The Power of Personal Initiative
The Power of Personal Initiative
Personal initiative is defined as: The willingness to take self-initiated action in the pursuit of your goals.
Personal initiative is within all of us, it is what gave us the ability to walk and talk.
Personal initiative will enable success
You cannot achieve success unless you have you set yourself goals. Have you set your goals?
But now, everything you wish to achieve in your personal or business life, needs specific things to be undertaken before you can succeed.
Only if you take action will you achieve your goals.
Procrastination in the enemy of personal initiative
You can say always say: "I'll do it tomorrow." And many people do! How many people do you know who "put things off"?
They say "I'm not in the mood right now. I'll do it later." Consequently, they don't do what is necessary to create the results they say they want.
How many people do you know, who are waiting for their circumstances to change before they will act?
Do they need to know how to improve personal initiative?
George Bernard Shaw said:
"People are always blaming their circumstances. I don't believe in circumstances. The people who get on in this world are the people who get up and look for the circumstances they want, and, if they can't find them, --- make them."
Life doesn't just happen
It is your inner power, your personal initiative, that will kick start you to take the necessary actions to begin the process of achievement.
Personal initiative starts with one small step towards your bigger goal.
Leonardo da Vinci wrote:
"It has long since come to my attention that, people of accomplishment rarely sit back and let things happen to them.
Instead, they go out and happened to things".
Therefore, let us all go out and "happen to things".
Definition: personal initiative
Personal initiative is a soft skill used in work and daily life. It means you act on your own, set clear goals, plan your steps and keep going when problems arise. You do not wait for orders or perfect conditions. This inner push turns ideas into real results for you and others.
Show CG4D Definition
- You start tasks without being told
- You set clear goals and plan action
- You keep working despite delay or problems
- You aim for useful results for self and group
Article Summary
Personal initiative is the inner drive that pushes you to act before you are asked; when you set clear goals, break them into small steps and begin now, you beat procrastination, build momentum and turn hope into real success.
Frequently Asked Questions
Here are some questions that frequently get asked about this topic during our training sessions.
What exactly is personal initiative?
How does personal initiative help me achieve success?
Why is procrastination the enemy of personal initiative?
What first step can I take today to build personal initiative?
How do clear goals boost personal initiative?
How can I stay motivated when results feel slow?
Is personal initiative learned or something you are born with?
Thought of something that's not been answered? Ask Us Today!
Did You Know: Key Statistics
UK office workers lose 8.5 hours each week to delay and task switching, but those who plan their work daily cut that wasted time by 41% (Asana Anatomy of Work report, 2024). 74% of UK hiring managers rate personal drive and self-start as the most valued soft skill in 2024, up from 61% in 2022 (LinkedIn Learning Workplace Learning Report, 2024).About the Author: Chris Farmer
Chris Farmer is the founder of the Corporate Coach Group and has many years' experience in training leaders and managers, in both the public and private sectors, to achieve their organisational goals, especially during tough economic times. He is also well aware of the disciplines and problems associated with running a business.
Over the years, Chris has designed and delivered thousands of training programmes and has coached and motivated many management teams, groups and individuals. His training programmes are both structured and clear, designed to help delegates organise their thinking and, wherever necessary, to improve their techniques and skills.
Blogs by Email
Do you want to receive an email whenever we post a new blog? The blogs contain article 5-10 minutes long - ideal for reading during your coffee break!
Further Reading in Personal Effectiveness
-
What is autosuggestion?
Learn how autosuggestion turns self-talk into a mental training tool. Follow simple steps to replace negative thoughts, build confidence and improve performance
Read Article > -
Emotional Intelligence
Discover what emotional intelligence is, why it matters, and six clear tips to build empathy, rapport and success. Try our quick EQ quiz to check your progress.
Read Article > -
The Mind-Body Connection
Learn how the mind body connection helps you lift mood, cut stress and build confidence; use simple posture and action steps to feel happier in minutes.
Read Article > -
The Seven Habits of Highly Defective People
Learn the One Bug Rule and seven bad habits that wreck personal effectiveness. Swap them for good habits-be honest, punctual and organised-to build trust fast.
Read Article > -
How to be Successful in Six Hours
Learn the Six Hour Success method: split your day into three focused blocks, build habits, follow the 717 diet and celebrate small wins to hit any goal.
Read Article >
Looking for Personal Development Training?
If you're looking to develop your Personal Effectiveness Skills, you may find this Personal Development Training Course beneficial:
Open Training Course Pricing and Availability
Next Open Course Starts in 27 days, Cheltenham Gloucestershire, places available