quiet::runner, part 1

when I run at the gym, I run at a pretty good pace, but not super-fast; like 8 miles an hour. I try to run for a whole hour. there are always guys who step onto the treadmills next to me and set their treadmills for 10, 11, sometimes 12 miles an hour. they sprint on those treadmills, for a few seconds, maybe a minute, and then they give up. I keep waiting for one of them to fall off. they go fast, but in the end, I think I get the better workout.

I have been thinking about running, and introversion, and I have this analogy- introverts are like a long distance runner. they go slow, for long periods of time, and they are comfortable with that. it feels natural to them. as a long distance runner (I say that somewhat tongue in cheek, because I know that there are people out there who put in WAY more miles and time than me), I COULD run a fast sprint, and I could probably sprint fairly well, but I wouldn’t last that long. not only that, it wouldn’t be very comfortable, and I would probably have to really train for a long time to be effective.

when I was in high school, there were guys on my track team who were natural sprinters. they almost never trained, and they were always lightning fast- but not me.

as an introvert, there are things that I can do that I’m comfortable with. they come naturally for me. almost like being a distance runner. some people think of distance running and it makes them ill. and some people think of introvert activities like reading, or studying or solitude and that don’t understand how we do it.

and as an introvert, there are things that I’m not so good at- almost like sprinting. I CAN do them, I just can’t do them for very long periods of time. and when I do, it takes lots of practice. when it comes to working with large groups, I can do it, just not for long periods of time- and it doesn’t always feel natural, and it takes lots of practice, but if I work on it, I can be effective in short bursts- like a sprint.

some extroverts remind me of those sprinters I knew in high school. things like working in front of a crowd comes so naturally for them and they don’t have to work as hard at it as I do.

if you’re an introvert like me, you may think that there are some things that you could just never do, but that’s not true. you can speak in front of groups and be the center of attention for short periods of time. not only that, you can be very effective at it if you take the time to practice ahead of time, and give yourself some quiet recovery afterward. if you’re an introvert, you’re like a long distance runner. you have rare skills that not many people have. you may be called on to act extroverted from time to time, and you can do it, it may not feel natural, and it will take some hard work, but you can. and the advantages that you have as an introvert will give your work a quality that will set you apart. so don’t be afraid of opportunities to be in front of groups- just understand yourself with your unique set of advantages and disadvantages. maximize those advantages, and compensate for the things that don’t come naturally. and don’t let your discomfort steal an opportunity from you.

God is love.
-rev-rob