Initiative Is the Most Valuable Capital You Can Build

There’s a silent currency in every organization and group—not money, not connections, but the guts to step forward. Economists have long talked about human, financial, intellectual, and social capital. Yet when you scan the stories of rapid change—startup booms, viral nonprofits, or overnight cultural shifts—one thread stands out: someone invested their instigation capital. This phrase simply means, how often are you willing to say 'go'? How comfortable are you with starting, without a guarantee, simply because something needs to move?

In the workplace, it’s the employee who suggests a pilot project; in classrooms, the student who kicks off a new club. Instigation capital isn’t about titles or permission, but about building the habit of acting as if you’re responsible for progress. According to research on psychological safety and 'voice behavior,' workplaces with high levels of employee-initiated action outperform those that rely only on assigned tasks. Meanwhile, individuals who rank their willingness to start near the top of their assets consistently get new opportunities, even with less money or status.

It’s easy to underestimate this capital because it doesn’t sit in a bank account. But every story of breakthrough change—big or small—can be traced back to someone deciding to move first, before there was evidence it would succeed.

This week, take an inventory of what you really have at your disposal—money, skills, supportive friends, maybe a reputation. But don’t forget your most crucial asset: your own habit of initiating action. Rank these honestly according to what will help your next project actually happen, and then, carve out a regular chunk of time, even if it’s just twenty minutes on Fridays, to start something new. Maybe it’s kicking off a work conversation, inviting feedback, or even launching a pilot idea you’ve thought about for ages. Treat initiation as the muscle that builds all other forms of capital over time.