Find out if you are a gifted introvert

You think first before talking. You rarely blurt your thoughts out without editing them. You find it hard to think quickly on your feet. (This is the thing that distinguishes the introvert most from the extrovert who can think on their feet and so can respond more quickly in situations. However, extraverts often speak before thinking their ideas through properly.)

You avoid the spotlight. Or you have a love-hate relationship with it, wanting to be noticed and recognised but also feel exposed and slightly uncomfortable when all eyes are on you.

People often describe you as reserved, quiet or calm. They may find you aloof or hard to get to know.

You need your “space” which often means a certain amount of time alone to process experiences or to re-energise. You process things slowly.

You feel drained after social occasions even if you’ve had a good time. You need time alone to rest and regroup before you can face people again. (An extravert can go to five parties in a row and still have loads of energy. Extraverts get energy from being with other people.)

You prefer to share special occasions with just one person, or a few close friends, rather than invite a crowd.

You have an excellent brain. You may have been academically strong and did well at school. Or you are creative, have special gifts, or abilities.

You are highly qualified, have numerous letters after your name, or have done countless training courses. You may have found it hard to do anything with these courses, despite your good intentions when you signed up for them because this would involve “putting yourself out there” – and you don’t feel ready to do that. It is classic of a gifted introvert that he/she never feels “ready” and needs more training/skills before they will be.

You and have the capacity to think deeply about things but it is harder to express your most complex ideas verbally, particularly under pressure.

You are a good listener, in general, you prefer listening to speaking. You find it easier to express your thoughts in writing than verbally. Thus you’re more likely to write an email than to make a phone call.

You are more insular, less likely to be demonstrative and may keep your feelings to yourself. You feel your emotions deeply and it can take you a long time to get over things.

When you have a deadline you can feel overwhelmed. In general, you don’t work well under pressure or if too much is going on. You prefer to have long periods of uninterrupted time to accomplish a complex task.

You are a keen observer. You notice small details that other people generally don’t see like facial expressions, small movements. You have the capacity to read people intuitively or to read energy. Sherlock Holmes was an introvert with an uncanny ability to observe the minutest detail to reveal the “truth”.

What is your score? How many boxes did you tick?