Taking ownership means that instead of waiting for someone to tell you what to do and when to do it, you get a task done on your own initiative. It means taking the initiative to learn more about your job and how it fits into the larger picture at work.

It's an important part of your career because if you don't take ownership, no one will notice how hard you're working (or not). If you don't take ownership, people won't know how much growth potential there is in your position. And if you don't take ownership, people won't see their best self reflected back at them when they look at you.

But why would anyone hold themselves back from taking ownership? Well… there are a few reasons but the main one is fear. Fear of failure or fear of change can really hold us back from doing things that are good for us or that might bring us closer to our goals and dreams as an individual and as a professional—but they don’t have to! As daunting as taking ownership and proactivity may sound on top of everything else you're already doing, it's a mindset and skill that can easily be built.