Visit http://TED.com to get our entire library of TED Talks, transcripts, translations, personalized talk recommendations and more. What makes you, you? Psychologists like to talk about our traits, or defined characteristics that make us who we are. But Brian Little is more interested in moments when we transcend those traits — sometimes because our culture demands it of us, and sometimes because we demand it of ourselves. Join Little as he dissects the surprising differences between introverts and extroverts and explains why your personality may be more malleable than you think. The TED Talks channel features the best talks and performances from the TED Conference, where the world's leading thinkers and doers give the talk of their lives in 18 minutes (or less). Look for talks on Technology, Entertainment and Design -- plus science, business, global issues, the arts and more. You're welcome to link to or embed these videos, forward them to others and share these ideas with people you know. Follow TED on Twitter: http://twitter.com/TEDTalks Like TED on Facebook: http://facebook.com/TED Subscribe to our channel: http://youtube.com/TED TED's videos may be used for non-commercial purposes under a Creative Commons License, Attribution–Non Commercial–No Derivatives (or the CC BY – NC – ND 4.0 International) and in accordance with our TED Talks Usage Policy https://www.ted.com/about/our-organization/our-policies-terms/ted-talks-usage-policy. For more information on using TED for commercial purposes (e.g. employee learning, in a film or online course), please submit a Media Request at https://media-requests.ted.com
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I seldom comment on videos but this one was the absolute best I've watched in decades. Immensely informative but also insanely entertaining at the same time, brilliant
About this TED talk, what really stayed with me is how it challenges the idea that personality is something fixed or boxed in. Brian Little makes it clear that while traits like introversion or extroversion matter, they don’t fully define who we are. The idea of “personal projects” was especially interesting because it suggests we often step outside our natural tendencies for things that actually matter to us. It makes personality feel less like a label and more like something flexible depending on context and purpose. I also liked how he doesn’t treat introverts and extroverts as opposites but as people adapting in different ways. Overall, it’s a reminder that identity is more layered than simple categories and we’re not limited to just one version of ourselves.
Outstanding!!!! I laughed and nodded and the moment he talked about personal projects and the hospital I cried. What a fantastic professor and introvert ambassador!
Hi Dr. Little, I'm taking a public speaking class as a psychology major at my college, and for one of my assignments I was told to find a speech and give compliments to the speaker. I chose your TEDTalk speech as I find personality psychology to be very fascinating. 1. Your hook was very attention-grabbing, and you did a wonderful job of keeping your audience attentive. Incorporating them personally was a great way to quickly gain some rapport and help them feel like you are talking to them, rather than at them. 2. Your nonverbal language similarly expressed interest and passion both for the topic and the audience. It showed that you were equally as involved in informing as you were in entertaining the audience. The transition between talking about how the introvert interacts with the world and others vs an extrovert to the point where you were talking about the usage of "free traits" that we sometimes have to use to advance in life was very noticeable. The way your entire disposition changed was very appropriate and made the speech more emotionally impactful. 3. The overall content of your speech was very informative and I left the video feeling informed and also curious even more about personality psychology.
This is the best TED talk I've ever seen. The man's not just a genius but he is fantastic!
As a psychiatry provider, I can honestly say that, both personally and professionally, this was the most rewarding and insightful 15 minutes I could have possibly hoped to trade those 15 minutes for.
Honestly, it breaks my heart how Manifest and Receive by Eva Hartley isn’t getting the attention it deserves. This book changed me. I saw the channel on youtube and my mind was blown. People need to wake up to this. Things have been flowing. money, peace, confidence. Maybe this is your moment too.
Amazing speech, we can see inteligence,empathy,humor, conciousness. I wish I could hear more from him.
This is the man who got me into the TED talks :) wonderful man! Love hearing him talk, great vocabulary and wonderful choice of words
Every now and then this video comes along (hurray algorithm!) and every time I see him I think "hey, he looks familiar! Let's watch this clip again" and every time I'm happy I did it ❤
a little summary: he begins to explain how extroverted and introverted people differ. then he explains how our personal core projects make us, us. he then proceeds to give us a advice on being careful of switching personalities as you can loose yourself.
I’m an extrovert, however I have to admit that introverts are way better friends than extroverts. Extroverts have so many friends that sometimes they forget to really take care of their friendships (talking from my own experience). Anyways, I just want to thank all my introvert fellas for being our friends and giving us some of the calmness and introspection that we lack. Thanks for existing, you make our world more balanced and special 🫶🏼
There is not someone we couldn't love once we begin to know his story. This is the devise of introverts people.
I've watched Brian's talk many times, it is one of my fondest moments of learning, laughing and relatability. I am an introvert, but feel nowadays after the loss of someone very close, the urge to socialise, be part of a group, and especially spend time and deepen my relationships with close ones. This is in a sense quite representative of the fact that introverts are not necessarily antisocial. I don't feel antisocial, but the opposite. I need to build close and deep relationships. Maybe the only differences in socialising is what we want to create in terms of relationship, and how long it takes to create it. Thank you so much Pr. Little for the inspiration, and the laugh.
Woah this means that my personality did not change from an introvert to an extrovert in two years' time as I has previously mistaken. I'm an introvert seriously acting out of character as a pseudo-extrovert for adapting to the deluging social situations I consistently find myself in. Mind - blowing.
I really love the way how this professor sees people and their life. ❤
Thank you, Dr. Little for answering questions about "who am I, really". Actually, I've done tests that say I'm an extrovert but I also feel introverted tendencies because I often analyze things in depth, enjoy alone time well, and don't have as many friends as other extroverts. Until I thought "this test is not accurate" even though the results showed extroverts up to 3 times. Because of this video, I know who or what type of personality you are is not a barrier for you to do things you like or enjoy. We're more than introvert / extrovert kind of person. What makes difference and sense are these free traits and the way we enact and create a script in order to advance our core project in our life.
He talked for 15 minutes without slide show and still kept attention retention from all audience and also us online, this is a true professor! Thanks for sharing this Brian Little!
I’ve been having a lot of trouble with identifying my own personality and my own individuality. This made me feel a little bit better. What a sweet professor. I hope he is well.
I was one of those fortunate enough to have him as a professor at Carleton University in the 90s. Best. Class. Ever. He had a profound impact on me and I still remember an astonishing number of details from his lessons. I still find myself quoting him in my daily life. I have never been so thoroughly entertained and enlightened at the same time. I gave him a Thank You card when I graduated, expressing my gratitude for what he gave me. Being his student was truly a gift. Not only was he exceptionally brilliant, but his ability to teach through stories is unparalleled and his ability to humanize experience remarkable. I'm so glad he's still sharing himself with the world though TED. If you're reading this Dr. Little, may I once again say Thank you. The world is a better place because you're in it.