Taking life initiatives proactively is the habit of responsible people who never blame the environment. If you are struggling with taking proactive initiatives, stick around this post to learn various ways. In "7 Habits of Highly Effective People," Stephen Covey talks about the importance of being proactive.

Avoid Being Reactive in Any Situation

Reactive people blame the environment and external situation for doing anything wrong. For instance, they blame circumstances and the weather for their bad behaviors and moods. So, avoid being reactive and be proactive in any situation. Proactive people take responsibility for their behaviors.

Respond Positively to External Stimuli

All the external powers and situations are the stimuli that let you respond to your stimuli. Proactive people respond wisely to stimuli because they know how to control and use positive language and respond appropriately rather than being offensive.

Use Proactive language

Before taking major life initiatives, you should learn proactive language because to be proactive, you should use proactive language in your daily life. For instance, use "I can, I will" rather than using reactive language "I can't, what if".

Focus on the Circle of Influence

Be proactive and direct your efforts on something that you can change. For instance, focus on health, projects, and relationships. Always put your efforts into the things that are in your control because these efforts direct you to take life initiatives. Don't think about other things on which you have no control or little control because reactive people do this. They focus on national debt or weather conditions that are not in their control.

Make and Keep Promises to Yourself to Be Proactive

Do you want to develop the habit of effectiveness and self-control and boost strength to accept more personal responsibilities? Try one habit of making and keeping commitments/promises to yourself. By keeping promises, you can take control of your skills and desires by directing them.

 

This article is part of our Business Coaching blog series. At Dataczar we talk to a lot of small businesses. We’ve found a few books that we keep recommending time and again. To better help our customers, we’ve added a Reading List for Small Businesses to our website. We encourage every small business owner to read and keep these timeless business books on their office shelf.

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