Introverted Professional Assessment
Are you more of an introvert or extrovert? This 3-minute assessment will answer that question.
For each prompt, choose the response that is most true for you, most of the time. Do not answer the questions based on how you think you should be or how you wish you were.
You have completed the assessment
You’re More of an Introvert
Introverts are a diverse group of people who prefer to look at life from the inside out. They gain energy through inner reflection and solitude, and they get more excited by ideas than by external activities.
As an introvert, you’re likely to prefer deep, close relationships to superficial ones. You may enjoy socializing - an “outgoing introvert” - but feel drained afterward. When introverts have conversations, they listen well and expect others to do the same; this tendency toward focused attention is part of what makes excess socialization draining for you.
Even the brains of introverts are different from those of extroverts. Introverts are sensitive to the brain chemical dopamine, which means you may feel frazzled in overstimulating or new environments. Keep in mind that there is no such thing as a pure introvert or extrovert. Most people fall somewhere in the middle of the introversion/extroversion continuum, and you may act like an extrovert in one circumstance and an introvert in another. Even if you just “lean” introverted, it can be incredibly useful to know where you get your energy and what drains you.
You’re More of an Extrovert
Extroverts are interested and concerned with the external world. They gain energy from socializing and being “out and about”. You tend to feel restless when you spend too much time alone or in silence. You’re at your best when you can engage outwardly
When given the chance, an extrovert will talk with someone else rather than sit alone and think. In fact, extroverts tend to think as they speak, sort of "thinking out loud," (whereas introverts like to think first and speak later).
As an extrovert, ideas likely become more "real" to you when you can discuss them with others. You may have a faster pace and cadence to your voice., and you may be inclined to jump into new activities and try them out rather than researching them and deciding in advance what to do. This can be both a strength (taking initiative) and a weakness (rushing into things without thinking them through).
Keep in mind that there is no such thing as a pure extrovert (or introvert), and most people fall somewhere in the middle of the extroversion/introversion continuum. You may even act like an extrovert in one circumstance and an introvert in another. That's normal! And, even if you just "lean" extroverted, it's a powerful thing to know about yourself — because it means knowing which activities energize you and which ones drain you.
Introverts and Extroverts Are Born, Not Made
No matter which way the introvert quiz says you lean, it’s likely that you were born that way (at least in part). Being an introvert or an extrovert is part of your innate temperament — the way that you gain energy and prefer to interact with the world. Introversion and extroversion are both temperaments, and both are normal and healthy. About 30-50 percent of the population are thought to be introverts.
You are shaped by both your genes and experiences. Research shows that you were likely born an introvert or extrovert, and that preference will stick with you for life. Introverts will probably always have a preference for calm and solitude, while extroverts will thrive in more stimulating environments.
However, people change. You have new experiences and learn new things. You grow and stretch as a person. In fact, research shows that people tend to change over their lifetime — and usually for the better. That’s because our personalities, not temperaments, grow and develop.
That means your temperament doesn’t have to “doom” you. If you’re an introvert who wants to, say, become a better conversationalist, you can learn and practice those skills. Likewise, extroverts can learn to slow down, listen more, and enjoy solitude.
Above all, honor your temperament — and also know that you can work on anything that holds you back.
No Pure Introverts or Extroverts
No two introverts (or extroverts) are exactly alike. What’s true for one introvert may be be quite different for another. Each introvert has a different level of tolerance for stimulation. Each extrovert will vary in their need for “people” contact, among other things. Also, there is no such thing as a pure introvert or extrovert — no matter what the introvert/extrovert quiz says. “Such a man would be in the lunatic asylum,” the famous psychotherapist Carl Jung once noted. Introversion and extroversion are on a spectrum, meaning, they are not all-or-nothing traits. Everyone acts introverted at times and extroverted at other times. It’s all about what your preference — in general — is.
Why It’s Important to Understand Your Temperament
It’s powerful to understand your temperament, because when you live a life that complements your nature, you unleash incredible stores of energy.
On the other hand, when you spend too much time fighting your nature, the opposite happens, and you end up depleting yourself. If you’re an introvert who has been stuffing your schedule full of social events — and leaving no time for solitude — you won’t feel or function at your best. If you’re an extrovert whose career forces you to be alone for long periods of time, you’re probably not living your best life. Working with your temperament rather than fighting against it will ultimately make you happier, more productive, and more present for the people in your life. That’s one of the reasons that taking the introvert test can be so powerful; knowing where you get your energy means you can be your best self.