If you come anywhere between 30 to 40 percent of the introverts in the world, you are most likely to find solace in reading books. The best thing about books is that they have the ability to change your life with the impact they create.
There’s no better way to learn than to learn from experiences and I believe books are nothing but a mere compilation of experiences of people who make an effort to bring a change in their as well as others’ lives. Today, make a difference in your life by reading these 5 books. As an introvert, these impactful books changed the way I looked at my personality. It gave me a different perspective altogether.
Keeping this in mind, let’s see how these books changed my life & will change yours too.
Books for Introverts
1. Introvert Power: Why Your Inner Life Is Your Hidden Strength by Laurie Helgoe
Laurie Helgow, an American psychologist, personal development coach & author, discusses accepting, thriving & celebrating yourself as an introvert.
She talks about the misrepresentations of introverts in society even though a lot of research & statistics prove that more than half of the population is introverted.
Along with this, the book makes you believe in the strength of meaningful conversation that actually make a difference rather than over-hyped small talk. It helps you validate your personality & eradicate the taboo around introversion.
By the end of the book, you’ll find yourself have a clear distinction between solitude & loneliness.
The emphasis on the power of solitude inbuilt in introverts will help boost your self-confidence. This will lead to you accepting yourself the way you are & finding strength in it. It took me a while but, I understood the need to preserve my mind space & not feel guilty about wanting to embrace solitude & so will you.
2. Quiet: The Power of Introverts in a World That Can’t Stop Talking by Susan Cain
Susan Cain is an influencer, a renowned speaker, and the author of this award-winning book and two others. This book is just as interesting as its title & will not disappoint you at any point in time.
It revolves around the basic idea that introverts & extroverts, although being different from each other, complement one another.
She also answers a few very thought-provoking questions like:
● Is the school made for introverted children? ● Are introverts antisocial? ● Do All Cultures Have an Extrovert Ideal? ● How come the hypersensitive survived natural selection during the evolution of the human species?
Taking examples of the very famous Mahatama Gandhi, Rosa Parks & Eleanor Roosevelt, who have created historic milestones, she says, Leadership doesn’t require you to be an ideal extrovert.
Another very interesting point she makes is that society has moved from a culture of character (inclined to introverts) to a culture of personality (inclined to extroverts). Something to ponder on, yeah? The mere accuracy of this fascinated me & not even for a moment did I feel like putting the book away.
The simple realization of turning aspects of your personality that you considered faults into qualities will boost your self-confidence & help you conquer your mind.
3. Quiet Influence: The Introvert’s Guide to Making a Difference by Jennifer B. Kahnweiler
Jennifer B. Kahnweiler is a certified international speaker & an executive coach. In this extraordinary book of hers, she puts forward her thoughts about introverts being influencers.
Giving examples of introverted leaders such as Warren Buffet, she points out the power of quiet influence. You don’t have to be talking too loud to make yourself heard. But, as an influencer, you only want to make yourself heard, right? No. You need to listen, observe, reflect & respond. This is what makes them excellent influencers.
The book revolves around six strengths of introverts that make them exceptional influencers ● Taking Quiet Time ● Preparation ● Writing ● Engaged Listening ● Focused Conversation ● Thoughtful Use of Social Media
There’s also a Self-assessment tool (Quiet Influence Quotient – QIQ) included in the book that helps you examine yourself on these 6 strengths and how to appropriately use them.
4. The Introverted Leader: Building on Your Quiet Strength by Jennifer B. Kahnweiler
In this another remarkable book, Jennifer Kahnweiler puts together her learnings after interviewing 100 introverted professionals. These learnings include how they overcome challenges & succeed in a space designed more favorable to extroverts.
There’s no doubt that in a business culture inclined towards extroverts, introverts have to go an extra mile to make their mark but it’s still not impossible. Being an introvert, you can take full advantage of your tendency to observe & choose words wisely before you speak so as to make an impact.
This also helps in networking which is often ideally seen as an extroverted trait. But this book will make you realize that there are introverted ways of networking too. You just need to learn to push your limits.
5. The Introvert Entrepreneur by Beth Buelow
Beth Buelow is a writer & a certified professional coach. She herself is an introvert & used her personality to build her own personal development company. In this book, she breaks all the stereotypes about introverts in the business world.
It starts with stating the misbeliefs introverts are associated with & how they use their strengths to do more than what is expected of them. As you read, you’ll find a lot of quotes & short interviews with exceptional introvert entrepreneurs which gives you an insight into the introverted business world.
As the title suggests, the book gives you a gist about how to build a business as an introvert & doesn’t require you to fit in. It also has valuable lessons about excelling at sales & networking which is not believed to be an introvert’s forte.
This book turns every introvert’s dream of being an entrepreneur into a reality without changing their personality. It worked for me & there’s no doubt it won’t work for you. There are also some actionable things the author suggests to ease anxiety which I urge you to check out in this book.
A book is a man’s best friend in times of confusion & lack of guidance. The amount of guidance I have received from these books is unmeasurable. Not only did they help me build confidence, but they also helped me refresh my mind when in stress. Trust every word of advice you stumble upon in these books & you will see yourself grow into a better person each day.
________________________________________
Coach Johncey is a certified leadership & life coach for Introverts. He has an experience of 23 years with an educational foundation from IIM, ISB & Harvard. He has been featured in the CEO Insights magazine as THE TOP 10 BEST LIFE COACHES and in Silicon India magazine among the 10 Most Promising Business Coaches. He has helped a range of Executives, Senior Leaders & Entrepreneurs in accomplishing their business and career goals. He has also played a significant role in the lives of many introverts by helping them transform their personalities into their greatest strengths.
Johncey does Leadership Coaching Program for Introverts. Find details of the program here.