How to Become a Self-Starter: 5 Useful Tips

No matter the profession you choose, you're bound to face fierce competition. Whether you're working in a firm or running your own company, the moment you take your eye off the ball, someone else will likely surpass you.

Despite the skill set you possess to get the job done, there's one more thing that you need in order to maximize your efficiency and get more done. You need to be a self-starter.

Self-starters generally supersede people who don't step out of their comfort zone or need someone else to tell them what needs to be done.

A self-starter is perceived as a valuable member of the team and often serves as a motivational figure for others. This makes it easier for them to stand out from the crowd and hack growth hitch-free.

Becoming a self-starter may not be easy but it's not impossible either. So, if you wish to ditch your comfort zone and strive toward greatness, here are a few tips that can help.

1. Plan Ahead

Being a good planner is the prerequisite for being a self-starter. Planning not just helps you achieve your goals but also prepares you for upcoming challenges. So, if you wish to be a self-starter, starting your day without a plan is a bad idea.

Planning dictates your productivity as it helps you overcome all unforeseen obstacles and keep moving forward no matter what. You have to consider the contingencies to keep checking tasks off your to-do list. And it won't be possible for you to do so unless you've planned ahead.

Without a plan, you're likely to spend more time trying to organize your tasks than actually doing them. Not only does this affect your productivity but also the expected outcome.

Planning serves as a roadmap that steers you in the right direction and helps you do what needs to be done.

However, no one is born a great planner but masters the skill by getting good at it over time. So, if you want to become a self-starter, start by improving your planning capabilities so you can channel your energy in the right direction.

2. Set Clear Goals

To be a self-starter, it's essential to have clear goals. This helps you keep your eye on the prize no matter the circumstances.

Humans are susceptible to distractions, especially when working remotely. It's your goals that keep you in check and enable you to keep the needle moving. However, it's important that the goals you set for yourself complement the vision and are realistic.

There's nothing wrong with giving yourself a challenge. But, there's a difference between a challenging task and an impossible one.

Keeping the right balance is the key. Your goals should be challenging enough to motivate you to go the extra mile but not completely unrealistic. The goals you create should inspire you, not lead you to burnout.

3. Learn to Prioritize

The best way to achieve your goals is to break them into tasks. And the best way to do your tasks with maximum efficiency is by prioritizing them as per the value they generate.

To be a self-starter, you have to learn to set your priorities as it helps make the most of your day. Prioritization significantly boosts your productivity and enables you to keep up with the set deliverables without having to compromise on your personal time.

This not only helps you achieve work-life balance but also stimulates your growth despite all odds. And if you're new at this, using the Eisenhower Matrix can help.

The Eisenhower Matrix is a globally renowned tool that allows you to set your priorities based on the urgency and importance of tasks. Here's how it works:

If a task is urgent and important, you do it now. If a task is not urgent but important, you schedule it for later. If a task is urgent but not important, you delegate it to someone else. And if a task is neither urgent nor important, you simply drop it from your to-do list.

4. Follow a Routine

To be a self-starter, it's important that you create a routine and stick to it. Despite being perceived as monotonous, having a routine is not that bad. It keeps you organized and helps you pursue your goals in a standardized fashion.

Remember, self-starters don't need someone else to tell them what they need to do. They take the initiative, make their own plans, and execute them with optimal efficiency. This requires you to be consistent in whatever it is that you do. And having a routine helps.

A routine makes it possible for you to be productive at work and keep up with your personal commitments. People may call it a daily grind. But, for the go-getters, the correct word is hustle.

5. Stay Motivated

When you come across failure, finding motivation can be difficult, especially when you work remotely as no one is there to cheer you up.

Things aren't going to be presented to you on a silver platter. You have to work hard to achieve your goals and while doing so you may encounter failure multiple times.

What sets self-starters apart from the rest is that they know how to get back up each time they stumble and fall. Self-motivation is the key here as it helps you overcome the toughest challenges.

You are your biggest motivator. So, remind yourself of what you've achieved so far every time you come across an obstacle or failure.

We all grapple with self-doubt from time to time. That's completely normal. The trick is rising up from there and accomplishing what seems impossible to achieve.

It's a Wrap

There you have it. The 5 tips on how to become a self-starter. If you want to be one, try the recommendation and see if they work for you.