounced extrovert end of the spectrum. According to the MBTI an extrovert focuses on the external world of people and events. For me this focus includes gaining energy, clarity, and ideas from an exchange with others. In contrast an introvert gains energy, ideas, and clarity from time spent focusing on her inner world of ideas and imagination. And introverts can enjoy being out and socializing as much as anyone, but they recharge in their downtime alone.
I learned that rather than sitting by myself I need to talk about my ideas and strategies. I need to brainstorm. My ideas then improve and morph into something much stronger and more complete. And I feel energized to act on these strategies. This is making a big difference in my business approach. I am clearer about who I am, how I can serve my clients, and my goals. I have more confidence.
My old habit of sitting alone at my computer dies hard and I have to remind myself that I need to talk things out. But the rewards are great. Do you know who you are? It is worthwhile knowing.