Initiative, which we define as: Recognizing and doing what needs to be done before I am asked to do it.

It sounds simple, but initiative is one of the most powerful traits we can cultivate. It’s the difference between being a bystander and being a difference-maker. Initiative means we don’t wait for someone else to act. We don’t wait until it’s convenient, or until someone gives us permission. We step forward because we see a need, and we know it’s the right thing to do.

Think about what happens in a community when initiative is missing. Problems grow larger, people feel more isolated, and opportunities slip away. But when initiative is present, communities thrive. Needs are met, relationships are built, and positive change begins, often with just one person deciding to step forward.

I’ve seen this in my own life. After my service in the Marine Corps, I struggled with the transition home. Like many veterans, I felt disconnected. What I recognized, though, was that I wasn’t the only one. Veterans all around me were facing the same challenges, feeling isolated, unsure of where to turn, and at times, hopeless.

That recognition became a call to act. My wife Jessica and I started what would eventually grow into Eagle OPS Foundation. We didn’t wait for someone else to fix the problem. We simply began creating opportunities, what we call “Rally Points” — for veterans, their families, and community members to connect. Today, those gatherings take many forms: golf, fishing, gaming, or just sitting around a fire. But all of them have one purpose, to build relationships before a crisis happens.

That’s initiative. Not waiting until a veteran reaches a breaking point, but building a community of support so that no one has to walk alone.

Now, I don’t share that to shine a light on myself. I share it because it’s proof that when we live with initiative, it changes lives. And the same principle applies outside of veterans’ work. Whether it’s in our schools, our churches, our workplaces, or our neighborhoods, initiative matters.

So my challenge to each of us today is simple:
– Look around.
– Recognize what needs to be done.
– And take the first step, before anyone asks you to.

Because when we live with initiative, we don’t just improve our own lives. We strengthen our families, we build our community, and together, we shape the future.