Initiative: The Foundation of Success

Everyone want’s to achieve success in some form or another. Success is one of those abstract concepts that means something different for everyone and is different for each type of goal we set. However, When it comes to any dream or goal a person has, there will never be success without initiative. Initiative is the difference between dreamers and visionaries. It’s the attribute that sets the top performers apart from the average. It’s the internal drive to not only do what you’re required to, but, figuring out how to go beyond the basics and hit the next level. When I was in the Army, initiative was one of the most important attributes we sought to instill in our Soldiers. It’s the foundation of the difference between a good Soldier and a great Soldier. The way we defined it was going beyond what was asked or required. I could tell a Soldier that he needs to meet the minimum physical training requirements that the Army had set for him and he would easily do so by doing exactly what was required in our morning physical training sessions, but, the initiative-taker was the Soldier who went above and beyond that to train on their own, push themselves to achieve a perfect 300 or higher on their PT Test.

The same foundation converted over into their performance as a Soldier. If assigned a task, the average person completes the task assuming there are no problems. If there is a problem that stops that person from completing the task they either:

1. Don’t complete the task...or...
2. Come to you with the problem and no solution.

The initiative taker is the opposite, if there is a problem to finish a task they will figure out a solution and either

1. Complete the task...or...
2. Come to you with a problem and a set of solutions to the problem. This is applied for everything. Whether it’s completing a task for your boss or figuring out how to solve your own problems to achieve your goals.

This is why I believe initiative is the foundation of success. It is the character trait that allows a person to set a goal and figure out how to achieve the goal, and, when problems arise, instead of stopping and giving up, figuring out how to solve those problems and continue on.

If you are an initiative taker and want to be surrounded by a group of similar minded people who also love functional fitness and Weightlifting, come check out our facebook group, The Athletic Weightlifter. Here you will find a great group of people who have a wide breadth of experience in many aspects of training and life. Click here to join now.