I’m no artist or creative genius, but this New York Times article by Susan Cain pretty much sums up the work environment I’ve evolved to over the past five years, or at least the setting in which I feel most creative and productive. Cain is the author of “Quiet: The Power of Introverts in a World That Can’t Stop Talking.”

I’m even more OK with this after watching her TED talk (below), and it definitely sums up the people I consider true artists and innovators.

In an Internet celebrity culture and social emphasis on being out in front, it’s great to see validation in the importance of the introvert.

Excerpt:

Solitude has long been associated with creativity and transcendence. “Without great solitude, no serious work is possible,” Picasso said. A central narrative of many religions is the seeker — Moses, Jesus, Buddha — who goes off by himself and brings profound insights back to the community.

Apple co-founder Steve Wozniak:

“Most inventors and engineers I’ve met are like me … they live in their heads. They’re almost like artists. In fact, the very best of them are artists. And artists work best alone …. I’m going to give you some advice that might be hard to take. That advice is: Work alone… Not on a committee. Not on a team.”