Here’s an interesting post from Hunter Walk on how he, as an introvert, copes with large events.
The most important aspect of introversion isn’t “shyness”, it’s that being around other people drains your energy. By definition, extroverts need social interaction in order to gain energy. They come alive in social gatherings. They find it draining to study alone.
Introverts are the opposite. Simply attending large events is physically and mentally exhausting, but sometimes, as a sovereign professional, you just need to do it. You need to attend and learn, to see and be seen. The answer is to be measured in your selection and to pace yourself:
Over time, and in the interest of self-care, here’s how I’ve approached my own expectations and behaviors at events, especially day-long or multi-day conferences:
A. Depth Not Breadth When Meeting New People at Conferences: … So I changed my definition of success. It’s fine if I end up seeing a bunch of people but, really, if I can have meaningful conversations with just five, 10, 15 people over the course of a day, that’s a win.
Photo by Ezra Jeffrey on Unsplash
