Be Proactive, Not Reactive

Two weeks ago my house was broken into. Of the many thoughts going on in my head, one kept circulating around. I thought to myself, ‘If I had a home security system this probably wouldn’t have happened.’ Too many people practice being reactive instead of proactive. I knew better, just like most people know that wearing a seatbelt can save your life. I knew that I should have had been prepared or proactive in protecting my house.

In life, many of us make the same ‘mistake’, if you will. Instead of being proactive and monitoring our taxes, we react when April comes around and everything becomes a mess. Rather than making sure the car has gas, we panic to find a gas station when the orange light goes off causing us to be late for work. Or maybe, just maybe, some of us wait only days before Christmas to buy the gifts you knew you should have purchased and wrapped three weeks earlier and now they are sold out.

So what’s the plan? What steps should we take in order to be proactive and not just sit back until something happens causing a bad situation or stressful one?

First, lets all be on the same page by stating, ‘My responsibilities are mine and not someone else’s’. Also, we can all recognize the cons of being reactive, ie. stress, anxiety, disappointment, frustration, loss of property, loss of money, etc.

Take a moment and think of all the vulnerable areas in your life where you can prevent something from going wrong. Once you have your list, it’s time to find a solution for each area. Being an effective person depends on being a problem solver.

Next, hold yourself accountable to solving whatever problem comes up. Once you find the solution,  work backwards and establish objectives. It is important to clearly define the steps you need to take in order to solve the problem. Then focus, plan ahead, and execute.

Whether you need three months to schedule appointments, or you need 30 minutes to make a call and order security system to protect you home, deciding to be proactive can be one of the most important habits that will bring you peace.