what you are good at vs what you enjoy doing

daily blog #60

One of the most common misconceptions people have about me is that I am an extrovert.

"C'mon now, you are a public speaker, you network all the time at events, you even host networking events. There's no way you are an introvert." - people would say.

But here's the point we are missing: what you are good at doesn't have to be what you enjoy doing.

How many people do you know who absolutely hate their jobs but are still so good at it? How many students do you know who are top of their classes in a subject they hate? I know quite a few. These people get the job done because they can, not because they love to.

The same thing applies to introverts and networking.

Sure, you can be a great conversationalist, smooth with your words, and able to make everyone feel heard. But that doesn't mean you enjoy talking to people all the time.

Both introverts and extroverts can be great at talking to humans. The difference is that introverts, like myself, are drained after long hours of social interactions, while extroverts crave more.

There's a specific word for this type of introvert: "extroverted introvert" - the introvert who can be extroverted on demand. That's me. If that's you:

Remember, just because you are good at something, doesn't mean you are enjoying it.