1. by means of one's own effort, drive, or determination without external prompting or assistance
She succeeded through personal initiative and hard work.
Ela teve sucesso por iniciativa pessoal e trabalho árduo.
2. as a result of one's own motivation and independent action
He learned the skill through personal initiative rather than formal training.
Ele aprendeu a habilidade por iniciativa pessoal em vez de treinamento formal.