How to be a famous introvert (or extrovert)

I'm not really joking when I call myself an Extroverted Introvert. Of course, most of what you may 'see' of me is my extrovert side—after all, I was hardly going to hide at home with a business called 'Being a Business Celebrity', BUT I have to have my alone time too (and lots of it). There are times when I do not want to be around anyone waving my jazz hands and doing my Thing on stage. There are most definitely times when I want to be on my own.

In fact, you'll often find me hiding on my own in my hotel room or iTunes blasting into my ears on the train home after a speaking gig. The more I've done my extrovert Thing, the more I need to be an introvert for a while to balance it out!

Now, I get that I am OK with the extrovert thing while you may be 100% introvert. And there's nothing wrong with that—you are who you are! BUT being an introvert does not mean you can't 'get famous'—you just need to do it on your terms.

It's only ever about being you

Actually—extrovert or introvert—doing your Thing your way is always the way to go. When I talk about finding your 'media thing' it's about finding the ways you love to communicate that are you sharing your message and Thing at your best. If you're best in front of an audience go for it, but if you're best on your own in your 'creation cave' go with that instead (this is where you'll be writing, or recording ideas and content about your Thing on your own).

What is important to remember is that if you don't get famous you can't reach everyone who needs your Thing. So much as you might not want to be 'in a spotlight' you can instead showcase your writing, your words, your music, your ideas without physically 'being there' but you must share.

Being famous is about getting known and showing up and that doesn't always mean 'in person' but it does mean sharing your Thing in a way that people (lots of people!) can see it.

Because when it comes down to it, your Thing is there to help people and if no-one knows about it, well that's not really going to help anyone.

Work out a way that allows you to be brilliant and plays to your strengths so you can help people with whatever it is that your Thing does.

Show up how you want to (but do show up)

I'm good with speaking on stage—just not full time! If I get my alone time balance too (and I love to write) I'm all good. But if you want to stay firmly in your creation cave, you've got a blessing in the internet, and books, and podcasts and all manner of other wonderful media things just perfect for introverts.

You don't have to make public appearances to be famous, but you do need to get published—somehow and somewhere.

Want to talk more about this?

Let’s have a conversation

4 comments on “How to be a famous introvert (or extrovert)”

Helen Reynolds says:

1st November 2014 at 4:13 pm

I love this article. I always thought you had to be either an extrovert or an introvert. I am very much like you, happy to do the extrovert thing fairly often but I always crave my alone time afterwards. I love my own company! Thank you for giving me permission to do a bit (or a lot) of both whilst doing my thing.

Reply
- Lucy says:
  
  2nd November 2014 at 7:35 am
  
  It took me a while to work it out too Helen so pleased I am not the only one :) But it’s funny isn’t how we decide we have to be one thing and not another when really we’re always just who we are. Phew. That’s much easier!
  
  Reply
angela smith says:

27th November 2014 at 1:28 pm

Great article, and a real sense of what an ambivert is. Thanks for sharing

Reply
- Lucy says:
  
  12th December 2014 at 7:24 pm
  
  Ohh I learnt a new word! Didn’t know there was an actual word for an introverted extrovert but now I do. **Learn something new every day**
  
  Reply

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