I was diagnosed with Tourette Syndrome when I was 5 years old and was on some pretty heavy medicine until I was 15. People would ask me why I lack focus, why am I so random, why can’t I do things systematically? They wanted me to do things the way they did things.  The way they have always been done.

To this day I’m not sure how I got through college, but I did. Thank you, God. My mom thought getting my Kolbe A result would be a great graduation gift from college, and it was. When I was given my results, the first line said, “Your conative creativity is intuitive, visionary, and highly original. You have a knack for finding alternatives and discovering unique ways to get things done… I keep myself energized by having several things happening all at once.” Kolbe A Index 1991

I am a natural risk taker, then I do the background check and details. If I realize it’s not such a good idea, I will quickly move on. I learned that the way I work is okay. My managers would notice if I was “on” and asked if they could have the “on” Gail 100% of the time. My Kolbe taught me that’s a no-can-do. I need to rest; I need to do nothing to re-charge my batteries.

I don’t apologize for being random, fast-paced, or passionate. As I have grown in this knowledge, I have learned to control my energy and even bank it for when I will need it. It’s finite, as Kathy Kolbe says, and it runs out. It’s an on-going learning process to operate the way I was made to.

Knowing how I work and trusting the instinctive way others work, I know that everyone has an equal amount of conative creativity. When I take a breath long enough to pry my grubby mitts off of the way I want it done and give others the freedom to work their way… it all gets done all right.

With Gratitude,

Gail