How to Live a Successful Introverted Life

Once you've discovered that you're an introvert, it's time to start shaping your reality according to your true nature.

Introversion is your energetic trait, meaning you get drained by socializing and need to recharge your energy by being away from people.

Real talk: being scared and procrastinating due to fear or anxiety are not introverted traits. They're human emotional responses that we can change. Successful introverts are scared, but take action anyway. Fear and worry do not hold them back, nor are they defined by it.

Just as societal conditioning will lead you to believe that introverts are unfriendly and uninterested, the popular belief about success is that it's achieved when you have a large house, a vacation home, a couple expensive cars, and the list of material possessions goes on.

Yet how you define success is unique to you. Most people define success as making a certain amount of money. That's a goal more than a measure of success. And when that goal is reached, what happens? The needle gets moved and now it takes more money to be "a success."

I recommend not setting a monetary goal because it can set you up for failure. And no one wants to feel like they failed! An updated approach to goal setting is explained in this video.

How to Measure Success

How you measure success is determined by your personal metrics. And your metrics are found deep within your subconscious. Inside your mind lives the sum of your experiences with societal conditioning, parenting, expectations, and your values. So your success metric is unique and you simply need to become aware of it.

Starting with your values is a good place to determine your success metrics. For example, one of my values is education. I love learning which shows up in how much I read and study. I also come from parents who were both teachers. Further, I took the Sparketype assessment (which determines the type of work that lights you up) and my result was "Sage." That means teaching is what my soul is called to do.

So when I judge my success, I'm always looking at it through the lens of education. When I get feedback from my webinars, workshops, courses, etc. I want to know if participants learned something. If I can teach you something, I feel successful.

It's also how I judge the books I read. If I learned something from the book, I like it and recommend it. If it was a good read, I enjoy it then shelve it.

Additionally, fulfillment and happiness contribute to living a successful life.

Successful Introverted Life Comes Down to Habits

You can feel happier on a daily basis by practicing a few key habits.

1. Acknowledge the little things - It's the little things is cliche for a reason. Stop and savor the present moment. Did you just put on a pair of cozy slippers? Are you watching an amazing sunset and being grateful for this life? Did you celebrate a little win? The habit of savoring what's in front of you whether it's a delicious meal or a memory made keeps joy in the front of your mind.

2. Connect with your tribe - Even as an introvert, you are wired to belong. Staying home is attractive, but deep connection is necessary for emotional health. Schedule a coffee or lunch date, send a text to a friend simply to let them know you're thinking about them, play the game Rose, Bud, Thorn during your next family dinner.

3. Permission to be yourself - Embracing your nature and the weird quirks you're into is way more appealing than fitting into some societal norm. Accept who you are and find your tribe.

4. Surrender control - The habit of surrendering control decreases stress and resistance. In any situation where you're worried, have drama with another person, or are facing a tough decision, ask yourself "is this within my control?" If it's not, let it go.