9 Benefits of Taking Initiative

Initiative means action. Get yourself geared up and sit on your motorcycle. You and your bike look fantastic, you’re both ready to go and it looks like you mean business. But now you need initiative to move off. Put the key in the ignition, turn it on and hit the starter. While looking in the direction you want to go, shift into gear, release the clutch and apply the throttle. Off you go.

InitiativeIt’s the same in life. Initiative means taking just one step at a time. You have the power to do that. And that’s all you ever need to take. They don’t have to be big steps, just keep putting one foot in front of the other.

 

9 Benefits of Taking Initiative

 

  1. Control. While you can’t control everything that happens around you or to you, you can control how you respond. Better to be in a position where you’re free to make choices that align with your values and goals, rather than having decisions imposed on you.

 

  1. Achievement. As Roxie Malone said in “Women, Motorcycles and the Road to Empowerment, “You can sit back and let life go by, or you can get on it!”. Taking that step is the first step towards getting things done and reaching your goals.

 

  1. Confidence. Small successes set the stage for larger ones. Take note of your accomplishments. Success creates momentum and builds on itself.

 

  1. Proactivity. Recognizing potential danger and then taking action to avert it nips problems in the bud. You may have been down a road before and have knowledge about a hazard no one else is aware of. Speak up so others will have what they need to make an informed decision.

 

  1. Inspiration. You serve as a role model to others. Often, it just takes one person having the courage to take that step towards their goal, and others will do the same. Think of the possibilities if everyone was listening to their inner guide and marching towards their goals. Even if the steps are small, the potential for positive change is enormous.

 

  1. Self-Awareness. Taking initiative is taking a risk. But it’s the only way you’re going to learn about yourself and your personal power. Once you start discovering your capabilities, you’ll want to keep going.

 

  1. Creativity. Initiative creates opportunities and allows you to fuel your passion. Although you share the Road with others, no one else walks your steps. It’s up to you to recognize your gifts and share them with others.

 

  1. Mistakes. If you’re not making mistakes, you’re not stretching and growing. One of the reasons it’s wise for new riders to purchase used the first time is that they’re going to damage it or they’re going to choose something they’re not happy with. While you want to be making informed choices and not risking safety, you gather the best information available to make your decision. Mistakes are one of the greatest teaching tools.

 

  1. Fear Busting. You feel vulnerable when you take a step into the unknown. The greatest role of fear is to alert you to potential danger. The greatest trap is that you allow fear to prevent you from moving forward. Most fears are irrational and crop up when you’re trying something new and your ego is threatened by change. Take note of any real danger, acknowledge the irrational fear that is trying to protect you, thank it, park it and move on.

 

Always keep your eyes focused on where you want to go. Then use your power to engage your initiative and take the next step. You’ll be amazed at the success you experience and the positive energy you create.

 

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photo credit: ~FreeBirD®~ via photopin cc

About

Author, writer, and student Liz Jansen combines her artistic mediums to create stories that inspire readers to embark on their own journey of self-discovery.

6 Comments on “9 Benefits of Taking Initiative

  1. Initiative is crucial to all facets of life. Liz, you’ve developed a powerful list of skills you can build as part of the process of learning to ride. More than that, the list serves as an ongoing reminder of the opportunities that continue with sustained ridership. Perhaps the greatest gift of motorcycling is this list: control, fear busting, creativity, etc. I’m not sure which facet comes first! That’s the beauty of riding; the challenges and rewards are never ending. For instance, when I first started to ride, I learned to commandeer dirt bike through the rocky and sometimes steep terrain of central Pennsylvania’s coal region. Some trails were just plain scary but if you didn’t want to be left behind, you went. And on occasion, I had to accept help. One thing I would add to your list, Liz is humility, which is an aspect of mistakes. You have to be willing to look foolish and reach out for assistance when you need it. If you value control, seeking help is very liberating. In time, you will notice that even the strongest riders can get themselves in a pinch.

    • You’re absolutely right Ginger. Humility, vulnerability, receptivity — ironically necessary to become strong. Thanks for pointing it out.

      Liz

  2. Well said Liz. It’s nice that you used motorbikes and riding as an example as I’m a biker myself so I understand your way of thinking. I had a serious car accident 6 years ago and when I recovered I felt like I had been reborn from the ashes and as I had also lost everything that mattered to me in my life, I realise now more than ever that it is essential to use initiative in order to do some good. There are too many people in the world who take what they have in life for granted and using initiative is a way to show that you care and most importantly a way to express gratitude for what you have in life.

    • Hi Zoe – Life changing events change the way we view the world and ourselves. I’m glad you’re recovered and back on the road – literally and figuratively. Sounds like quite a time for you.

      Safe travels! Thank you.

      Liz
      PS – Motorcycles are great teachers aren’t they?

  3. Our school is having an assembly soon and my class has been chosen to prep up a presentation that should be done live on stage about initiative.Any suggestions on how we could deliver the importance of taking initiative in life to a bunch of high school students?

    • Hi Lian,

      The best knowledge will come from inside your group. For starters, how about asking your classmates how and where they’ve seen initiative in action, and how that made them feel. Or ask how they were the recipients of initiative and how that made them feel? Good luck! Liz