Welcome to episode 2.16 of Your Biz, Your Rules. In this show we are going to be talking about how to succeed as an introvert. While the examples I might use will be more focused on how to thrive as an introverted business owner, please remember that these concepts can be applied to any area of your life.
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TLDR:
💛 It’s time to say goodbye to crappy coaching practices!
💛 We all want to be unforgettable with the work we do but the ways we’re taught to show up as a coach are often doing the opposite.
💛 If you notice any of these crappy coaching practices in yourself, forgive yourself for the past and choose a better way!
Show notes:
Welcome to episode 2.16 of Your Biz, Your Rules. In this show we are going to be talking about how to succeed as an introvert. While the examples I might use will be more focused on how to thrive as an introverted business owner, please remember that these concepts can be applied to any area of your life.
The way our society is structured was not really set up with us introverts in mind, so it probably isn’t just business where you need that extra boost.
I want to start by saying that not all introverts have been created equal. We all have different traits, different strengths, and different struggles, but if we’re going to generalise, I would say that introverts are typically more focused inwards on thoughts, feelings, etc. rather than focused on external stimuli.
This preoccupation with the internal world can cause some of the traits that have been more commonly associated with being an introvert, such as shyness, social anxiety, and quietness, but that’s not to say all introverts have each of these qualities.
One thing that does seem to be true across the board is that introverts recharge best alone. Time spent around other humans – even if they’re humans we love – can be pretty draining, meaning recovery time is required.
But what does this mean for your business?
Interacting with people is part of doing business, even if it’s remotely, there is still an element of engaging with others that has to take place.
Buffer time around events
Create buffer time around any events that you are participating in.
This can be in-person events or virtual events, but give yourself a decent amount of time to prepare beforehand and to recover after.
Your preparation time isn’t just about preparing what you’re going to say, it’s also about doing what you need to do to calm yourself down and protect yourself energetically.
After the event, you may find yourself feeling depleted and needing extra rest – give yourself time in your calendar to do that!
Try to do something to ground yourself immediately after the event, it will really help you to recover quicker. This could be something simple like a grounding meditation or going out for a walk in nature.
Avoid joining large programmes/communities
I know that we all love to learn, especially as an introvert! And online courses are very appealing to us.
But what can happen when we join larger groups is that we shrink back, we don’t participate fully, we don’t speak up, and we don’t ask for the help that we need.
If you know you have the tendency to retreat and stay quiet, even when you need support, choose more personal containers if you know you won’t take advantage of busy spaces.
Use your innate sense of self-awareness to help people get to know you
As an introvert, it can be tricky for people to get to know you because you have that barrier that you put up and you pull back – this isn’t a negative thing!
Use your self-reflection as a source of content ideas. Nearly all of the introverts that I know, know themselves very, very, very well. Use this gift to inspire relatable content.
Don’t buy into the hype of strategies that make your skin crawl
This one goes for anyone really, not just introverts, but if someone is teaching a marketing tactic, for example, that just goes against who you are, don’t try and squeeze yourself into that box.
I want you to feel comfortable choosing the option that really allows you to explore your strengths.
Manage your marketing in a way that allows you time offline
We can fall into the trap of thinking that engaging with people online isn’t as draining as engaging with people in real life but it really can be.
My favourite way to make sure that I can stay present in my business but also have a lot of time to recharge is by batching. I’ve been a fan of batching my content for a really long time.
My version of batching is pretty chill these days and these shifts have really inspired me to bring back Bitch Like a Bitch – I’m going to be running this soon with a lot more spaciousness, a lot of new trainings and templates and some really great resources to help you batch your content so that you can have regular pockets of time where you can just unplug and not worry about growing your audience or putting yourself out there.
Allow yourself time to learn
Typically, extroverts learn best by giving things a go and experimenting for themselves, whereas introverts like to observe, learn, and figure things out ahead of trying something new.
Plug some time in your calendar that allows you to do your research or work through courses you’ve purchased. This isn’t a permission slip to procrastinate, this is you giving yourself what you need to feel confident in your next move.
Remember that while independence is your superpower, leaning on support will allow you those times to recharge
Introverts are wonderfully suited to being self-employed because we like to work alone. We don’t like to always be around other people so it’s a great career choice for us.
HOWEVER learning to accept help, and trust someone else to be in your corner will serve you well, even if it feels uncomfortable to start with. A tiny bit of discomfort isn’t a sign that you shouldn’t be doing something – it’s a sign that something is new and challenging.
That support system is what will allow you the space in your calendar to refuel and have your valuable “you” time.
If you are thinking about outsourcing more, check out episode 2.10 for some of my favourite ways to outsource to my VA.
Final Thoughts
Chances are you’ve already naturally started leaning on some of these strategies, but I want to encourage you to be more intentional about it. If you take one thing away from this episode I want it to be this: introversion is not a weakness to overcome, it’s simply part of how you function. And it’s something that you can work with.
Next week I’m going to be sharing one of my very favourite sources of profitable ideas for your business, so I’ll see you back here for that.
Your Challenge
Your action step for today is to run with one of these ideas, and start implementing it into the way you work. By all means, I would love to also have you jump into my DMs and share your biggest takeaway from the show too.
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