--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: Without initiative, or the capacity to…" description: "\"“Without initiative, or the capacity to act, to make things happen or just to do something, we run the risk of living passive lives waiting for things ..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/acc/adam-goucher-47147_big-break_without-initiative-or-the-capacity-to-ac_1202207.png" --- # Without initiative, or the capacity to act, to make things… ![“Without initiative, or the capacity to act, to make things happen or just to do something, we run the risk of living passive lives waiting for things to happen. We wait for opportunities instead of making them. We wait for love, for our big break, for a problem to disappear. We are waiting for our…” quote by Adam Goucher](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/acc/adam-goucher-47147_big-break_without-initiative-or-the-capacity-to-ac_1202207.png) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/acc/adam-goucher-47147_big-break_without-initiative-or-the-capacity-to-ac_1202207.png) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/acc/adam-goucher-47147_big-break_without-initiative-or-the-capacity-to-ac_1202207.png) > ““Without initiative, or the capacity to act, to make things happen or just to do something, we run the risk of living passive lives waiting for things to happen. We wait for opportunities instead of making them. We wait for love, for our big break, for a problem to disappear. We are waiting for our lives to live us, instead of going out and living our lives with purpose and action.”” [Adam Goucher](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/adam-goucher/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. Inaction leads to passivity; proactive initiative creates purposeful living. **In simple terms:** Take action instead of waiting. Key Takeaway Start acting toward goals now. Themes initiative passivity purpose Mood motivational reflective Type inspirational practical When to use this quote - career planning - relationship building - creative projects - health habits Key Concepts self‑efficacy motivation goal setting Questions to Reflect On - What small step can you take today? - How does waiting limit your growth? A Different Perspective Overcoming fear of failure may stall action. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Big break](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/big-break/) [Initiative](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/initiative/) [Life](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/life/) [Things happen](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/things-happen/) ## Related quotes > [“The world owes me a living'--that's passive. 'I owe the world and God a life'--that's active.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/william-sloane-coffin/the-world-owes-me-a-living-that-s-passive-i-owe-the-world-and-god-a/) [William Sloane Coffin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/william-sloane-coffin/) > [they danced as though they'd been waiting all their lives for each song.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/amy-bloom/they-danced-as-though-they-d-been-waiting-all-their-lives-for-each/) [Amy Bloom](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/amy-bloom/) > [ “\[...\] waiting for our lives to converge onto the precise fault line at which our past could be cleaved from our future with three… ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/chris-cleave/waiting-for-our-lives-to-converge-onto-the-precise-fault-line-at/) [Chris Cleave](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/chris-cleave/) > [Initiative is the essence of manhood. Noting comes to the man who is passive, except failure.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dennis-rainey/initiative-is-the-essence-of-manhood-noting-comes-to-the-man-who-is/) [Dennis Rainey](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dennis-rainey/) > [“I want a big breakfast," said Fuchsia at last. "I want a lot to eat, I'm going to think today.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mervyn-peake/i-want-a-big-breakfast-said-fuchsia-at-last-i-want-a-lot-to-eat-i-m/) [Mervyn Peake](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mervyn-peake/) > [“The big break from the past may come when speech recognition software is perfected. At that point we'll be able to write simply by…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/james-maguire/the-big-break-from-the-past-may-come-when-speech-recognition-software/) James Maguire > [Everyone in America (according to my generalizations) is a potential millionaire waiting for his or her big break. I was astonished lately to realize…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/roseanne-barr/everyone-in-america-according-to-my-generalizations-is-a-potential/) [Roseanne Barr](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/roseanne-barr/) > [My big break was back in the third grade playing the third monkey in 'Horton Hears a Who.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sebastian-arcelus/my-big-break-was-back-in-the-third-grade-playing-the-third-monkey-in/) [Sebastian Arcelus](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sebastian-arcelus/) > [Big breaks come from small fractures.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-kapelos/big-breaks-come-from-small-fractures/) [John Kapelos](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-kapelos/) > [It might sound cliched, but choosing the right script is crucial. I think 'Badmaash Company' was a very big break for me because it…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/vir-das/it-might-sound-cliched-but-choosing-the-right-script-is-crucial-i/) [Vir Das](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/vir-das/) > [I never had a single big break - because few do online.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ryan-higa/i-never-had-a-single-big-break-because-few-do-online/) [Ryan Higa](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ryan-higa/) > [ Innovation is not a big breakthrough invention every time. Innovation is a constant thing. But if you don't have an innovative company \[team\], coming… ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jack-welch/innovation-is-not-a-big-breakthrough-invention-every-time-innovation/) [Jack Welch](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jack-welch/) > [My big break down here was working with Steven Spielberg in '1941.' It was a very small role, as Corporal Foley, who was part…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-candy/my-big-break-down-here-was-working-with-steven-spielberg-in-1941-it/) [John Candy](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-candy/) > [I got my big break in the semi-final as a young kid against Real Madrid.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/owen-hargreaves/i-got-my-big-break-in-the-semi-final-as-a-young-kid-against-real/) [Owen Hargreaves](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/owen-hargreaves/) > [“You think I’m sixteen, so I don’t know what love is, right?” She shakes her head, sad smile on again. “Sometimes I wonder if…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/swati-avasthi/you-think-i-m-sixteen-so-i-don-t-know-what-love-is-right-she-shakes/) [Swati Avasthi](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/swati-avasthi/) ## More by Adam Goucher > [“It is easy to dodge our responsibilities, but we cannot dodge the consequences of dodging our responsibilities. —Josiah Charles Stamp”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/adam-goucher/it-is-easy-to-dodge-our-responsibilities-but-we-cannot-dodge-the/) [Adam Goucher](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/adam-goucher/) > [“Two inescapable facts greet us every day that we are lucky enough to wake up. First, someday we will die. And second, we are…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/adam-goucher/two-inescapable-facts-greet-us-every-day-that-we-are-lucky-enough-to/) [Adam Goucher](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/adam-goucher/) > [I love controlling a race, chewing up an opponent. Let's get down and dirty. Let's fight it out. It's raw, animalistic, with no one…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/adam-goucher/i-love-controlling-a-race-chewing-up-an-opponent-let-s-get-down-and/) [Adam Goucher](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/adam-goucher/) > [You are truly your own hero in running. It is up to you to have the responsibility and self-discipline to get the job done.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/adam-goucher/you-are-truly-your-own-hero-in-running-it-is-up-to-you-to-have-the/) [Adam Goucher](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/adam-goucher/) > [I am not somebody who just likes to run. I am a runner. This is the difference between a pastime and a passion. I…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/adam-goucher/i-am-not-somebody-who-just-likes-to-run-i-am-a-runner-this-is-the/) [Adam Goucher](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/adam-goucher/) > [For something to hurt that bad, and feel so good, it's just inexplicable.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/adam-goucher/for-something-to-hurt-that-bad-and-feel-so-good-it-s-just-inexplicable/) [Adam Goucher](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/adam-goucher/) > [“Running long and hard is an ideal antidepressant, since it's hard to run and feel sorry for yourself at the same time. Also, there…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/adam-goucher/running-long-and-hard-is-an-ideal-antidepressant-since-it-s-hard-to-2/) [Adam Goucher](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/adam-goucher/) [Explore all 8 Adam Goucher quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/adam-goucher/) ## More Big break quotes > [“You think I’m sixteen, so I don’t know what love is, right?” She shakes her head, sad smile on again. “Sometimes I wonder if…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/swati-avasthi/you-think-i-m-sixteen-so-i-don-t-know-what-love-is-right-she-shakes/) [Swati Avasthi](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/swati-avasthi/) > [I got my big break in the semi-final as a young kid against Real Madrid.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/owen-hargreaves/i-got-my-big-break-in-the-semi-final-as-a-young-kid-against-real/) [Owen Hargreaves](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/owen-hargreaves/) > [My big break down here was working with Steven Spielberg in '1941.' It was a very small role, as Corporal Foley, who was part…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-candy/my-big-break-down-here-was-working-with-steven-spielberg-in-1941-it/) [John Candy](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-candy/) > [ Innovation is not a big breakthrough invention every time. Innovation is a constant thing. But if you don't have an innovative company \[team\], coming… ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jack-welch/innovation-is-not-a-big-breakthrough-invention-every-time-innovation/) [Jack Welch](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jack-welch/) > [I never had a single big break - because few do online.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ryan-higa/i-never-had-a-single-big-break-because-few-do-online/) [Ryan Higa](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ryan-higa/) > [It might sound cliched, but choosing the right script is crucial. I think 'Badmaash Company' was a very big break for me because it…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/vir-das/it-might-sound-cliched-but-choosing-the-right-script-is-crucial-i/) [Vir Das](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/vir-das/) > [Big breaks come from small fractures.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-kapelos/big-breaks-come-from-small-fractures/) [John Kapelos](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-kapelos/) > [My big break was back in the third grade playing the third monkey in 'Horton Hears a Who.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sebastian-arcelus/my-big-break-was-back-in-the-third-grade-playing-the-third-monkey-in/) [Sebastian Arcelus](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sebastian-arcelus/) > [Everyone in America (according to my generalizations) is a potential millionaire waiting for his or her big break. I was astonished lately to realize…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/roseanne-barr/everyone-in-america-according-to-my-generalizations-is-a-potential/) [Roseanne Barr](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/roseanne-barr/) > [“The big break from the past may come when speech recognition software is perfected. At that point we'll be able to write simply by…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/james-maguire/the-big-break-from-the-past-may-come-when-speech-recognition-software/) James Maguire > [“I want a big breakfast," said Fuchsia at last. "I want a lot to eat, I'm going to think today.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mervyn-peake/i-want-a-big-breakfast-said-fuchsia-at-last-i-want-a-lot-to-eat-i-m/) [Mervyn Peake](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mervyn-peake/) > [I modeled for 4 years before I felt like I had my big break.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/erin-heatherton/i-modeled-for-4-years-before-i-felt-like-i-had-my-big-break/) [Erin Heatherton](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/erin-heatherton/) > [My first big break was with the Ted Fio Rito band. Fio Rito had a bunch of record hits in the 1930s and did…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/louie-bellson/my-first-big-break-was-with-the-ted-fio-rito-band-fio-rito-had-a/) Louie Bellson > [I’ve always said to my agents and stuff, like, it’s going to be 10 years before people forget about Twilight, And that’s totally understandable.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/robert-pattinson/i-ve-always-said-to-my-agents-and-stuff-like-it-s-going-to-be-10/) [Robert Pattinson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/robert-pattinson/) > [Big breakthroughs happen when what is suddenly possible meets what is desperately needed](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/thomas-friedman/big-breakthroughs-happen-when-what-is-suddenly-possible-meets-what-is/) [Thomas Friedman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/thomas-friedman/) [Browse all 154 Big break quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/big-break/) ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "“Without initiative, or the capacity to act, to make things happen or just to do something, we run the risk of living passive lives waiting for things to happen. 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