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I’m writing this to you from Summersville, WV; a place I’d never been before yesterday, and what a beautiful drive it was. The trees are changing colors…from bright green to salmon-orange, and rich reds…and snow! I spent most of the day yesterday attending the Create WV conference in Richwood, and it was interesting, fun, and educational. I’ll write more on this later; right now I want to get us thinking about our Friday ritual.

This month’s focus topic, initiative, is so appropriate for our Friday ritual. I’ve been encouraging you to be intentional about how you think about and spend your weekends. It’s one thing to say we have a plan for our weekend, but we have to take the initiative to actually put our plans into action. I know this is common sense, but the biggest gap we struggle with in our lives it the “knowing — doing” gap — meaning we often know what we need to do, but fail to do it Getting across this gap takes focus, discipline, and initiative.

I will be at this conference through part of the weekend. Nonetheless, I still have reading and writing to do, some review of the activities I’m focused on through the Maxwell Plan for Growth (this month’s focus within that program is Priorities; which, I must say, is really helping me get more done each day), and enjoy a little down time.

What’s on your list for the weekend? What are your priorities and and what will it take for you to take the initiative to get started, keep going, or finish whatever you’re focused on?

However you spend this weekend, I hope you’re intentional about it.

“See” you Monday!

Today’s a journal day. Block out some time today to journal about yesterday’s conversation with the person you admire, who consistently takes initiative.

What insights did you gain, and what additional thoughts do you have, now that you’ve had a day to think about it?

What two things can you do over the next week or two to move yourself forward in this area?

What benefits will you enjoy as a result of your new behavior?

As we come close to closing out this first week of focus on initiative, I think it’s safe to say you are thinking more about the importance of taking that first step…whatever the endeavor.

Is there something you need to act on?

What is it?

What action do you need to take?

How will you benefit?

Or, what will the consequences be if you fail to act?

What will you do, now?

Take that first step today! Let me know how it goes!

Let’s look externally today…Who do you know, in your business or industry, who consistently takes initiative and moves things forward?

Who is it?

What do they do?

What results are they getting?

What can you learn from observing them?

Make a point of letting them know you admire their performance in this area and ask them if you can learn from them. Ask why they do what they do, how they keep themselves moving forward, and how they view initiative.

Then, spend some time reflecting on what you learn and how you can implement something new that will allow you to improve in this area.

Let me know what you discover!