The introverted amongst us possess a range of strengths that are highly valuable in various aspects of life.  

Beyond their creativity, problem-solving skills, and intuition, they have many other superpowers that are highly conducive to enormous success.  

We only need consider some well-known successful introverts, Elon Musk, Oprah Winfrey, Warren Buffet, JK Rowling, Leonardo DaVinci… I could go on and on.  

But what makes them amazing achievers? What is it that gives them the edge? 

What’s their secret to getting to the top of their game? 

Well, it comes down to a combination of skills and abilities.  

People who are naturally introverted but highly successful usually display these 12 behaviors. 

1) They communicate brilliantly  

Introverts excel at listening, doing so thoughtfully and actively.  

They tend not to interrupt when someone is speaking so they gain deeper insight into people’s motivations, needs, and concerns.

In turn, people feel that their experiences have been acknowledged.  

This behavior promotes more meaningful connections with others as it allows them to be heard and understood.  

It also enables naturally introverted people to make more informed decisions and more effectively handle sensitive or complicated situations.  

When it comes to speaking, they are economic with their words and offer well thought-out contributions in plain language.  

Communicating this clearly is a critical skill for people who are naturally introverted and highly successful.  

Especially when it’s paired with our next behavior… 

2) They reject superficiality 

Another tendency of the naturally introverted that supports great success is that they are not superficial.  

They opt for quality over quantity.  

So, in a professional context, this makes them selective networkers.

They don’t attend superficial events to swap business cards. 

Instead, they aim to form genuine connections and build mutually beneficial relationships with solid foundations of trust.  

By engaging in deep, one-on-one conversations, they can better identify potential opportunities for collaboration and growth.  

This makes them reliable, loyal, and supportive business partners.  

3) They excel at planning 

Introverts don’t jump to conclusions but take time to process information accurately and assess situations as comprehensively as possible. 

This makes them effective researchers and extremely measured in their decision-making.  

They excel at strategic goal setting and meticulous planning and are happiest pursuing ambitious objectives.  

Strategizing and planning this effectively enables them to achieve high levels of success.  

4) They’re aware of their boundaries

I once worked under a CEO (years ago) who would headhunt great talent for key positions, but never take their advice. 

Instead of trusting their expertise (which he was paying handsomely for), he wanted them to validate his decisions… 

They never stayed long. And much potential was squandered for that organization. 

Now, unlike the boss who thinks they know it all, introverts are aware of the parameters of their abilities. 

This is because their deep self-awareness enables them to get crystal clear about themselves; their strengths, weaknesses, motivations, and biases.  

They know when they are in unfamiliar or uncomfortable territory and need to seek out guidance and support.  

They are open; they listen to experts and take others’ suggestions into consideration. (They are also happy to let others take the spotlight.) 

In this way, accepting their limitations is a crucial component of their success.  

5) They value uniqueness

As people who focus more on the inner than the outer world, introverts naturally appreciate and honor individualism.  

They aren’t easily seduced by the mainstream, jargon, and the latest trends but value uniqueness.  

This makes them open to different ways of thinking, doing, seeing, even working! 

They are passionate about ideas and their open-mindedness lends itself to novel creativity and invariably, incredible success.  

6) They don’t give up

Perserverance is a trait of most naturally introverted people and certainly a trait of all successful ones! 

The people who succeed as those who can continue a course of action in the face of difficulties and challenges and when victory seemed a million miles away.  

(Remember, JK Rowling went from being rejected 12 times to becoming the highest earning author in the world!)  

They are totally focused on their goals and don’t give up easily.  

This resilience is key to empowering introverts to be highly successful.  

7) They observe down to a T

Introverts’ natural tendency to reflect inwards means they prefer watching and analyzing what’s going on to participating.  

This makes them excellent observers; detail-oriented, accurate, and empathetic.  

Years of standing back and watching situations play out also means they’ve developed a great understanding of human nature. 

(Think Jane Austen sitting silently in the corner, watching all the social interactions around her, and using them as inspiration for her classic novels.) 

This excellent understanding of people, combined with all the data they are gathering, makes a huge contribution to their success.  

And speaking of the ability to understand people… 

8) They’re naturally empathetic

Highly successful but naturally introverted people can thank their empathy for much of their success.  

Why? 

Because listening, observing, and reflecting makes introverts wonderful empaths.  

And empathy is exactly what’s needed to figure people out, give them what they want, or solve their problems.  

For instance, an empathetic CEO will inspire an engaged and productive workforce.

An empathetic strategic partner will provide the best solution to your problem, and an empathetic designer will know exactly how you need something to function.

It’s no wonder empathy is a core constituent of success! 

9) They’ve no problem saying no

Successful introverts use their solitude to strategize, and this gives them tremendous focus and an awareness that their time is precious. 

That is why they have no problem saying no.   

The famous introvert and investor Warren Buffet has spoken about this saying, “It’s important to maintain control of your time and never follow anyone else’s agenda.” 

He knows what he’s talking about.  

10) They’re always improving themselves

The introverted and highly successful among us understand that economies and markets are dynamic.

They know that business and science are always moving forward at great pace, and they are determined to keep up.

This makes them committed to constantly developing their knowledge and skills.

They are always learning and growing, and this helps them achieve the best outcomes time and time again.  

11) They’re led by integrity

Another behavior of naturally introverted and highly successful people is that they stay true to their principles.  

They are true to their vision and make choices based on what they believe is right because they are led by integrity.

They don’t settle for less than what they want, and they know their worth. (Not in a braggy way, but in a quietly confident one.)

This makes them formidable competition and the best possible allies.

12) There’s something about them

The final thing that makes highly successful, introverted people different is that they simply have something about them! 

Their solitude grants them an air of mystery. Their thoughtfulness, serenity, and empathy give them an almost ethereal presence. 

Some people just have a bit of magic about them… It’s as simple as that. 

Final thoughts  

Introvert and media mogul Oprah has written, “Alone time is when I distance myself from the voices of the world so I can hear my own.” 

It’s clear why the combination of the abilities of the naturally introverted supports success.  

These are skills we should all be trying to develop! 

For some tips on how you can use your introversion to achieve success, check out this article.