Seize the Initiative to Make Others Fear You Instead

General James Mattis famously said he loses sleep worrying about how to keep his troops off balance—and why wouldn’t he? In every arena, offense is the best defense. On the battlefield at Inchon, Douglas MacArthur defied tides and charts to land behind enemy lines, catching them unprepared. His willingness to act on a bold plan won the war.

In the corporate world, innovators follow the same logic. When Netflix launched streaming while still mailing DVDs, they seized a doorway no one knew existed. They set the tempo. Competitors scrambled to catch up.

Neuroscience calls this priming the brain’s dopamine reward pathways—early initiative sparks success feedback that fuels more action. When you propose the first idea in a meeting, you’re not just sharing a thought—you’re reshaping dynamics so others react to you. Leadership studies confirm that teams rally and perform better when they see their leader consistently taking the lead.

You might feel exposed, but that slight discomfort is a sign you’re outside the pack. In that gap, you carve your advantage.

Pinpoint one big goal you’ve sidestepped, lock in a prime morning slot to tackle it, then dive in with imperfect action. That push will shake the inertia and set you apart—so go make the first move.