{"id":672,"date":"2021-10-20T10:54:09","date_gmt":"2021-10-20T10:54:09","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/powerofmisfits.com\/?p=672"},"modified":"2021-10-20T10:54:09","modified_gmt":"2021-10-20T10:54:09","slug":"social-misfit-definition","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/powerofmisfits.com\/personality\/social-misfit-definition\/","title":{"rendered":"What Is a Social Misfit? 9 Hidden Powers of Being One"},"content":{"rendered":"<p>I know I\u2019ve always been a social misfit. I could never really blend in with those around me and feel a part of a group.<\/p>\n<p>Do you feel like a misfit too? Like you <a href=\"https:\/\/powerofmisfits.com\/communication\/why-do-i-feel-like-i-dont-belong-anywhere\/\">don\u2019t belong to society<\/a> and don\u2019t identify with any particular group of people?<\/p>\n<p>Let\u2019s talk about what it means to be a social misfit and why it\u2019s not a bad thing. In fact, it could hide a few unexpected powers you had no idea about.<\/p>\n<div id=\"ez-toc-container\" class=\"ez-toc-v2_0_64 counter-hierarchy ez-toc-counter ez-toc-grey ez-toc-container-direction\">\n<div class=\"ez-toc-title-container\">\n<p class=\"ez-toc-title \" >Table of Contents<\/p>\n<span class=\"ez-toc-title-toggle\"><a href=\"#\" class=\"ez-toc-pull-right ez-toc-btn ez-toc-btn-xs ez-toc-btn-default ez-toc-toggle\" aria-label=\"Toggle Table of Content\"><span class=\"ez-toc-js-icon-con\"><span class=\"\"><span class=\"eztoc-hide\" style=\"display:none;\">Toggle<\/span><span class=\"ez-toc-icon-toggle-span\"><svg style=\"fill: #222222;color:#222222\" xmlns=\"http:\/\/www.w3.org\/2000\/svg\" class=\"list-377408\" width=\"20px\" height=\"20px\" viewBox=\"0 0 24 24\" fill=\"none\"><path d=\"M6 6H4v2h2V6zm14 0H8v2h12V6zM4 11h2v2H4v-2zm16 0H8v2h12v-2zM4 16h2v2H4v-2zm16 0H8v2h12v-2z\" fill=\"currentColor\"><\/path><\/svg><svg style=\"fill: #222222;color:#222222\" class=\"arrow-unsorted-368013\" xmlns=\"http:\/\/www.w3.org\/2000\/svg\" width=\"10px\" height=\"10px\" viewBox=\"0 0 24 24\" version=\"1.2\" baseProfile=\"tiny\"><path d=\"M18.2 9.3l-6.2-6.3-6.2 6.3c-.2.2-.3.4-.3.7s.1.5.3.7c.2.2.4.3.7.3h11c.3 0 .5-.1.7-.3.2-.2.3-.5.3-.7s-.1-.5-.3-.7zM5.8 14.7l6.2 6.3 6.2-6.3c.2-.2.3-.5.3-.7s-.1-.5-.3-.7c-.2-.2-.4-.3-.7-.3h-11c-.3 0-.5.1-.7.3-.2.2-.3.5-.3.7s.1.5.3.7z\"\/><\/svg><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/a><\/span><\/div>\n<nav><ul class='ez-toc-list ez-toc-list-level-1 ' ><li class='ez-toc-page-1 ez-toc-heading-level-2'><a class=\"ez-toc-link ez-toc-heading-1\" href=\"https:\/\/powerofmisfits.com\/personality\/social-misfit-definition\/#Social_misfit_definition\" title=\"Social misfit definition\">Social misfit definition<\/a><\/li><li class='ez-toc-page-1 ez-toc-heading-level-2'><a class=\"ez-toc-link ez-toc-heading-2\" href=\"https:\/\/powerofmisfits.com\/personality\/social-misfit-definition\/#9_hidden_powers_of_being_a_social_misfit\" title=\"9 hidden powers of being a social misfit\">9 hidden powers of being a social misfit<\/a><ul class='ez-toc-list-level-3' ><li class='ez-toc-heading-level-3'><a class=\"ez-toc-link ez-toc-heading-3\" href=\"https:\/\/powerofmisfits.com\/personality\/social-misfit-definition\/#1_Critical_thinking\" title=\"1. Critical thinking\">1. Critical thinking<\/a><\/li><li class='ez-toc-page-1 ez-toc-heading-level-3'><a class=\"ez-toc-link ez-toc-heading-4\" href=\"https:\/\/powerofmisfits.com\/personality\/social-misfit-definition\/#2_Staying_loyal_to_yourself\" title=\"2. Staying loyal to yourself\">2. Staying loyal to yourself<\/a><\/li><li class='ez-toc-page-1 ez-toc-heading-level-3'><a class=\"ez-toc-link ez-toc-heading-5\" href=\"https:\/\/powerofmisfits.com\/personality\/social-misfit-definition\/#3_Honesty\" title=\"3. Honesty\">3. Honesty<\/a><\/li><li class='ez-toc-page-1 ez-toc-heading-level-3'><a class=\"ez-toc-link ez-toc-heading-6\" href=\"https:\/\/powerofmisfits.com\/personality\/social-misfit-definition\/#4_In-depth_thinking\" title=\"4. In-depth thinking\">4. In-depth thinking<\/a><\/li><li class='ez-toc-page-1 ez-toc-heading-level-3'><a class=\"ez-toc-link ez-toc-heading-7\" href=\"https:\/\/powerofmisfits.com\/personality\/social-misfit-definition\/#5_Perceptiveness\" title=\"5. Perceptiveness\">5. Perceptiveness<\/a><\/li><li class='ez-toc-page-1 ez-toc-heading-level-3'><a class=\"ez-toc-link ez-toc-heading-8\" href=\"https:\/\/powerofmisfits.com\/personality\/social-misfit-definition\/#6_Selectiveness\" title=\"6. Selectiveness\">6. Selectiveness<\/a><\/li><li class='ez-toc-page-1 ez-toc-heading-level-3'><a class=\"ez-toc-link ez-toc-heading-9\" href=\"https:\/\/powerofmisfits.com\/personality\/social-misfit-definition\/#7_Out-of-box_thinking\" title=\"7. Out-of-box thinking\">7. Out-of-box thinking<\/a><\/li><li class='ez-toc-page-1 ez-toc-heading-level-3'><a class=\"ez-toc-link ez-toc-heading-10\" href=\"https:\/\/powerofmisfits.com\/personality\/social-misfit-definition\/#8_Creative_thinking\" title=\"8. Creative thinking\">8. Creative thinking<\/a><\/li><li class='ez-toc-page-1 ez-toc-heading-level-3'><a class=\"ez-toc-link ez-toc-heading-11\" href=\"https:\/\/powerofmisfits.com\/personality\/social-misfit-definition\/#9_Not_caring_about_what_other_people_think\" title=\"9. Not caring about what other people think\">9. Not caring about what other people think<\/a><\/li><\/ul><\/li><\/ul><\/nav><\/div>\n<h2><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"Social_misfit_definition\"><\/span>Social misfit definition<span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h2>\n<p>It is someone who feels that he or she doesn\u2019t fit into society because of their views, values, or personality traits. It is a person who doesn\u2019t belong to any particular social group. This is a non-conformist who stands out from the crowd.<\/p>\n<p>Even though this experience can sometimes cause negative feelings of alienation and loneliness, being a misfit in today\u2019s society is not a bad thing at all.<\/p>\n<h2><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"9_hidden_powers_of_being_a_social_misfit\"><\/span>9 hidden powers of being a social misfit<span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h2>\n<h3><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"1_Critical_thinking\"><\/span>1. Critical thinking<span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h3>\n<p>Herd mentality has always been an unfortunate consequence of being a part of society. It\u2019s so easy to fall victim to herd behavior and do something just because everyone else does.<\/p>\n<p>This is where social misfits differ from the rest. They don\u2019t accept things at face value and don\u2019t rush to act based on public opinion or someone else\u2019s words. They prefer to rely on their own judgment.<\/p>\n<p>A misfit will filter all the information they learn through the prism of critical thinking.<\/p>\n<h3><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"2_Staying_loyal_to_yourself\"><\/span>2. Staying loyal to yourself<span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h3>\n<p>An independent thinker who doesn\u2019t fit into society will choose to stay loyal to themselves no matter what. They won\u2019t easily do things out of peer pressure. They won\u2019t pursue futile trends just because everyone else does.<\/p>\n<p>For this reason, a misfit is less likely to waste their time on the wrong things. Be it a job, a relationship, or an overall attitude to life, they will make choices that truly resonate with their inner being.<\/p>\n<p>Being a misfit means staying true to yourself instead of conforming to social conditioning or someone else\u2019s expectations.<\/p>\n<h3><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"3_Honesty\"><\/span>3. Honesty<span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h3>\n<p>If you are a social misfit, you are not a person who would lie or fake their feelings in order to make a good impression on someone. You care less about what other people think and more about being loyal to yourself.<\/p>\n<p>You will be honest with those around you, even if they don\u2019t always like it. Someone who doesn\u2019t fit into society won\u2019t say things they don\u2019t mean just because it\u2019s considered nice or polite. They prefer to look eccentric to others than be fake.<\/p>\n<h3><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"4_In-depth_thinking\"><\/span>4. In-depth thinking<span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h3>\n<p>One of the basic reasons someone feels like a misfit in today\u2019s society is that they are capable of deep thought.<\/p>\n<p>It\u2019s a person who analyzes everything in-depth and doesn\u2019t shy away from big questions. They often ask themselves <em>why<\/em> and seek to understand the meaning of everything.<\/p>\n<p>Still, modern society seems to promote shallow values and primitive instincts. Just look at the role models of today. Narcissistic celebrities, cold-hearted CEOs, and dumb influencers who make a fool of themselves in order to get attention on social media.<\/p>\n<p>So it\u2019s not a coincidence that <a href=\"https:\/\/powerofmisfits.com\/personality\/deep-thinker-definition-signs\/\">deep thinkers<\/a> feel like they are not (and don\u2019t want to be) a part of this society.<\/p>\n<h3><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"5_Perceptiveness\"><\/span>5. Perceptiveness<span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h3>\n<p>Even though a social misfit often feels alienated from those around them, they know how to read people.<\/p>\n<p>If you are one, then you are used to playing <a href=\"https:\/\/powerofmisfits.com\/communication\/feeling-like-an-outsider\/\">the role of an outsider<\/a> in social settings. It gives you the opportunity to observe people and notice the nuances of their behavior. Over years, you develop a certain degree of perceptiveness when it comes to people reading.<\/p>\n<p>There is <a href=\"https:\/\/psycnet.apa.org\/record\/2018-12027-003\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">a study<\/a> to demonstrate the validity of this claim. Researchers at Yale University found that lonely introverts were able to predict typical social behaviors more accurately than other participants.<\/p>\n<h3><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"6_Selectiveness\"><\/span>6. Selectiveness<span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h3>\n<p>A misfit is not a person who seeks to have a big social circle and be liked by everyone.<\/p>\n<p>For this reason, they are extremely picky when it comes to social connections. It means that a social misfit is highly unlikely to surround themselves with the wrong people.<\/p>\n<p>They are not afraid of being alone \u2013 <a href=\"https:\/\/powerofmisfits.com\/mind\/solitude-vs-loneliness-difference\/\">solitude is their friend<\/a>, not an enemy. So they prefer to be on their own than in the wrong company.<\/p>\n<p>Therefore, social misfits see sense in maintaining relationships or friendships only when they are based on a genuine connection, trust, and reciprocated interest. They won\u2019t keep people in their lives <a href=\"https:\/\/powerofmisfits.com\/communication\/friend-of-convenience-signs\/\">out of convenience<\/a> or fear of loneliness.<\/p>\n<h3><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"7_Out-of-box_thinking\"><\/span>7. Out-of-box thinking<span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h3>\n<p>The very term social misfit implies that it\u2019s a person who is different from the rest. And so is their way of thinking.<\/p>\n<p>Not conforming to society automatically means that you don\u2019t agree with some values it promotes or certain rules and behavioral models it imposes. It is a sign that you perceive the world in a different way than you were conditioned to.<\/p>\n<p>You are not afraid to <a href=\"https:\/\/powerofmisfits.com\/personality\/quotes-about-standing-out-conformity\/\">stand out from the crowd<\/a> and do your thing while everyone else is conforming to society-imposed ideals. It means that you are able to think more clearly and out of the box, finding unusual solutions to ordinary problems.<\/p>\n<h3><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"8_Creative_thinking\"><\/span>8. Creative thinking<span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h3>\n<p>A <a href=\"https:\/\/pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov\/22889163\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">curious study<\/a> has shown that social rejection can fuel creative thought in independent personalities. These two elements \u2013 social rejection and independent thinking \u2013 make the definition of a social misfit.<\/p>\n<p>It\u2019s not a person who suffers greatly because of being rejected by society but someone who makes a conscious choice to partly or fully isolate themselves from it.<\/p>\n<p>It is someone who has the power to use social rejection as a creative inspiration. History shows us <a href=\"https:\/\/web.northeastern.edu\/slavovlab\/blog\/2014\/08\/15\/papers-that-triumphed-over-their-rejections\/\" rel=\"nofollow noopener\" target=\"_blank\">many examples<\/a> of great thinkers who were rejected by the society they lived in.<\/p>\n<h3><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"9_Not_caring_about_what_other_people_think\"><\/span>9. Not caring about what other people think<span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h3>\n<p>Not relying on other people\u2019s opinions is great power in our society of attention-seekers.<\/p>\n<p>Wherever you go today, you see people begging for attention and acceptance. It is especially evident on social media since sharing your private life online has become the norm.<\/p>\n<p>Misfits don\u2019t do that because they don\u2019t seek social acceptance. They already feel that they are too different to fit in with others, so it makes no sense to pursue their approval. Not caring about <a href=\"https:\/\/powerofmisfits.com\/mind\/stop-comparing-yourself-to-others\/\">what other people think<\/a> is a sign of an independent and self-sufficient person.<\/p>\n<p>Do you recognize yourself in the description above? Consider getting yourself <a href=\"https:\/\/www.amazon.com\/Power-Misfits-Find-Place-World-ebook\/dp\/B08LTNJVTZ\" rel=\"nofollow noopener\" target=\"_blank\">a copy of my book<\/a> where I analyze the causes of being a misfit and offer ways to thrive in today\u2019s society.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>I know I\u2019ve always been a social misfit. I could never really blend in with those around me and feel a part of a group. Do you feel like a misfit too? Like you don\u2019t belong to society and don\u2019t identify with any particular group of people? Let\u2019s talk about what it means to be &#8230; <a title=\"What Is a Social Misfit? 9 Hidden Powers of Being One\" class=\"read-more\" href=\"https:\/\/powerofmisfits.com\/personality\/social-misfit-definition\/\" aria-label=\"Read more about What Is a Social Misfit? 9 Hidden Powers of Being One\">Read more<\/a><\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":2,"featured_media":674,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[3],"tags":[20],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/powerofmisfits.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/672"}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/powerofmisfits.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/powerofmisfits.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/powerofmisfits.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/2"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/powerofmisfits.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=672"}],"version-history":[{"count":1,"href":"https:\/\/powerofmisfits.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/672\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":675,"href":"https:\/\/powerofmisfits.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/672\/revisions\/675"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/powerofmisfits.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/674"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/powerofmisfits.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=672"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/powerofmisfits.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=672"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/powerofmisfits.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=672"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}