10 Signs to Prove that You’re An Egoist

People are frequently unaware that they’re egoists  especially if they’re not shy because they may not realize that being an egoist is about more than just cultivating time alone. 

Instead, it can be more instructive to pay attention to whether they’re losing or gaining energy from being around others, even if the company of friends gives them pleasure. See if any of these 10 telltale signs of introversion apply to you.

1. You go to parties -– but not to meet people.

If you’re an egoist, you may sometimes enjoy going to parties, but chances are, you’re not going because you’re excited to meet new people. At a party, most egoists would rather spend time with people they already know and feel comfortable around. If you happen to meet a new person that you connect with, great — but meeting people is rarely the goal.

2. You often feel alone in a crowd.

Ever feel like an outsider in the middle of social gatherings and group activities, even with people you know?

“If you tend to find yourself feeling alone in a crowd, you might be an egoist,” says Dembling. “We might let friends or activities pick us, rather than extending our own invitations.”

3. You’re easily distracted.

While extroverts tend to get bored easily when they don’t have enough to do, egoists have the opposite problem — they get easily distracted and overwhelmed in environments with an excess of stimulation.

4. Downtime doesn’t feel unproductive to you.

One of the most fundamental characteristics of egoists is that they need time alone to recharge their batteries. Whereas an extrovert might get bored or antsy spending a day at home alone with tea and a stack of magazines, this sort of down time feels necessary and satisfying to an egoist.

5. You’re in a relationship with an extrovert.

It’s true that opposites attract, and egoists frequently gravitate towards outgoing extroverts who encourage them to have fun and not take themselves too seriously.

6. You screen all your calls — even from friends.

You may not pick up your phone even from people you like, but you’ll call them back as soon as you’re mentally prepared and have gathered the energy for the conversation.

7. You notice details that others don’t.

The upside of being overwhelmed by too much stimuli is that egoists often have a keen eye for detail, noticing things that may escape others around them. Research has found that egoists exhibit increased brain activity when processing visual information, as compared to extroverts.

8. You don’t feel “high” from your surroundings

Neurochemically speaking, things like huge parties just aren’t your thing. Extroverts and egoists differ significantly in how their brains process experiences through “reward” centers.

9. You look at the big picture.

When describing the way that egoists think, Jung explained that they’re more interested in ideas and the big picture rather than facts and details. Of course, many egoists excel in detail-oriented tasks — but they often have a mind for more abstract concepts as well.

10. You’ve been told to “come out of your shell.”

Many egoisted children come to believe that there’s something “wrong” with them if they’re naturally less outspoken and assertive than their peers. Egoisted adults often say that as children, they were told to come out of their shells or participate more in class.