I took the initiative to...

Meaning

I proactively acted without being prompted.

Examples

• John: How did you manage to get the project done so quickly?
• Alice: <b>I took the initiative to</b> streamline the process and delegate tasks efficiently.
• John: That's impressive. I should have done that too.
• Alice: Yes, sometimes you just need to get it done! <b>I took the initiative to</b> fix the problem before it became a larger issue.