Harvard psychologists: an introvert doesn't have to pretend to be an extrovert to be successful

The business world is made mainly for extroverts. You can pretend without fanaticism. Psychologists from Harvard Business School explained why.

According to research published in the scientific journals Emotion and the Journal of Personality and Social Psychology, extroverted behavior can cheer up introverts and energize them in the short term. For example, in a 2009 study, researchers found that volunteers who participated in more extroverted activities reported higher happiness levels immediately after the experiment.

This behavior has a downside. Actions inconsistent with character can provoke exhaustion. A study by scientists from Belgium and Finland showed that after an hour of unnatural behavior, the energy level of introverts decreased. Ultimately, the subjects could not benefit from such actions.

Psychologists from the Harvard Business School say that pretending to be an extrovert should be done in moderation, giving yourself time to recharge and recharge. To find a balance, the researchers advise focusing on a few steps.

• Self-reflection. Understand how you feel in various social situations and how long it takes you to recover from them.
• Plan your vacation. It will make sure you have enough time to recharge.
• Define recovery strategies. Mindfulness practices, meditation, journaling, or any other activity that energizes you can help.

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A 2021 Yale psychologist study found that introverts understand people better than extroverts. “Perhaps melancholic introverts spend more time observing human nature than those who interact with others, or they are more accurate in introspection because they have fewer motivational biases,” said Anton Gollwitzer.

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