Method Initiative – Exercise 0: Here We Go Again!
How many of you have read this blog since 2020? Probably not too many of you (Hi, mom and dad.). If you are one of those few, you’ll remember a series of reflections I wrote for some Method Initiative exercises (you can still find them on this blog, just search for “Initiative” in the search bar above, or here’s the link to the first essay from the previous series).
Let’s go back to the early days of this blog. Joshua Spodek invited me to take on the methodology he created for his book, Initiative: A Proven Method to Bring Your Passions to Life (and Work), and kindly offered to guide me through them himself (Thanks, Josh!), and I made the decision to try. I got a little more than halfway through the exercises before life got in the way and I never got to finish them.
But even not having finished them, those exercises changed how I view life and what is possible to achieve.
The exercises challenged me to do things I would have never ever done before (it took me weeks to finally get up the courage to cold-call people asking for advice), and helped me to realize that you really can accomplish almost anything if you have the discipline and you’re willing to seek advice to fill any knowledge gaps you have. I also realized that, opposite to what you might think, many people (not all, mind you) are really willing to help you when you ask – even if you’re never met or talked to them before. I really felt like I grew as a person due to these exercises.
I had always felt like I should probably go back and try to finish the exercises and hopefully alter the course of my life to one more aligned with my own interests and values…
And guess what?
Last week, Josh invited me to try again.
So here I am.
Starting at zero again.
I picked up Josh’s Initiative book once more and am now preparing to start all over again – which is not necessarily a bad thing. In fact, Josh actually recommends you go through the exercises multiple times. In Josh’s own words in the book:
“You can repeat the exercises as often as you like, each time creating more passion, focus, self-awareness, results, community, and freedom…You’ll need less will power as your experience tells you to expect success sooner…Experience will make subsequent cycles easier, faster, more fun, and more rewarding…You will enjoy the process and be able to repeat it for the rest of your life.”
Joshua Spodek, ‘Initiative: A Proven Method to Bring Your Passions to Life (and Work)’
Sounds pretty good to me! So this week, I’ll be starting back at Exercise #1: The Personal Essay (coming soon!)
Like last time, I will be publishing each of my reflections for each exercise publicly here on this blog. But unlike last time, I hope to complete all the exercises and hopefully grow as a person, grow as a leader, and make some new strides in my career.
I also hope that my reflections will be useful to someone else who may feel encouraged to start their own Initiative journey. If so, find Josh’s book. Go through the exercises. Thank me later.
Okay, I guess I better get started on Essay #1.
Thanks for reading, and wish me luck.
