According to dictionary.Cambridge.org, it is “the ability to use your judgment to make decisions and do things without needing to be told what to do.”

Initiative is a close relative of initiate, which means to start something.

Whether initiative is your strength or something you need to work on, we are all on a journey and would all do well to keep growing.

First consider what is inherent in the phrase “take initiative,” and that is, we must “take” something. Initiative does not automatically occur. We must act decisively and with intent. In scripture, Daniel 11:32b describes a very difficult season and says, “But the people who know their God will display strength and take action.” Often when initiative is called for, there is not an easy answer to a situation. We know that not everything in life is neatly mapped out. We have to use judgment and take action.

One great example of this comes from Dr. Ben Carson’s book “Gifted Hands.” He recounts a time when he was in training as the senior resident at Baltimore City Hospital. On a day when faculty were away at a Health Care convention, a patient came in with a severe head injury. He says, “The patient, already comatose, was deteriorating rapidly. Naturally I was quite concerned, feeling we had to do something, but I was still relatively inexperienced. Despite making phone call after phone call, I couldn’t locate the faulty member. With each call, my anxiety increased. Finally, I realized that the man would die if I didn’t do something – and something meant a lobectomy – which I had never done before.” Dr. Carson also knew that “it was illegal to perform such a surgery without an attending surgeon present.” Faced with this crisis, and knowing the man would die if he did nothing, he made the decision to go through with the surgery. The patient survived the surgery and was “perfectly normal neurologically” as a result. If Dr. Carson had continued waiting around for direction, the man would have died. He took a big risk for his career to do what he knew was right, and the man’s life was saved. It’s also worth noting that this was not a hasty decision with a foolish disregard for the rules. He had a high respect for the rules but took the necessary action given the critical nature of the situation.

I think that people take initiative because of a sincere belief in someone or something greater than themselves. This can be seen in the large and poignant examples, such as in Dr. Carson’s story, as well in stories of war and bravery. However, it can also be seen in the seemingly small examples, such as when someone picks up a piece of trash in a parking lot where they shop. This demonstrates the belief that we are all responsible to our community. Other examples of belief could be in the mission of a workplace, the honor due to a parent, the belief in a nation, or in God and a sense of His calling.

Without those taking initiative, we can be sure that the life we enjoy today would not be what it is. We should remember how God has blessed us with men and women in the past who have taken risks and made advancements, which has helped place us where we are today. So let me ask you, what belief is important to you? What keeps your engine running? What initiative and action do you need to take as a result?

Closing quotes and thoughts about initiative:

Consider the Biblical character Nehemiah, who led the people of Israel to rebuild the broken-down wall of Jerusalem in just 52 days. Nehemiah 4:6, “So we built the wall. And all the wall was joined together to half its height, for the people had a mind to work.”

John Maxwell in Beyond Talent says, “People who take initiative and work hard may succeed, or they may fail. But anyone who doesn’t take initiative is almost guaranteed to fail.”

President Theodore Roosevelt said, “There is nothing brilliant or outstanding in my record, except perhaps this one thing: I do the things that I believe ought to be done… And when I make up my mind to do a thing, I act.”

So, let’s ask ourselves, “What is something I need to take initiative on?”

And the next step is…let’s go for it!