Initiative

in·i·tia·tive n.
1. The power or ability to begin or to follow through energetically with a plan or task; enterprise and determination.
2. A beginning or introductory step; an opening move: took the initiative in trying to solve the problem.
3. a. The power or right to introduce a new legislative measure.
b. The right and procedure by which citizens can propose a law by petition and ensure its submission to the electorate.

adj.
1. Of or relating to initiation
2. Used to initiate; initiatory.

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Put your index and middle finger on your throat just to the right of your adam's apple (or the corresponding location if you are female). Feel the gentle thump-thump of the blood pumping in your vein. Do you feel that? It's your pulse. Everybody has one. It lets you know that you are still alive. That you still have breath in your lungs. That you can live until the point at which you stop living. You are alive until you die. I know, I know... that was obvious. But when you wake up every morning, do you think about that?

Do you consider what would happen if you weren't there? What you wouldn't be able to do if you weren't alive? You wouldn't be able to butter your toast in the morning. You wouldn't be able to hug your child or friend or mother or brother. You would not be able to park your car or get on the bus or walk to the nearest convenience store.

Why are you alive? Do you know? Is there some purpose that you are missing? When you opened your eyes so many years ago for the first time you saw the world. For most, they saw a hospital room, and a doctor and possibly their mother. For others it may have been mom's room, the backseat of a cab, or the bathroom of their mother's school. In whatever way you were born, where ever and to whomever, you have a purpose. There is a reason you are here. Are you the person that's here to take up space? Are you the placeholder in the world? Or are you a decision maker? An influencer? A person that matters.

You can choose to walk forward, to see tomorrow in today. You can decide to wake up and learn something new. Simply for the joy of doing it. You can follow through with the ideals that you had in your youth. You can inspire people. Or, you can be the person who wakes up and drinks coffee, eats breakfast, goes to work, comes home, watches TV and goes to sleep only to wake up the following day and do the same thing.

There are people who do things. Comedians, politicians, policemen, lawyers, teachers.... these are all people who made a choice. Those people go out, and they learn from other people and then they do things. They interact with the public they make choices for those other people out there who are the placeholders. Those people whos lives don't directly affect another person. For those who choose an occupation like this, if they were not there, if they suddenly disappeared or died, people would notice. People do notice. When you wake up tomorrow, think about that. Think about all the things you could be doing.

When looking forward to tomorrow do you plan something? Do you say "Tomorrow I'm going to learn a new word."? or "Tomorrow I will create a plan to take over the world!"?
I do. All the time. I love making plans but the problem is the carry-through. I never finish anything. I want to. I say I will and I make plans with myself to do these things. Then I don't. I need initiative.