Joshua Spodek - Initiative: A Proven Method to Bring Your Passions to Life (and Work)

Whether leading or following, you need to read Initiative. I have long yearned for such a bookthe most clear and persuasive on personal development and leadership Ive found in 60 years of adulthood. Spodeks focus on initiative and reflection matches what I found effective serving in and leading organizations from a few people to over 15,000 Marines and Sailors. He illustrates key ideas with meaningful examples and helpful practical exercises. Its lucid, succinct, easy to read, and deeply profound. It has earned a prominent place in my library.

Lieutenant General Paul K. Van RiperU.S. Marine Corps (Retired)

Many congratulations to Josh Spodek for Initiative! I loved his comparison of Shark Tank to the dog show. The common wisdom of expecting passion to automatically lead to action only works if youre amazingly lucky. Initiative gives you a powerful tool kit to explore your interests and passions and create what makes you excited to workhow to make your own luck. No more Monday morning blues. If you work through the exercises here, youll stop saying somebody should fix that and become the one who does, to the worlds benefit, and especially your own.

Alan Inyglobal leader, creativity and scenarios, Boston Consulting Group and coauthor of Thinking in New Boxes: A New Paradigm for Business Creativity

Joshua Spodek restores the humanity, soul, and passion to the entrepreneurial spirit that built our nation. With simple steps and diverse stories, Initiative walks you through finding your passion and bringing it to life with confidence.

Frances HesselbeinPresidential Medal of Freedom honoree and president and CEO of the Frances Hesselbein Leadership Institute

The disease is helplessness and inaction, and Joshua Spodek has the cure: Initiative. By taking initiative, we can connect with our passions and with people who can nurture those passions into actionable ideas that make money, create happiness, or maybe even change the world. Spodek starts off with some hard truths about todays business environment, then follows up with Method Initiative, a series of exercises that will help you identify your interests and create those connections that lead to success.

Daniel h. Pinkauthor of When and Drive

If youve ever wanted to start a project but werent sure how, Initiative is the missing piece. With effective, step-by-step exercises and engaging real-life stories, this book will show you how to become someone who can start projects you love from scratch.

Dorie Clarkprofessor at Duke Universitys Fuqua School of Business and author of Entrepreneurial You and Stand Out

Why do people with the most education often feel they have the fewest options? Spodek offers a brilliant critique of the ways our education system kills students initiative. In a step-by-step fashion, he goes on to show you how to regain yours. A remedial class everyone should take!

Tony WagnerEdD, bestselling author of The Global Achievement Gap and Creating Innovators and senior research fellow, Learning Policy Institute

Joshua found what was missing from entrepreneurship! Initiative shows why most entrepreneurial resources are counterproductive for people outside Silicon Valley. Then it shows actionable steps based on real-life results, illustrated with real-life stories from Joshuas decade-plus of research, teaching, and coaching. You will discover skills, confidence, and passions you always knew you had.

Marshall GoldsmithThinkers50 #1 in leadership and worlds #1 executive coach

Initiative, action, and passion comprise one of the most important and overlooked virtuous circles in life. This book is your guide to implementing an empowering, world-changing feedback loop no matter what your age, interests, or professional calling.

Jonas KofflerNew York Timesbestselling author of Hustle

Joshua shows that not only are many of our fundamental entrepreneurship practices wrong and misguided, they can be downright counterproductive. What works for TV shows or Silicon Valley actually inhibit the rest of us from acting on passions that can get us promoted, hired, and funded. Initiatives surprisingly simple steps and real-life profiles of people who started from nothing show you how to bring them to life.

David Burkusbestselling author, speaker, and professor of leadership at Oral Roberts University

Entrepreneurship is my jam! Its disappointing how TV shows, movies, and universities discourage people from following their FIRE . Initiative cuts through the hype and myth. Joshua Spodek gets it and this book is proof. Initiative shows you what works and how people are implementing change in the world today.

John Lee Dumasfounder and host of the Best of iTunes Entrepreneurs on Fire podcast

We endure far more than we have to at work, and yet there we sit, stuck. What holds us back from yanking ourselves out of our malaise? Joshua Spodek knows, and knows what to do about it. He unlocks the ultimate powerinitiativethrough insight and powerful exercises to give you the experiences, skills, and beliefs needed to get things going, no matter what youre trying to accomplish. Take the initiative to buy this bookyou wont regret it.

Scott Mautzpopular keynote speaker and author of Find the Fire and Make It Matter

Another thought-provoking, life-changing book from Joshua Spodek. For anyone who wants to take the initiative to launch a business, get a new job, or change the worldthis book is for you.

Kevin Kruse CEO of LEAD x and author of Great Leaders Have No Rules

Ive seen many people create greatness in their lives and work. Initiative teaches you how, by doing. Its real-life stories of people of diverse backgrounds and interests make the exercises and principles accessible to diverse readers. Its vivid imagery makes challenging concepts simple to understand and visualize.

Tom Ziglar CEO of Ziglar, Inc. and proud son of Zig Ziglar

Part One Who Stole Initiative?

You know the Westminster Kennel Club dog show even if you havent attended.

Maybe youve seen the movie Best in Show, which satirized events like it. The New YorkTimes description of a recent winner illustrates such dog shows: [He] cut a striking, cloudlike figure in the ring: His powder-puff fur was painstakingly coifed, and he trotted jauntily across the floor with a step that looked almost lighter than air.

Westminster means painstakingly coifed purebreds trotting jauntily.

Over 3,000 dogs, handlers, and owners compete in Madison Square Garden for Best in Show each year at Westminster. The finale begins with the announcement of the Best in Breed winners, who run out through a chute with their handlers to do a lap before the cheering fans filling the stands.

The main competition is about to begin. Handlers and their dogs wait obediently. A judge steps to the center of the floor and congratulates them for reaching this stage.