Another favorite lesson of mine from Scott Cunningham, the father of Traditional NeoWicca:

The Wiccan traditions, whether one is a Traditional Wiccan, a member of a Transitional Wiccan tradition, or a NeoWiccan (Traditional or not), are orthopraxic in nature. And contrary to popular belief and constant assertion, this praxy is rooted in dogma- though that dogma is far more malleable in orthopraxic religions than in orthodoxic ones. Hence the Doxy vs Praxy divide in the first place, which in truth really only signifies which is more important for "legitimate membership": Right ritual, or right belief.

Membership within Wiccan Denominations, then, is therefore not centered around a concept of “right belief”. It is the actions that make up the Wiccan religion that are the most important feature of the faith, and which makes one a Wiccan ... Indeed, it is one action in particular which as sat at the center of Wiccan divisions for decades: Initiation. Regardless, however, it is the participation in right action- our rituals properly performed- which guides us through the mysteries and allows us to experience them.

Our experience of the mysteries is the entire goal, and our rituals are designed to guide us through and aid us in understanding those experiences. For it is through this experience that we come to understand life, our connection to the Universe, and our place within it; it is how we understand and unify ourselves with the Divine. How we experience these mysteries, and their effects on us, is therefore important, and thus paramount to their success.

Whether on is initiating with a Traditional Coven, or self initiating as a solitary Transitional or NeoWiccan, Initiation is the first- and perhaps the most important- ritual mystery for any Wiccan; regardless of what denomination or tradition we’re a member of, it is our first encounter with (and introduction to) the Divine within the Wiccan system. But it also binds us to Wicca, and to its conception of the Divine. More: Initiation is an oath, and a promise. A dedication to its path, its system of ethics, its community and people, and more.

A thoughtfully chosen, well done initiation, performed in perfect love and perfect trust by the right people, among one’s spiritual family, is an uplifting spiritual experience which unifies one with the source and the Wiccan community. By contrast, a rushed or botched or otherwise poorly done initiation done by the wrong people simply for the sake of having one can be harmful to a postulant’s spiritual wellbeing, and can even wind up placing barriers between the postulant and the Divine, and the body of Wiccan practitioners.

Thus, the importance of initiation is not something which can be understated. It is not a decision that can be taken lightly- nor one that should be rushed; one should not initiate for the sake of merely having it over with, for the sake of "having a(nother) notch in one's belt" because they think it'll make themselves seem important or powerful, or choose a Coven simply because it’s the only one available to them at the moment.

As Cunningham says:

It is better to have no initiation at all, than to choose (or risk) a bad initiation.