Are You Proactive or Reactive?
These words seem to emerge in many conversations about a Business Mindset. Since revisiting some of my old Favorites and being active in the Master Key Master Mind Alliance, I have realized that Proactive trumps Reactive all the time
“If you’re Proactive, you don’t have to wait for circumstances or other people to create perspective expanding experiences. You can consciously create your own.” – Stephen Covey
Recently won a Kindle Fire from a contest hosted by my good friend, Robert Dempsey. One of my first Kindle purchases was the acclaimed book, The 7 Habits of Highly Effective People, by Stephen Covey.
It did not take me long into the book to realize Stephen Covey and I share the same thought of living a Proactive
life, rather than waste time wallowing the mire of Reactive Victimization. Stephen Covey sees Proactive living as the foundation of the other 6 Habits, and therefore goes into great detail in defining PROACTIVE behavior in the 1st chapters.
We both agree that Proactive Behavior is the act of taking charge of our lives is being responsible for it and taking all actions necessary to become the master of our own destiny. We are all born with the opportunity of choice and that becomes a principle underlying a Proactive Mindset since we have the choice on how we respond to what happens to us in our daily lives and it is our reaction to those circumstances that determine how things affect us.
Those who lack the Proactive Habit are seen as being more Reactive, seeing themselves as victims of circumstance, and are usually unable to change their reactions and therefore tend to feel enslaved.
I have observed over the past couple of decades that the word Victim crops up in daily conversation on a regular basis. Those who feel victimized are Reacting to what other people or persons are saying about them instead of focusing on the facts that they command about themselves. This Mindset that causes phrases such as “he makes me so mad” or “she made me feel bad” are examples of a victim mindset language.
This attitude is fostered, in my opinion, through the Education System and in many instances, the Pulpit.
A central government is more likely to grow if the populace can consider themselves in a Reactive, Victim, Mindset.
So what are we doing about it?
Start by:
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Taking conscious control over your life
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Setting SMART goals
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Working to achieve them
Instead of reacting to circumstances and waiting for opportunities, get off your duff and create your own events and opportunities.
Being proactive allows YOU to consciously engineer your own events.
Stephen Covey points out that there’s a gap between stimulus and response, and within that gap lies the potential for us to choose our response.
The gap seems to be the spot where we may rely on our intuition?
Do we choose based on the information from others or based on our personal experiences and/or that sixth sense, that seems to be most powerful.
Four special human endowments give us this power:
- Self-awareness – Understanding that we do have a choice between stimulus and response. If you are offered a dietary temptation, YOU can choose not to eat it.
- Conscience – We are all born with the ability to consult your inner compass to decide what is right for you. You can make decisions based on unchanging principles, regardless of what is socially favored at the moment. OR you can follow the herd into a Reactive direction
- Creative Imagination – By using our imagination, we can mentally generate and evaluate different options. Napoleon Hill emphasizes the Power of Imagination in Think and Grow Rich
Click on Link for Free Audio and Text - Independent Will – We all have the freedom to choose your own unique response. You are not forced to conform to what others expect from you. Learn to Unleash Your True Authentic Self.
IDEAS about S.M.A.R.T Goals
How have you applied those those Four Special Human Endowments?
Let’s comment below
Becoming more proactive helps you tap into the part of your brain that deals with creative processes. When you consistently ‘react’ you are not exercising the creative flow nearly as much as when you are in a proactive cycle.
Being proactive allows you to formulate a wider range of options instead of being limited to “What Can I Do About This Now?”
You are right on track Mark. The results can be felt quickly when one become Proactive on a daily basis. Thank you for the comment
Being proactive indicates your level of anticipation and creative ability. Proactivity is also a problem solving process to a non existing or a foreseen problem. Proactive behavior had lead many businesses or businessmen improve upon productivity, thus, succeeding in their various venture. Reactive behaviour on the other hand slows productivity as time is taken from productive hours to react to a problem that is existing.
In conclusion, one key value to success is being proactive!!!
Thanks for your input, Salifu. I have found being Proactive makes life just a bit better.