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A Simple Guide to Making Money for Introverts

BySydney Updated on
introvert woman holding laptop making money

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If you’re an introvert looking to make money, then you’ve come to the right place. 

See, the entire mission behind Thrifty Introvert is to help introverts start a side-hustle, build an online business, and make money doing what they love. 

So today, I wanted to take a step back and look at the bigger picture when it comes to making money for introverts. 

Why?

Because introverts need different advice and face unique challenges when it comes to putting ourselves out there and starting something entirely new. 

Amongst other things, it’s important for introverts to understand how introversion helps and hinders us, how to both overcome and embrace our personality, and how to make money in ways that’ll make us happy.

So here’s my simple guide to making money for introverts, whether you’re looking to start a new side-hustle or kickstart that online business you’ve always dreamed of. 

Related Read: 43 Creative Money-Making Ideas for Introverts

Making Money for Introverts: A Simple Guide to Starting a Side-Hustle or Online Business

woman thinking about why

1. Figure out your “why.”

It’s easy to write down your income goals on a piece of paper or tell yourself you’ll start that side hustle this year. 

But guess what:

It’s immensely more difficult to stick to those goals and actually start a new money-making idea. 

So what is it that sets apart those introverts wanting to make money, from those who actually make more money?

The answer is:

 A clear sense of purpose and reason(s) why they’re trying to make money in the first place.   

Without your “why” for making money or starting a side-hustle, there will be nothing grounding you when inevitable challenges arise, or extreme patience is required, or those pesky doubts start clouding your mind. 

Your “why” is what’ll get you through the hurdles we all experience when starting a new income stream or venturing into online business. 

So what’s your “why?” What’s your reason for making money? 

For introverts, perhaps you’re currently working 9-5 in a draining job that doesn’t suit your introversion. 

Or maybe you enjoy your work, and it’s a career practically made for introverts, but it doesn’t pay enough for you to be financially free. 

And maybe that’s just it: 

Maybe you simply want to make more money so you can pay off debt, build your savings, and save for retirement or even retire early. 

Whatever your “why” is, you can’t make money without it. It’s your guiding compass towards a happier, more financially-free you. 

So write it down where you’ll see it every day, or remind yourself of it every morning, because it will determine your ability to succeed. 

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2. Accept that your introversion sometimes works against you. 

I absolutely love being an introvert. My introversion makes me more productive, more enthusiastic and driven when it comes to my hobbies, and has also helped me form incredibly strong friendships and relationships with the people in my life. 

But, for all its blessings, our introversion does work against us sometimes.

For one, studies have proven that introverts make less money than extroverts, largely because many workplaces and industries value extroverted characteristics more. 

As well, it’s no secret to us introverts that some business tactics like self-promotion aren’t our strong suit. 

Or, even more unbearable: networking.

Introverts are also more quiet by nature, selective in their acquaintances, and (unfortunately) more self-critical. 

While these may not sound too detrimental, in the world of business these qualities can be limiting. A quiet person is less likely to share their thoughts and insights; being too selective when networking limits the connections you’ll make; and self-criticism can hinder innovation and progress. 

So a beneficial exercise for introverts wanting to make money outside of their full-time job or in place of it, is to really reflect on those recurring thoughts and personality traits that have held us back in the past. 

For me, it’s self-criticism and the fact that I continually prioritizing security over my own personal happiness. I tend to stay in jobs I hate or ones that downright bore me, both because I’m afraid of taking risks and I’m terrified of failure. Now, not all of these are directly connected to being an introvert, but I do know that internally I dwell too much on them because of my introversion. 

So, while we can’t change who we are or what plagues us, introverts can reprogram our thinking and accept that our introversion will make particular aspects of making money more difficult for us, and that’s okay. 

Because for all of the challenges it presents us, introversion gives us many strengths as well. 

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3. Focus on your strengths.

woman like a superhero

Introverts, whether we recognize it or not, we have a lot going for us. Just ask these 23 famous and successful introverts from history.  

Now, take a look at these characteristics of introverts:

  1. Introverts are more internally motivated rather than externally (i.e. external rewards or public recognition).  
  2. Introverts can focus on a task for extended periods of time.
  3. Introverts work well independently and prefer working alone. 
  4. Introverts are more careful decision-makers and can evaluate situations more objectively.
  5. Introverts are good listeners.
  6. Introverts think more carefully before speaking. 
  7. Introverts often prefer written communication over verbal.
  8. Introverts tend to develop more meaningful, strong relationships with others rather than superficial ones. 
  9. Introverts enjoy in-depth discussions and hate small talk. 

See any of those that might help you make money and build an online business? 

Good, because you should! 

While we might not enjoy networking, or being the face of a brand, introversion greatly enhances our ability to make money online. 

Think about how your introversion intersects with making money online:

  • When starting a new side-hustle or online business, internal motivation is what you need most during the length startup phase. External rewards, such as making money, often come later after lots of effort up front. 
  • Making money online is largely independent work. 
  • Careful, reflective decision making is necessary to build a business the right way. 
  • Online communication is predominately written via email, blog posts, messaging, etc. 
  • Building a strong, loving community around your products/services is what will set your business apart from the rest. 

As you can see, introversion is a huge asset as we venture into in new and different ways of making money online. 

So even though we face different challenges than extroverts, our strengths still give us what it takes to be successful. 

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4. Incorporate your hobbies, interests, and passions. 

Introverts and extroverts alike want to make money doing work that they enjoy and find meaningful. 

But figuring out what that is exactly, isn’t always easy. 

Luckily though, as an introvert, you’ve probably already narrowed it down quite a bit and without even knowing it…

Think about it:

  • In your spare time, what do you absolutely love doing? 
  • What bloggers do you read or what Youtube channels do you subscribe to? 
  • What knowledge and skills do you wish you could utilize more in your current work? 
  • What do other people come to you with questions about? 

Chances are, while reading those questions, you’ve landed on a list of your hobbies, interests, and passions. 

These should be your starting points for how to make money as an introvert. 

The more we can incorporate what we’re already passionate about, the more meaningful our work becomes. And that meaning is what drives us to succeed.  

And I am a firm believer that:

Thanks to the explosion of online business opportunities, you can turn almost any hobby into a money maker. It just takes some market research, hard work, and an undeniable passion for your hobby.  

In short, introverts should focus on making money doing what they love. Our inner world and how we choose to spend our free time should closely align with how we make an income. This is our formula for success. 

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5. Determine how others are making money doing it. 

woman looking at making money online

When it comes to making money, we don’t have to reinvent the wheel here. 

Instead, what you need to do is find out how other people are already making money from your side hustle or business idea. 

While social media platforms come and go and digital marketing strategies evolve, the methods people use to make money online pretty much stay the same. 

Online entrepreneurs and businesses make money by either:

  • Selling physical products on online marketplaces. 
  • Selling digital products. 
  • Making commissions from advertising other products. 
  • Sponsoring brands and making money.
  • Hosting ads and earning money. 
  • Receiving donations from fans. 
  • Making money from memberships or subscriptions.
  • Making money from coaching and other services they offer.   

That just about sums up the making money online world.  

And in order for you to tap into it, you need to determine which of these others in your niche are using.

Why?

Because those are the methods you’ll use to make money, and you need to plan accordingly.

If people in your niche are making a killing on Etsy selling their physical products, then you need to get on Etsy too. 

If every Youtube video in your niche ends with a call for Patreon donations, then you’ll probably need to monetize that way too. 

Doing thorough market and competitor research in the beginning will help you start making money faster. You’ll still have to put in tons of hard work, but you’ll have a clear monetization strategy from the get-go. 

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6. Figure out if this money-making method suits you. 

If you’re currently working, or have ever worked, in a job that doesn’t suit your introversion, then you know exactly how draining it can be. 

And remember:

The goal here is to make money in a way that fits your introversion and other work preferences.  

For example, if you’re looking into starting a side-hustle that requires you to talk on the phone a lot and you hate talking on the phone, then that side-hustle idea isn’t right for you. Instead, look into non phone jobs and other methods of making money in that niche. 

Or, if being the face of a Youtube channel absolutely terrifies you (I hear ya!), then keep researching. Maybe you make Youtube videos in a creative way that doesn’t show your face, or start a blog instead. There are ways to make money in that niche for you.

And perhaps that money-making idea requires you to bust out of your shell and be a bit more extroverted. That’s okay too! Extroverts and introverts both need to walk on the other side occasionally. 

But it’s worth stopping and thinking about ways of making money that best suit your introversion and set of skills. 

Because, if you’re forced to work against your strengths, even your “why” might not be enough to keep you going. 

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7. Start it as a side hustle, and build from there. 

introvert woman holding laptop making money

You aren’t going to start making money overnight, no matter what others might tell you. 

In the beginning, you’re going to have to make money on the side while you’re working your full-time job and juggling, well, life. 

And starting it as a side-hustle is actually the best way to go about it, because:

  • You won’t feel pressured to replace your full-time income right away. 
  • You can try out new ideas without worrying about loss of income. 
  • You’ll discover if making money in this way suits you. 
  • You’ll lay the foundations for scaling up your revenue. 
  • You’ll build an online business over time, which is the only way of doing it, quite frankly. 

So while I’m sure you’re eager to get started, quit your 9-5, and say goodbye to the workplace politics, you first need to take baby steps. 

Carve out, say, 5 hours a week getting your side hustle off the ground. Or, wake up 2 hours early every day, or utilize your hour-long lunch breaks. 

Make just a little bit of time, so that eventually:

Your side-hustle becomes your main hustle. 

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8. Get creative. 

As you start making money with your hobby-turned-side-hustle, you also need to get creative. 

What do I mean exactly?

Well, you need to find creative, fast and easy ways to make extra money online, because this will help you replace your full-time income faster.  

If your hobby side-hustle is making $1,000 a month, but that doesn’t pay the bills, then you need to couple it with other easy online income.

Not only should you be taking advantage of cash back and rewards programs like Ibotta, Swagbucks, and Rakuten, but you should also try out other little side-hustles to help boost your money-making potential.  

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9. Reflect and adapt.  

Remember that careful, objective decision-making introverts are so good at? 

Now is when it comes in handy.

See, nobody gets everything right from the start. Maybe you’ve started a side-hustle you’ve come to dread, or decided that you’d like to take your business in a different direction. This is perfectly normal!

Along the way, you should constantly check in with yourself and decide whether you’re still making money in a way that suits you. If not, change up your monetization strategy or research another idea. 

Making money for introverts, and anyone really, is not a linear path. You’ll constantly need to reflect, adapt, and evolve to make sure you’ve not lost sight of your “why” or the meaning you were searching for in the first place. 

Because nothing is more soul-sucking than stagnancy and feeling like your heart’s not in it. Make changes, tweak your business model and evolve, so that you’re making money in a way that maximizes your personal happiness.  

A Simple Guide to Making Money for Introverts

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