One of my Mastermind members recently shared the famous Apple ad “The Crazy Ones” with me. I’d seen it before, but I was inspired nonetheless.
It made me think about the fact that a lot of the crazy ones in this world are introverts. They are the ones who observe quietly while thinking deeply. They are the outliers who don’t fit in and don’t want to. They are the dreamers, the artists, the strange ones.
The ones who believe in magic.
The power of introverts
“I want to think again of dangerous and noble things.
I want to be light and frolicsome.
I want to be improbable beautiful and afraid of nothing,
as though I had wings.” ~ Mary Oliver
No matter how reserved and humble an introvert may seem on the surface, he or she has infinite power within. Introverts really can change the world in our own quiet way.
What is holding you back?
Unfortunately, many introverts deny their greatest strengths in an effort to fit in. They trade in extraordinary for just plain ordinary. Why? It’s not easy being one of the crazy ones. Visionaries, great thinkers, revolutionaries, and creative geniuses all have one thing in common: they simply don’t fit into mainstream society.
When we look at the grand achievements of people like Gandhi, and Martin Luther King Jr., we imagine that they were always brave, and unstoppable. We forget that they were human, too. They faced criticism and ridicule because of their “crazy” dreams. They had to learn how to not care what other people think, in order to pursue their big picture goals. And the world is a better place because of it.
How to embrace your introverted crazy
Two roads diverged in a yellow wood and I –
I took the one less traveled by,
and that has made all the difference. ~ Robert Frost
People have asked me before how introverts can make a difference in this world while staying true to their introversion. My answer: stop trying to be extroverted and decide today to develop your natural gifts instead.
Your calling in life is where your gifts + unique perspective + something the world needs collide. It is very difficult to stumble upon that perfect combination if you’re modeling your life after the extrovert ideal of normal. Normal just plain won’t cut it if you are one of the crazy ones destined for something greater (which I know you are).
So, embrace your crazy, visionary, not-at-all-normal self. Who knows what will happen. Surely, nothing short of magic.
inspiring read,thank you.
timing is perfect, thank you … last night I felt the need to write again … so am rekindling my delight in the use of words :o)
Thank you so much for creating this website! I’ve been struggling all of my 50 plus years with trying to fit in and it has been exhausting and frustrating an depressing. Your energy in this website and your material has given me hope and courage to figure out who I am
I really appreciate your website and insight. It has made me understand and appreciate myself and not wonder what’s wrong with me. Thank-you from the bottom of my heart for this!
You’re welcome, Janet! 🙂
I completely agree!! This is animal neglect, it does not just get like that over night!!! If you have money for an iphone, and a house like the one you are in, then you have money to take your poor animal to the vet. If you are not going to take care of your animals, do the poor helpless animals a favor and let someone who really cares for them have the animals. Ohh and to the owners, people like you should be stlireized, because if this is how you treat your poor animals, you have no business having children.
Michaela thanks for this lovely post. It is so uplifting.
Hi Michaels I was so glad of this observation to drop into my inbox today. Last night after having a troublesome day full of worry & concern for something that I could do little about, which was impacting on my body as well. With both my rheumy & doctor saying my only choice this Christmas is to stay stress free, which even us INFJ’s aren’t immune from. I went to my neighbours Shabbat dinner, (though I’m a spiritual person, I tend to identify with the Old religions) which really helped dash the worries of the day away. Last night I felt lighter & slept better than I have in a few days, (even though my stomach didn’t cope well with a
late dinner) my imagination has been given free reign over the last few days I’m feeling creative & revitalised as I’m not filling my mind with stuff I need to do as the world & their dog prepare or have gone on holidays. I’ve found that it’s often easier to go along with the energy tides that others create, but utilise them for my own creative purposes, this gives me room to dream & use these spaces for working with clients & my own processes.
This commit is in response to your email about dreaming. I dream of writing amazing stories.