Mindset: ProActive vs Reactive living
Our greatest purpose in life is to find our purpose.
One day about 15 years ago I realized I wasn’t leading an intentional, purposeful life but rather I was passively reacting to all the things that kept “happening” everyday. I had enough and made the decision to change that. I began this journey of self development which led me step by step to a new path toward my purpose. Later one of my mentors would also enlighten me on this topic of living more deliberately which inspired me to write this post.
I also recognized that this is the reactive mindset of millions of people today that have become programmed to allow others to make their important decisions shaping their future. Many people have been brainwashed to believe this is normal and just the way life is. These disempowering beliefs can spin you into a vicious cycle of confusion and vulnerability. In many cases this can even lead to depression and loss of direction which can be devastating. This is why people continue to blindly live reactively and slowly lose control of their future.
In actuality these are simply the mental prisons most people accept while others choose to break free. This starts by focusing on what you CAN control. Become a decision maker. You will start to see all the self-sabotaging habits that are holding you back. Get out of your own way and unleash your inner giant. It is our decisions that create change. Take responsibility for your outcomes and therefore take control of your life.
Start by first owning up to the reality of your current situation. Be honest with yourself otherwise nothing will change. According to Stephen Covey’s book 7 Habits of highly effective people, “the #1 habit, Being Proactive, is about taking responsibility for your life… One of the most important things you choose is what you say. Your language is a good indicator of how you see yourself. A proactive person uses proactive language–I can, I will, I prefer, etc. A reactive person uses reactive language–I can’t, I have to, if only.”
Take ownership of everything in your life the good and the bad. Changing your life is a decision. Everything starts in our minds and it starts by believing these truths and believing in yourself. Start now. No one is perfect and no time is better than now.
Get going on developing the new and improved version of yourself. Develop new habits and beliefs. It’s not easy but it definitely can be done and has been done by all that have taken control of their lives. Clearly define what you desire to accomplish otherwise the universe will never reward you with it. Live everyday taking deliberate action that drives you towards your desired outcome and it will inevitably come to fruition.
Day by day you will start to uncover the secrets to achievement and fulfillment in your life. You will begin to discover that we actually have control over the majority of the results we get and no matter the outcome there is a positive lesson to be gained from every single one. Day by day you make better and stronger decisions until you become a new more deliberate version of yourself. A decision making and action taking machine that directs the story of your life instead of just living in someone else’s production. Productivity is intentional. Once you have gained this power of decision and proactivity you too will find that anything is possible…
“The meaning of life is to find your gift. The purpose of life is to give it away.”
– Pablo Picasso
“He who has a why can endure any how.” — Frederick Nietzsche
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