Focus On: Initiative
“The secret of getting ahead is getting started. The secret of getting started is breaking your complex overwhelming tasks into small manageable tasks, and then starting on the first one.”
Mark Twain
That Mark Twain was onto something.
Twain is well-described as one of the greatest humorists of our age. In addition to his quick wit he shared his tremendous wisdom with us. In offering his advice on self starting ability, he clues us in on a cornerstone to our success in business. Step by step. We know it. We get it. We don’t always do it.
Self-Starting Ability is also commonly known as initiative, drive, motivation, assertiveness or proactivity. Specifically, it is defined as the ability to initiate energies towards the achievement of a goal. This is an important point, and as a good self starter, you must prioritize your time to move toward your goals in the most efficient way.
Some of us are wired to believe that to be successful at anything we must do it with 100% perfection every time. This is not true, however, as direction is much more important than perfection. So long as you can continue to take action toward your goals and maintain the appropriate direction, you really can afford a few mistakes along the way.
So take a breath and take a step. What’s the highest and best use of your time today? Now?
As a famous riverboat pilot once wrote, “Twenty years from now, you will be more disappointed by the things that you didn’t do than by the ones you did do. So throw off the bowlines. Sail away from the safe harbor. Catch the trade winds in your sails. Explore. Dream. Discover.”