E10 The Success Habit of Initiative – Becoming a Leader Through Action
- S2E10
- 13:00
- January 11th 2025
Are you ready to make this year your most successful ever? Discover the Four Levels of Initiative that set high-achievers apart from the crowd, and learn how just a single shift in your daily habits can move you closer to your goals.
Business owners and leaders who cultivate initiative consistently outperform their peers. It's not just about getting things done — it's about choosing the right actions and creating purposeful momentum.
Understand the difference between movement for movement's sake and intentional growth, and see why building initiative is essential for anyone who wants to lead rather than follow.
What You Need to Know
- Initiative isn't just starting; it's about assessing, planning, and then acting. The best leaders combine initiative with influence, creating real impact rather than simply going through the motions.
- There are four levels of initiative:
- Doing the right thing without being told
- Doing the right thing when told once
- Acting only when necessity pushes you (often while recounting a hard luck story)
- Not acting, even with guidance and supervision
- Most people spend their time at level three, waiting until circumstances force action — and miss out on opportunities just inches from success.
- The habit of initiative is rare but learnable. Top performers (the 5%) consistently operate at level one, while the majority, the 80%, linger in level three.
What You Need to Do
- Reflect on which level of initiative you operate in most often.
- Assess your goals before jumping into action, making sure your movement is propelling you forward, not just keeping you busy.
- Practice doing things without waiting to be told or pushed by urgent circumstances.
- Develop your self-confidence (last episode!) to fuel your willingness to step out of your comfort zone.
- Avoid getting swept up in your own "hard luck story" and instead challenge yourself to take one small action toward your vision every single day.
Your Next Step
Listen to this episode of Success Habits for the New Year to hear Londina and Donna break down the Four Levels of Initiative.
Identify your current habit, use their strategies to move up just one level, and take one deliberate step today that you weren’t waiting to be asked for.
Remember: Leaders are made through initiative and purposeful action. Crossing that finish line might be just one hair’s breadth away!
👉 Grab free resources at DonnaKunde.com
👉 Learn how to maximize your impact with Londina.com
⭐ Like what you hear? Please review our show and share it with others!
02:42 Understanding Initiative and Leadership
04:30 Levels of Initiative
06:02 Building the Habit of Initiative
11:19 Conclusion and Next Steps
Building Success Habits
“The more tranquil a person becomes, the greater is their success, their influence, their power for good.” James Allen
"Building Success Habits" is a podcast hosted by Donna Kunde (Business Coach) and Londina Cruz (Life Strategist). The show is all about sharing practical tips, strategies, and insights for building success habits in all areas of life.
This show was originally produced as hour-long radio content, later adapted into 4-episode Signature Season themes for podcast listeners.
The podcast explores a variety of success habits, including goal-setting, resilience, focus, and productivity. Each episode provides insights into how these habits can be developed and maintained, along with tips for staying motivated and on track.
In addition to success habits, the show covers personal development and mindset topics, such as overcoming limiting beliefs and cultivating a growth mindset. Donna and Londina share their own experiences and challenges in these areas, providing listeners with relatable examples and actionable advice.
Whether you are an entrepreneur, business owner, or simply someone who wants to achieve more success in your personal and professional life, "Building Success Habits" offers inspiration and tools to help you achieve your goals and live a more fulfilling life.
Join Donna and Londina on this journey of self-discovery and growth, and learn how to build the success habits that will transform your life.
"When we begin to see the world from the inside out, life will happen through us instead of to us."
Donna Kunde is one of IBGR's founders and started her career in radio at WNTW on it's Sales 2020 Show. In her role as EVP Supply Management she is responsible for day-to-day station operations and the quality of programming - both show topics and OnAir Talent.
She is an internationally recognized Business Coach and Trainer bringing 20+ years’ experience in military leadership. Donna has been a serial entrepreneur for the last 25 years owning a range of businesses experiencing the unique challenges solopreneurs face with small business growth.
In addition to her entrepreneurial background, Donna brings 35 years of academic and applied cognitive and behavioral science experience to the IBGR Network. Her specialty is helping organizations navigate through change, challenge and tragedy. The combination of her intensive study of the mind, plus practical applications in human potential, Donna provides a unique perspective on leadership, personal growth, sales, communication, and team building.
A high point of Donna's training career happened when she accompanied Dr. John C. Maxwell and his team on a country transformation mission. At the request of the Costa Rican government, the Maxwell team successfully trained 15,000 Round Table facilitators in three days, resulting in a 2% transformation of that nation and projected to reach another 60,000 Costa Ricans the following week. Her trademark energetic communication style and teaching skills have earned her a reputation as a highly effective speaker and respected facilitator.
Londina Cruz is an International Trainer, Executive Coach, and Keynote Speaker with the John Maxwell Team and a Strategic Coach with Anthony Robbins. Londina is a part of Global Transformation with the John Maxwell Foundation, training thousands of leaders in Paraguay and Costa Rica to help transform the values and culture of these nations.
She has spent more than 25 years studying, coaching and consulting in personal mastery and human performance techniques. These techniques include emotional and social intelligence trainings that elevate individuals, leaders and their organizations to excel well beyond current standards – offering a dynamic competitive advantage.
Londina has taken a situation that would devastate most individuals, being hit by a drunk driver, and has turned it into her life force. In this accident, Londina sustained a traumatic head injury, broken back and broken neck. The doctors gave her little hope of a normal life. She has now turned this challenge into an extraordinary life of empowering others to turn their fears into freedom and reach their potential.
Mastering her limiting beliefs and overcoming all that doctors had told her, Londina has thrived physically as well.
She has become a Triathlete (competing in a Half-Ironman and medaling in numerous other triathlons), a two-time marathon runner (Nike Women’s in San Francisco and the Marine Corps in Washington), and a cyclist.
She has released 100 lbs. by taking control of her thoughts instead of allowing thoughts to control her.
She knows what it takes to take you and your team from where you are to where you want to be.
As a Certified Coach, Teacher and Speaker, I can offer you workshops, seminars, keynote speaking, and coaching, aiding your personal and professional growth through study and practical application of John’s proven leadership methods. Working together, I will move you and/or your team or organization in the desired direction to reach your goals.
Contact me. I am looking forward to assisting you on your journey to becoming a success in your life and/or business.