''There Are Three Types of Men''

“There are two types of men, said Andrew Carnegie, “who never amount to anything. One is the fellow who never does anything except that which he is told to do. The other is the fellow who never does more than he is told to do. The man [the third] who gets ahead does the thing that should be done without being told to do it, but he does not stop there, he goes the extra mile by doing a great deal more than is expected or demanded of him.” Personal Initiative is the power that inspires the completion of that which one begins. It is the power that starts all action. No person is free until he learns to do his own thinking and gains the courage to act on his own Personal Initiative. It is the twin brother of going the extra mile.

Most people who read the above definition of Personal Initiative agree with Andrew Carnegie’s assessment of the two types of individuals, but they stop right before they recognize themselves as one or the other type. Taking personal initiative requires a can-do attitude that is spontaneous and future oriented. It involves giving yourself the directive that needs to be fulfilled because you understand the mission and want to work toward completing it without someone else directing your every step. Once you understand that Personal Initiative begins and ends with you and your actions the choice to succeed truly becomes one that you make. Success is achieved by those who know what has to be done and are busy doing it.

When you fail to take action you stop the flow of energy in your life and this shuts down the potential that is open to you. Consciously deciding not to act is in itself a choice, and if this process continues in your life you are refusing to accept that change always occurs and you play a very important part in the process. Change will happen to you whether or not you take Personal Initiative. The BIG difference is in what happens. By being proactive in dealing with Personal Initiative you assist in directing the outcome. By refusing to act, you contract with the Universe to give you whatever happens. Now, you know the difference and you have no excuse not to assume a role of leadership in your own life and work to direct whatever outcome you choose.