In what ways are you pro-active, re-active or in-active?
In-Active
- A perfect example of an inactive person is the “disengaged employee.” They show up at work to get a paycheck, but only put in minimal effort, just enough to not get fired.
- They have disengaged from relationships with family and friends; they carry around with them many hurts and unresolved issues.
- They are not plugged in spiritually, denying the existence of a spiritual realm.
- They watch life go by.
- They believe successful people are successful because they are lucky.
- They don’t take advantage of opportunities that come along because they believe it wouldn’t make a difference anyway.
- Their conversations tend to revolve around themselves and the wrongs that has been done to them.
Re-Active
- Most people fall into this category.
- These people’s lives tend to follow the law of inertia: what has been set in motion will continue unless an outside force acts on it.
- They will take advantage of some opportunities that come along unless their fear of failure is too great.
- Because they are reacting to things in life, their lives tend to be unfocused and, therefore, have limited results.
- They are probably distracted by bright, shiny objects and having fun.
- Their conversations often revolves around what’s going on around them.
Pro-Active
- These people live in choice with the understanding that they have the power to shape their lives and their experience.
- They take responsibility for where they are inn life rather than blaming other people or circumstances.
- They don’t just watch for opportunities to come along, they make things happen.
- Goals are a regular part of their lives.
- Their conversations are filled with possibilities.
Realistically, most of us don’t live entirely as inactive, reactive or proactive. For example, while we may often be proactive, we might slip back into patterns of reactivity, especially when we’re under a lot of stress. Wherever we are on the spectrum, though, we tend to surround ourselves with like-minded people which further reinforces our own thinking about what’s possible in life.
Choice is the key factor here. We each have the choice to unplug, to react to whatever comes along or to create new options in our lives.
I want to encourage you to examine the different areas of your life and assess your levels of activity. Wherever you find you’ve been either inactive or proactive, I challenge you to choose to be more proactive. Whatever you want in your life, believe you can make it happen and get to work on it!
