The Outsider: A Pathway to Success?

Whether you're the President, a Nobel laureate or merely a loner, the qualities for which you're ridiculed may prove your greatest asset.

Introversion

If a crowded cocktail party feels like a holding cell to you, even as you gamely keep up your end of the chatter, chances are you're an introvert. Introverts are drained by social encounters and energized by solitary, often creative pursuits.

Self-Esteem

Possessing little self-regard can lead people to become depressed, to fall short of their potential, or to tolerate abusive situations and relationships. Too much self-love, on the other hand, results in an off-putting sense of entitlement and an inability to learn from failures.