Quiet

This is the must read book for all people who regard themselves as introverts. Author of this book, Susan Cain is American writer and lecturer, and co-founder of “Quiet Revolution” a mission-based company with mission to unlock the power of introverts.

            The book has 4 parts, and starts from description of extroversion as an “ideal” personality in modern Western world, and myths about it as only good and necessary for success. Further, author writes about introversion, and how it is undervalued in today’s world while there is evidence that at the university level introversion predicts academic achievement even better than cognitive ability. In the next chapters there is the discussion about temperament, and cross-cultural comparisons. Throughout the whole book there are examples of people who regarded themselves as introvert and their thoughts about introversion. It is important to note that every statement in the book about introversion or extroversion is related to theories and concepts such as high reactivity, reward sensitivity, free trait theory, self-monitoring. Author explains deliberate practice and gives advice about identifying personal projects, which is a great way to enhance life.

It is important to note that author in this book doesn’t argue that introversion is better than extroversion or vice versa, but that introverts are unfairly undervalued today, and gives advice that is the best to be true to one’s real self. The book provides a lot of great advice for introverts as well as extroverts. There are so many valuable insights in this book, that reading it without taking notes is impossible. My favourite quote from this book is:

               “Conviction is conviction at whatever decibel level is expressed”.