Self-Regulated Learning (SRL) Lab at Utah State University

Initiation - The ability to begin a task or activity and to independently generate ideas, responses, or problem-solving strategies. (Robin thought about calling to check on the date of the reunion, but she just didn't get around to it until her husband initiated the process.)

Goal-directed persistence is following through on your commitments. A student may start on a task but get distracted or not return to the task when he has to take care of something unrelated to the task. If a goal must be reached over time, poor planning may come into play. Other demands may arise that were unexpected. Expected tasks may take longer than expected.  Unforeseen obstacles may have arisen.   
One possible cause of slow task initiation is that your child does not have the skills, understanding or knowledge necessary to do the task and is avoiding getting started.  It is essential that you establish beforehand that your child has the skills, support, and resources necessary to accomplish a task before implementing a plan with the expectation that the task is initiated and completed in a timely manner.  Inisisting that your child complete a task for which she does not have the pre-requisite skills will leave a negative associations with your child about the type of task and no confidence in the strategic planning process.