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Trench Life

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Quote on letting things happen

May 10, 2020 by Mark Atkinson Leave a Comment

Initiative - quote on making things happen

“It had long since come to my attention that people of accomplishment rarely sat back and let things happen to them. They went out and happened to things.”

― Leonardo da Vinci

I must admit, I only happened upon (see what I did there?) this quote very recently but it really struck me as something so valid. We tend to invest so much energy in complaining about the system. Rarely do we reflect on how we might be able to influence certain outcomes.

Take my recent post on getting performance reviews you deserve, for instance. Many of us will resign ourselves to average feedback for most of our careers. That post explains that if you take the initiative, it doesn’t necessarily need to be the performance review happening to you, but rather the other way around.

Many of us young professionals are ambitious and want to achieve great things in our lives. The people who do actually achieve are not typically those who coast through their careers. They’re the ones that make things happen. They’re the ones who are indispensable. They become comfortable with living outside of their comfort zones. They take initiative and make changes when things stagnate.

Go and happen to something today!

What’s your favourite quote lately? Comment below and we’ll feature the best ones.

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Mark Atkinson
Editor & author at Trench Life
Mark spends his days at a big-four audit firm trying to help juniors navigate what can seem like a daunting environment, where you feel clueless on a day to day basis (i.e. The trench)
In his spare time, he enjoys writing, gaming and a beer or three.
Connect with him using the links above!
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Latest posts by Mark Atkinson (see all)
  • When’s the last time you prioritised yourself? - May 3, 2022
  • Taking the Leap of Faith – Why You Should Live Overseas for a Year - September 22, 2021
  • 5 Ways to Manage Without Micromanaging: Avoid Being a Nightmare Leader - August 18, 2021

Filed Under: Dipping the toes (Quotes) Tagged With: initiative, quote

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