Quick note: When I refer to AI in this post, I’m talking about AI tools powered by large language models like ChatGPT, Copilot, and Gemini. I use AI as a support tool - not a decision-maker - and always apply human judgment and discernment. If you’re using AI in a professional setting, the paid versions are worth considering for added security and privacy protections. Even still, it’s important to be thoughtful about the information you share with these tools.
I’m not sure I would’ve made the same strides in this business if AI hadn’t been part of the picture from the very beginning. I’ve used it as a thought partner since day one - not to come up with my ideas for me, but to help me work through them.
I’m still the thought leader. The vision and direction are mine. But AI has become my go-to for so many other things. It helped me build a business plan based on a model from a specific book I read. It helped me think through a marketing strategy instead of staring at a blank page. It’s helped me untangle accounting questions when QuickBooks proved to be beyond my non-accounting brain. It’s been a skeptic when I’ve asked it to challenge my thinking and a cheerleader when I needed confirmation that I wasn’t totally off base.
And FYI, when I refer to AI, I'm referring to LLMs
The most surprising thing I’ve learned about AI is how adaptable it is. It can be whatever you need it to be in the moment. And that’s what this two-part series is about - how we can use AI either to make our strengths even stronger, or to compensate in areas where support is what’s needed.
This first blog in this two-part series focuses on the strengths side of that equation. Based on how you naturally operate, find out how to make what you already do well - what brings you energy and lights you up - even better.
If You’re Someone Who Gets Things Done
If you’re naturally action-oriented - someone who likes crossing things off a list, taking responsibility, and moving work forward - AI can help you do that with more focus and less friction.
AI can support this style by:
- Helping you prioritize tasks based on impact instead of urgency alone
- Spotting patterns in how and when you work best
- Creating simple systems to track progress and follow-through
- Acting as a built-in accountability partner so nothing slips through the cracks
If execution is already a strength of yours, AI doesn’t slow you down. It clears the noise so you can stay in motion.
If You’re Naturally Curious and Love Learning
If you’re someone who gathers information, asks a lot of questions, or enjoys learning for the sake of learning, AI can expand that capacity without overwhelming you.
AI can help by:
- Organizing information so it’s actually usable later
- Making connections between ideas you’ve collected over time
- Providing quick context or background when you’re exploring something new
- Helping you go deeper without getting lost in the weeds
Instead of holding everything in your head, AI becomes a second brain - one that helps you see patterns and insights more clearly.
If You’re Relationship-Focused
If you naturally pay attention to people, connections, and group dynamics, AI can help you be more intentional without adding more emotional labor.
AI can support this by:
- Prompting timely follow-ups and check-ins
- Helping you think through communication before something gets misinterpreted
- Spotting potential friction or disconnect early
- Making it easier to personalize interactions at scale
AI doesn’t replace empathy or emotional intelligence. It helps you apply them more consistently.
If You’re Analytical and Problem-Oriented
If you like understanding how things work, breaking down problems, and finding solutions, AI can dramatically extend your thinking.
AI can help by:
- Processing more information than you could reasonably handle on your own
- Generating multiple solution paths instead of locking you into one
- Stress-testing ideas to reveal blind spots
- Helping you get to root causes faster
It gives you more raw material to work with, while you stay in control of the thinking and decisions.
Why Strengthening Strengths Matters
The most effective way to use AI isn’t to try to fix what you’re bad at. It’s to double down on what already works. When you align AI with your natural tendencies, work feels less draining and more productive. You’re not trying to become someone else; you’re working more fully as yourself.
In Part 2, I’ll flip the lens and talk about how AI can help compensate for the areas that don’t come naturally - so they don’t slow you down or pull you away from your strengths.
Because the real power of AI isn’t that it makes us all the same.
It’s that it adapts to who we already are.
