Personal Initiative -A Nugget to Self Mastery

This morning while shopping groceries for our restaurant I watched a little boy shopping too. He had picked a bar of shop which he later returned back to the shelf and brought back another bar he picked one that was with in his budget given that he had asked how much it could cost. He then went back and picked ear wax removals and he again asked what the price was, he paid and then walked out the supermarket. I asked the attendant if the little boy had been sent or he was shopping based on the need he saw at home because he actually was shopping as though he knew what he needed and he had the list in mind.

The attendant told me that the boy has been shopping since he was at the tender age. Wow I was amazed and what came to my mind was personal initiative. The boy was able to think through what was needed at home and buy it. An initiative by Webster dictionary is the power or opportunity to do something before others do. The question I would like to ask how many times have opportunities knocked at the door and we didn’t take an initiative to take them up? Some appear as challenges not clear but we wait for perfect conditions. Ecclesiastes 11: 4 & 6 says: vs4 He who observes the wind [and waits all conditions to be favourable] will not sow, and he who regards the clouds will not reap. vs 6. In the morning sow your seed, and in the evening withhold not your hands, for you know which shall prosper, whether this or that, or whether both alike will be good.

So how is personal initiative part of self mastery.

Always at the look out

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When one is self aware he is always at the lookout. Each situation in life you is looked at as a learning regardless of the outcome. I challenge you today to always be at the lookout you never know what that situation will turn out to be.

always Strategic

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Personal initiative requires strategic thinking. My dad always tells me learn from the current situation so that you can plan better and know what to do in the future when the same situation shows up. Just like the little boy in the supermarket he was using his past experience to be able to know what he could purchase given the cash at hand. Lastly you are able to take drastic changes in life when opportunities knock at the door.

driven by passion

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Believe me or not only people who are passionate about their goals take personal initiative to make this world a better place. They will always look out for adding value to whatever they are doing.

As I conclude I leave you with this Steven Spielberg: This great filmmaker who has won countless records and prizes for his contribution towards best film making has also suffered from several failures in his life. He was not able to get higher examination grades in the schools during the childhood following which he has been suspended three times from the University of Southern California. Following his passion and dedication, he went on creating great movies and finally won three Oscar awards and made a sum total of fifty-one great movies. I challenge you today to take personal initiative to pursue your dream.

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