Falling into patterns happens sometimes. We get into comfortable routines and forget that life is supposed to be more than just reacting to outside forces and things that happen to us.. Living life this way is comfortable, yes— but nothing exciting ever happens when you’re floating along the same route day after day, waiting for what’s to come. This is called living reactively, and it is detrimental to your success.
Living proactively means you’re taking initiative and deciding that you are in charge of your fate instead of “letting life happen” to you. This puts you on the path to achieving your goals on your terms.
Of course, there are factors in life that are beyond your control. Sometimes our choices have negative consequences; better known as mistakes. Everyone makes them (highly successful people make them constantly), and they can’t be undone. A reactive approach to making mistakes is to let them reroute your life. The proactive approach to a mistake is to acknowledge it immediately, correct it if possible, learn from it, and move on.
“You just can’t let life happen to you, you have to make life happen.”
― Idowu Koyenikan
You can’t control or undo the past. Let it lie.
Bringing your focus to things you do have control over takes practice and discipline, but is very rewarding when you begin to see your goals in reach. When we DECIDE, every day, to be proactive and take control of our thoughts and actions, we begin to form a habit of Taking Charge.
Don’t just sit there, start planning for your success. Take the necessary steps to lay the foundation for your future and successes. There is no better way to be proactive than to begin planning— this will help you to realize that you CAN achieve your goals and Make Things Happen in your own life!
“Your behavior is a function of your decisions, not your conditions.” ~Stephen Covey
Here are some tips to help you start living proactively:
When you notice yourself focusing on situations beyond your control, consciously reroute your thoughts and actions to what you CAN control. Write these things down— writing it down makes you far more likely to remember it later!
Practice this daily and see what difference it makes in your mental health, in your relationships, and other areas of your life.