Kolbe® Creative Process
What your Kolbe® Packet from
Whatever You Do, Inc. includes
About Kathy Kolbe
Instincts & Crisis by Kathy
Kolbe
Kolbe® "Quote of the
Month" and "Recommended Reading"
Impulsive? Distracted? Quick Start?
Experts say you suffer from ADD. by Kathy Kolbe
Books by Kathy Kolbe:
For book reviews and ordering information, click on the titles below.
The Conative Connection by Kathy Kolbe
Pure Instinct Business' Untapped Resource by Kathy
Kolbe |
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Kolbe Creative Process
The Kolbe Creative Process explains the interactions of the three parts
of the mind in producing and creating. This process is the path that integrates
otherwise separate elements of the mind's capacity: the abilities to act
with motivation, determination, and reason.
Motivation
Motivation is the first essential ingredient in the Creative Process. Motivation
is the catalyst for creative power, much as turning on a car's engine.
Motivations act as "on" switches for your achievements.
They spark the energy that comes from your Striving Instincts, the limited,
but rechargeable force of your creative power. Without Motivation as a starting
mechanism, the striving resources of the mind will simply languish as unused
potential. With motivation, Striving Instincts can propel all of us toward
our many goals.
| Motivations are defined as: |
values
social style
personality |
beliefs
attitudes
desires |
preferences
interests
emotions |
Without target Motivation, nothing happens. Important aspects
of your affective individuality are comprised in your motivation for taking
action.
Striving Instincts
Each of us gets energy from our Striving Instincts. Instinctive urges are
like units of fuel that add specific character to our energy.
No matter how far you try to go or what direction you take,
instinctive energy will help you arrive at your destination. And it will
do so within certain parameters. If you try to go faster than your instincts
allow, you will exhaust your resources and experience mental fatigue. If
you are motivated to act contrary to your natural abilities, you'll be frustrated
and operate with undue stress.
| Striving Instincts are defined as: |
drive
talents
universal |
urges
necessities
unchanging |
innate power
mental energy |
Getting where you want to go is possible with the equipment
given, but you must learn how to operate it effectively.
Will
The third element of the Creative Process is your Will, the transmission
that links your instinct-based power with your actions. This is the point
where you take control over the level of effort you apply to particular
acts. You have the choice - or the free will - to allocate your instinctive
powers with varying degrees of self-determination.
self-determination
attempt |
level of effort
intention |
commitment |
The Will focuses the subconscious force of instincts, assigns
it and then transmits it into conscious effort. Much like the gears for
your car's transmission, the will controls the amount of available power
you use at different times.
There are three Levels of Effort you can assign to any
action; these determine the amount of instinctive energy you give an action.
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Commitment is the highest level,
causing you to focus energy on assigned tasks.
Attempt is the second level,
where you try to accomplish a goal, but you don't use your full capabilities.
Intention is the third level,
which implies minimal effort.
Show me how to use commitment triangle! |
The levels are clearly defined in the example where people
intend to call you, attempt to call you, or commit to a time to call you.
Each of us has control over the Level of Effort we give
to an activity that engages our instincts. It's up to each individual to
make the commitment to do something, or delegate the task to someone else.
You have to make choices because there is a limit to your instinctive energy
or fuel. At this stage, reason steps in to play an important role.
Reason
Reason, or thought, is an integral part of the Creative Process. Reason
intrudes as a warning sign. Ignoring your skills, experience and wisdom
would be like not paying attention to hazard signs along the road.
If you didn't use reason in the Creative Process, you would
strive in illogical ways. This would deplete your energy and diminish your
results.
education
thought process
knowledge |
intelligence
skills
life experience |
training
job experience |
The Creative Process, unlike a creative event, can benefit
from being stopped mid-course often at the point of reason, because we're
smart enough to reject potentially negative results and put on the brakes
rather than move further.
Reason is the critical point where editing occurs and keeps
us from putting too much energy into misguided efforts. The process can
be regenerated with more suitable results.
Conative Actions
The first four elements of the Creative Process result in observable behavior,
the conative actions which represent our talents.
| Action Modes are defined as: |
observable results
necessities |
method of operation (MO)
talent |
mental energy |
A person's conative talent is the observable part of the process.
From its characteristics we can make assumptions about the power source
and how well it is being utilized. Some people get maximum mileage out of
their creative capabilities, and others drive them into the ground. Those
who understand how their minds operate are the ones who will most likely
reach their destinations.
Summary
If we only had our Striving Instincts to guide our Motivations, we would
be boxed into ways of creating that were imprinted at birth. Our instincts
would be oppressive forces. But our Will tempered by our Reason gives us
choices in how we use our instinctive energy. With that freedom we have
no fear of tapping the innate power within us. |
