Are you an introvert or an extravert?  

How does it impact your work and desire to retire early?

I find this dimension of one’s personality very interesting.  There is a long article on Wikipedia that defines the two, and also includes a term called “ambiversion”.  I think that last term might best describe me.  I tend to fall a little to the “E” side in a Myers-Briggs profile, but as I get older I feel more like an “I”.  Broadly, about 75% of people are considered extroverts, while 25% are introverts.

Tonight we are going to a fundraising gala for a non-profit organization that I am a board member for.  Since I’m serving a two-year term as Board Chair, I try to attend all of these.  This one is for a young professionals crowd at a night club downtown.  My DW worries that we will be the oldest folks there – since we are in our later 40s.  I’ll need to definitely have my “E” on tonight to have fun.  Thankfully, we’ve had a relatively quiet weekend day until now.

I wonder how I will be in early retirement.  I’ve heard many people say that “introverts” retire well because they don’t need as much of the social interaction that comes from being at work.  My work is very social – meetings with a wide variety of people throughout MegaCorp each day.  Also plenty of time between meetings or at lunch to talk about the days events or things happening outside work.

I’m not sure where I will “replace” that social interaction in my life.  I don’t feel like I need 9+ hours of it everyday, btI know that a couple of hours a day will be good.  I could spend more time with family & friends, although most people I know aren’t quite retirement age yet.

How about you?  Where do you fall on this dimension and how will impact your future?

Image Credit: Pixabay