How to get rich as an introvert

“I get all tense, then I start to stutter, and then I forget what I’m supposed to say,” she said.

I was sitting on stage at the SXSW event when a woman named Robyn said she was afraid of public speaking.

I asked if she’d come on stage.

“Okay,” she said.

She was shaking.

I gave her a script to read.

2 minutes later… She got a standing ovation. She CRUSHED it!

One thing that stood out to me at the SXSW event was how many people thought you have to be loud or be an extrovert to be successful.

But that’s not true!!

So today, I’m going to break down how you can get rich (even if you’re an introvert).

What even is an introvert?

Before we start, let’s define what being an ‘introvert’ actually means.

Many people believe introversion is about being shy, awkward, or unconfident.

But that’s not the case at all.

Introversion is about where you get your energy from.

📉For introverts, every social interaction depletes their energy level.

📈 For extroverts, every social interaction increases their energy level.

The secret?

1- You Don’t Need to Be Extroverted to Succeed

The internet gives ANYONE the chance to have the same broadcasting power as a massive media brand.

For example, I recently came across a 21-year-old kid from Singapore making $1M+/year selling Notion templates with a faceless brand.

I had Dan Koe on my podcast. He’s making $4M+/year with writing and education products.

I also had Brett from Design Joy on the pod. He runs a $2M+/year solo design subscription agency.

The point is: You can get rich in MANY ways as an introvert.

You can create a profitable business behind a laptop without needing to show your face, manage employees, or even share your real name.

2- Partner With Extroverts

Some of the most successful companies in the world were started by people with complementary skill sets.

Steve Jobs and Steve Wozniak at Apple
Gates and Allen at Microsoft
Chad and me at AppSumo 😉

Surround yourself with people who complement your strengths.

For example, I’m great at promoting and marketing, but in the past have struggled with consistency and sticking with things.

So I’ve surrounded myself with people who move forward in the things I’m not the best at.

3- Optimize For Introversion

When you do have to do more ‘extroverted’ things, create rules to optimize for your introversion.

3 tips I use:

Schedule breaks

I rarely have hour-long meetings. Every meeting is 30-45 minutes so I can block off 15 minutes between meetings to be by myself and recharge.

Take a day off

I take Saturdays off to rest, recharge, and spend time with family. I don’t check social media, Slack, or my email.

Create personal rules

Dharmesh Shah (founder of HubSpot) says he is “phone phobic” – I use this regularly to avoid phone calls or having to talk to people.

Few people give you a hard time when you say you have a personal rule.

“I have a personal rule that I don’t do weekly Zoom calls with clients. But I’ll write you a weekly report and we can chat async.”

Set clear boundaries. Then communicate them to others.

4- Build Relationships With Other Introverts

Business gurus like to say that they became successful all by themselves.

But the truth is great entrepreneurs have great entrepreneurial communities.

There’s no such thing as self-made.

Everyone is network-made.

Don’t let introversion be an excuse for not developing key relationships.

With that being said, when you do communicate with others – have a tight filter.

Text before you call
Call before you Zoom
Zoom before you meet in person.

And don’t take meetings unless you absolutely want to.

Just because someone asks for your time doesn’t mean they’re entitled to it.

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5- Extroversion Is A Skill

Remember Robyn?

After her brief speech, she realized that public speaking wasn’t as scary as she initially thought it was.

The same goes for ANY social interaction.

Most of the friction happens before any interaction actually occurs.

Two tips to get over the initial discomfort:

Start Small

Interacting with people is a skill.

And like any skill, it takes lots and lots of reps.

Don’t expect to be perfect at the start. Just focus on taking the smallest step in the right direction.

Instead of hosting an event → host a small dinner with close friends.
Instead of getting on stage in front of 100 people → talk to 1 person.
Instead of asking someone on a date → give a compliment to a stranger.

You can’t improve what you don’t start. Keep starting! 💚

Follow the Law of 100

Before you judge your results, focus on talking to 100 people.

Slowly, with each rep, your confidence grows.

My team created a free tool (lawof100.com) to help you stay accountable.

Do It Your Way

Now you may be thinking, “Easy for you to say, Noah. You’re an extrovert.”

And I understand why you may think that.

I knock on doors and talk to strangers for my YouTube videos. I speak in front of hundreds of people. I regularly attend entrepreneurial conferences and meetups.

But behind the 1% that you see on social media is someone who still gets nervous before walking up to strangers. Someone who despises long drawn-out Zoom meetings. And someone who would rather curl up on the couch with mi novia than go to another conference.

Getting outside of yourself is a SKILL that you improve at with time and practice.

The point is:

It’s possible to be successful as an introvert.

It’s possible to become a confident, charismatic speaker.

It’s possible to build the business of your dreams YOUR way.

But you have to start NOW.

Rooting for you,

Noah 🌮

PS. If you want to overcome your fear of starting, you’ll love Million Dollar Weekend. I share actionable strategies like The Coffee Challenge and The Dollar Challenge. Let’s build your dream business this weekend!

How to get rich as an introvert - Noah Kagan (2024)