Imagine your life as a boat. Are you drifting along at the whims of the breeze and the current or are you navigating your ship to get to your desired destination?
This analogy is a good representation of what it means to be proactive versus reactive in life. People who are proactive don’t wait for situations and circumstances to dictate their direction; instead, they create the circumstances that they need in order to live a FabYOUlous life.
In his highly acclaimed book The 7 Habits of Highly Effective People, the late Stephen Covey, regards proactivity as one of the fundamental character traits of a successful person and defines proactivity as the act of taking charge of one’s own life. This ability to consciously choose the direction of your life is a key contributing factor when it comes to living your most FabYOUlous life; and yet, so many people struggle with this concept.
How about you? Are you reactive or proactive when it comes to your own life? Do you allow yourself to be pulled along by the currents of life? Is your behavior determined by the actions of others or the situations in which you find yourself? If so–you have a reactive approach to life. While this approach may seem easier (blaming others and operating in perpetual victim mode is always easier than taking responsibility and being accountable for your own life) it will never lead you to the FabYOUlous and fulfilling life that you desire and deserve.
Proactivity on the other hand, is a necessary component when it comes to mastering your own life. Being proactive means that you understand the fact that you have the ability to navigate your life course by anticipating what the future will hold and creating the results that you desire, rather than waiting around to see if those results happen for you. Being proactive allows you to take back the power in your life and use that power to propel yourself forward in the direction of your goals.
According to Covey, there are seven key fundamentals to living a proactive life…
Fundamentals for a Proactive Life
1.) Understanding that you have the power to take conscious control of your life.
2.) Realizing that even when you are not able to control a situation, you do have the power and free will to choose your own unique response to the situation.
3.) Accepting the fact that you alone are responsible for your choices but also that you have the ability to engineer your own life based upon those choices.
4.) Applying your own personal principles and core values when making decisions for your life.
5.) Setting goals for your life and working dilligently to reach those goals.
6.) Creating opportunities for your life rather than waiting for opportunities to arrive.
7.) Using your imagination and creativity to explore possible alternatives for undesireable situations.
The most successful individuals are those who are proactive in every area of their life. For example, a proactive person with a family history of heart disease will take the necessary steps to ensure that she follows a healthy diet, exercises regularly and openly communicates with her doctor. Being proactive in your career might mean taking additional training, applying for promotions or engaging a mentor. Whether it is personal, professional or relational–having a proactive mindset can make the difference when it comes experiencing true success.
“If you are procactive, you don’t have to wait for circumstances or other people to create perspective expanding experiences. You can consciously create your own” Stephen Covey
Even if proactivity isn’t your natural bent, there is no need to worry. Instead, try being proactive regarding your lack of proactivity by engaging in the following eight steps…
Eight Steps to Increase Proactivity
1.) Get clear about what you really want out of life. Let’s face it…it is hard to be proactive when you don’t even know what you want. Take some time to really think about what is important to you and what your most FabYOUlous life looks like.
2.) Take responsibility for your actions. Your life is the way it is because of the choices, attitudes and behaviors that you have brought to it. There is no one else to blame. Once you stop the blame game you will be empowered to truly begin moving forward toward your goals.
3.) Put your needs first. This isn’t selfish. Instead, it allows you to take care of yourself so that you can strive for the goals that are important to you and thereby be a happier, more fulfilled individual who can better care for others.
4.) Take ownership of your life. Stop tolerating things that are not positively impacting your life. Stop leaving your future to chance. You have the right and the ability to decide how your life will play out.
5.) Believe in yourself and your ability to change your life. Everything that you need to create a truly FabYOUlous life is already within you. Don’t squander your talents and abilities–proactively use them to propel your life forward.
6.) Create an action plan. It doesn’t need to be elaborate but creating a plan to help navigate you from where you are to where you want to be in life can be a powerful and proactive first step towards FabYOUlousness.
7.) Manage your time. Stop saying that you don’t have time or that there aren’t enough hours in a day. There are enough hours in your day–you just need to learn to use them proactively.
8.) Enlist support. You do not have to go it alone. Be proactive by engaging others who can help to support and encourage you as you strive for the goals that you have set for yourself.
By understanding the fundamentals of a proactive mindset and incorporating these steps to increase proactivity in every area of your life, you will soon discover that no longer is your boat being tossed around by the uncontrolled and unpredictable currents of life. Instead, you will hoist your sails, chart your course and man your rudder as you set off toward the FabYOUlous life that you are fully capable of living.
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