Article by Wendy McCance

I have often wondered about the type of life an introvert lives compared to an extrovert.  I think it’s the introvert in me that ponders such a thing.  Although each person is different, I wonder how many traits can be generalized about the personality of the extrovert vs the introvert.

I have often viewed the introvert as a type of person who looks for the deeper meaning in life.  In my experience, this is a person who wants to know each person deeply and experience all aspects of life completely and with full understanding.  By contrast, an extrovert is a more fast paced person who wants to get in as much activity as they can in their life.  Their idea of living life to the fullest is through experiences that take them outside of their home.  An extroverts life seems to be a more physical life of moving and doing.

An introvert tends to enjoy stepping back and watching all the activity unfold. Getting a sense of each individual and how different experiences affect the person are the things that fascinate an introvert.

Which life, then is the better more fulfilled life?  I have seen introverts become great artists.  They absorb all that is around them and can showcase what they have learned through music, writing, art or dance.  An extrovert leads a more superficial existence in that they might not understand themselves on the deepest of levels and don’t know their friends and family as personally.  Digging deep is boring and time-consuming.  It’s time wasted that could have been filled with good times.

As an introvert, I would rather sit down with a good friend and a glass of wine and really get to know their soul.  Getting to the guts of a person and what life is like for them is what fascinates me most.  Extroverts on the other hand tend to live life with a gusto of fulfilling a bucket list of things to do.  They learn by doing and will leave the earth having fulfilled every major feat they set out to do.

Is it living life to do or to understand?  Do you live out your life in an active blur but with little understanding of the person standing next to you or do you live out your life where every moment is meant to be life altering because you understand to the depths of your being what’s really going on around you?

I wonder what side of the spectrum would be best to sit on.  Which side gives a person the most satisfaction?  Which side could be the most depressing?  If you know too much is it a curse?  Is it easier to go along in life with blinders on and live out experiences without understanding what is going on around you?

I have tried to be the thinker and I’ve tried to be the doer.  As I have gotten older, I have enjoyed the thinker side better as I am much too curious not to understand what is going on around me.  As a kid, I think being a doer is much more fun.  It is painful to be the thinker when you are growing up.  You have so little control over your surroundings.  There are adults who pass the rules that you must follow.  If you don’t like what you are living with, you have no power to change your circumstances.  Being an extrovert as a child I believe is a happier existence.  As an adult, being an introvert gives you the opportunity to reflect and understand what is happening around you.  Being able to place yourself around people you want to be around and situations that work best for you is more empowering.

This is my personal view about the dynamics of the introvert vs the extrovert, but I would love to know what you think.  Do you see this topic in the same way or do you believe this is too much of a generalization.  Can people really be categorized in such a way or is it unfair because each person is unique?

Here are some other articles on the subject you might find interesting.

25 Frustrating Things About Being an Extrovert

15 Unmistakable, Outrageously Secret Signs You’re an Extrovert

23 Signs You’re Secretly an Introvert

27 Problems Only an Introvert will Understand

7 Persistent Myths about Introverts and Extroverts

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Wendy McCance

Wendy McCance is a Michigan based freelance writer and social media consultant. Wendy has gained attention as the founder of the popular blog Searching for the Happiness which can be viewed in 9 local papers online, including the Oakland Press. The combination of writing skills and social media knowledge is what makes Wendy such a powerhouse to work with. Stay tuned for opportunities to advertise, guest post and as always, have your questions answered.

To contact Wendy McCance about a writing or social media assignment, interview or speaking engagement, please email her at: [email protected]

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