Karen Whitten

Maybe you've been told you're stubborn. Because you hate being told what to do. Because you hate being told what to think. Because you challenge things. Because you have to do things differently. Because you question authority. Because you somehow seem to find yourself on the side of the minority. It's not that you were trying to be difficult. You weren't rebelling for the sake of rebellion. You just couldn't pretend something felt right when it didn't. You couldn't conform just because...

Some people instinctively recognize that every action sets something else in motion. Someone—or something—will eventually feel the effects. Before making decisions, they naturally think ahead. How will this affect people? What happens next? Where does this lead? Their mind follows the chain of consequences, sensing where things are headed long before others do. Because of this, they carefully consider the downstream impact of their choices. They understand that actions ripple outward, and...

Some people instinctively keep their eye on the prize and stay with it until they get there. Their tenacity shows up in their persistence — once they lock onto an objective, they don’t let go. Give them an outcome, and they begin organizing the steps needed to move from “here” to “there.” They map the path, identify what matters, and create the conditions that allow things to move smoothly without unnecessary disruption. Things don’t just get done because of them — they run smoother. When...