Taking the Initiative

            Initiative can be comprehended as different things to different people; it can be viewed by some as grasping responsibility before expected, taking action before anybody else, or thinking in a different way to better a situation.  To me, initiative is taking a role or action before being prompted by others. 

During a challenge or life, taking the initiative by prompting an action before being told can show the level of interest of an individual to the company or project.  BLF simulates real life challenges throughout varying aspects of the program; the Fellows are given a leg up in future business settings due to the fact that we have experienced situations through the program that push and demand the most from us.  The rules and stipulations are lacking during BLF challenges, thus taking the initiative is greatly encouraged and viewed as a necessity.  By becoming more accustomed to realizing our potentials and grasping the ideas behind what is needed to occur for success to happen, we will be in a better position during our future careers to take the proper initiative steps to start the process.  In essence, the BLF program allows us to have a starting point of tactics to use, instead of being blind-sided without a plan to follow.  There is an emphasis placed on being able to recognize and taking the initiative, because employers and society place such a high value on it.

I decided to interview my cousin Meredith, in order to relive spring break one more time.  My cousin is a physician’s assistant in San Diego, California.  For spring break, I convinced my parents to allow me to go visit her as my Christmas present.  By suggesting that I was going to shadow her working, I was able to pass it off as an educational trip.  (I did shadow her for a day, but I also surfed, paddle boarded, and hiked at Torrey Pines while there.) 

However, Meredith did show real initiative by the itinerary that she set up for us to follow.   I had visited two years ago, but she wanted me to get the real California lifestyle –rather than the tourist vacation—this time around.  Her thinking was that I would enjoy myself more on vacation if I lived her life for a few days instead of visiting the tourists’ traps.  She made all the crucial decisions about where to eat and how we were to spend the day.  If it were not for her calling weeks ahead for dinner reservations and board rentals, then we would not have had the chance to experience the great gourmet or killer waves.  In hindsight, I do not think that I would have called ahead as she did, which shows initiative on her part by taking action before I had even thought to ask.  The experience of me job shadowing her also proved how she thought of my interests and thoughts before I even had a clue.  She works three different jobs as a physician’s assistant, so she had to choose which location she thought I would get the most out of for my time.  Luckily, she chose to take me to her urgent care location over her other jobs as a laser technician.  My spring break vacation was made all the much better due to my cousin taking the initiative and thinking of my well being before it crossed my mind.       

            The lasting impression I gained from the Young Alumni was that a person needs to follow his/her passion in life.  Finding and following a passion is the driving force to finding happiness in your life.  Another take away that I had was that you should never turn down an opportunity no matter how minute or small.  One small act or chance opportunity may turn into the chance of your lifetime, so never rule out or have too big of ego with each opportunity.  The last take away I had was the reaffirmation of how important the building of a network really is to success.  Jobs and internships are more greatly affected by the people you know rather than the knowledge you possess. 

            The stories told by the Young Alumni are closely related to the same thoughts and ideas routinely placed into our minds by the BLF mentors and workshops.  The Young Alumni discussed the talking points of building networks and creating chances for ourselves as if Eddie had told them what to say.  I did not learn too many new things from the alumni, but I was reminded of the previous lessons and lectures.    It never hurts to rehear good advice, but I cannot say how much my life will change from this workshop; I have heard testimonies from alumni before and my life habits have not changed from it.  I will say that if this workshop had been a month ago, I probably would not have turned down the Fox Sports interview.  The notion of never saying no to a situation would have altered my line of thinking for that particular matter.

               Through every encounter and challenge in BLF, I am slowly learning on how to take the initiative.  I have grown to better understand the importance of taking the proper action before being prompted in a group setting.  Through experiences from BLF challenges and spring break with my cousin, I am more self aware of thinking ahead for the betterment of the group.  I know that the sooner I realize the impact of finishing actions quickly in the correct manner can show my competency for the situation, as well as my interest in the project.  As I grow the self-awareness within myself, I can take the reaffirmation form the Young Alumni of networking, never turning down an opportunity, and finding a passion in life into any and all future endeavors I partake in.  Wherever I find myself in the future, you can guarantee that I will have taken every step necessary to take the proper steps to show the full initiative towards all projects.