Why solopreneurship might be a better fit for the introvert and to avoid a 9-5 job.

If you are introverted, processing things at your own pace in the 9 -5 world is always going to be a challenge because everything happens at light speed.

Your skills are better suited for solopreneurship. This can be at your own pace.

But there are common challenges introverts face at traditional jobs.

Social Energy Drain

Introverts have a limited energy supply to socialize.

Traditional work environments have a culture of socializing as a form of bonding. Introverts can only focus on one thing at a time to maintain their mental energy levels. They can focus on work, socializing, or both. Attempting to work and socialize can deplete energy levels fast so most introverts focus on work exclusively disregarding the social aspect of work. The downside to this is that causes confusion among co-workers. Some may even find them boring due to their focus on work. God forbid you actually do what you are paid to do. But this is how introverts lose the balance between socializing and working.

This is the problem introverts find themselves in at traditional jobs. Trying to find a balance between socializing at work and finding time to recharge which requires being alone more than people understand.

How does solopreneurship help this problem:

• It allows introverts to take control of their social batteries.
• solopreneurship doesn’t force introverts to socialize when they are mentally drained.
• It allows introverts to focus on work and not the water cooler shenanigans that may drain them mentally.

Independent Soul

Introverts are self-sufficient and self-reliant.

Being self-sufficient in traditional jobs confuses people. Every job preaches teamwork and being self-reliant seems to mean anti-team from a traditional job viewpoint. Being team-oriented isn’t a negative thing. It becomes negative when employees transform from adults to high school kids by treating the work environment like high school by requiring everyone to do everything together.

Introverts find themselves mentally drained by not getting enough alone time to do what they are paid to do, work. Their ability to work independently gets perceived as nonteam players.

How does solopreneurship help:

• It allows enough time for solitude to get work done
• It allows you to focus on your own work and personal needs instead of focusing on other’s needs which at times can be a distraction
• You are able to avoid office politics and managing so many different personalities which can be draining and focus on what matters

No Creativity

Introverts possess natural creative abilities. This is why they have such vivid imaginations while daydreaming.

Introverts like to escape the world by escaping inside their minds. This is the magical place where creativity happens. Look throughout history and see famous introverts such as actor Keanu Reeves, writer J. K. Rowling, and the late great athlete Kobe Bryant. The one thing they all have in common is using their creative abilities to perfect their respective crafts. A job without any use of an introvert’s creative ability is mental drudgery.

Young introverts struggle with picking majors in college because degrees are marketed toward traditional office jobs. Most introverts tend to major in arts or something similar but end up changing because they were probably told there is no money in those kinds of things.

What does solopreneurship do for an introvert’s creative abilities:

• It allows you to immerse yourself in creativity fully. This is the introvert sweet spot.
• You have the opportunity to be paid for something you a strong at and you don’t have to constantly fight your weaknesses.
• You develop a valuable skill of creative problem-solving.

“Everybody is a genius. But if you judge a fish by its ability to climb a tree, it will live its whole life believing that it is stupid.” — Albert Einstein

50 – 74 percent of the world is extroverted. That is more than half of the population outnumbering introverts. The 9 – 5 workforce culture is just a microcosm of this which makes fitting in the inflexible work culture tough for introverts.