Be the Transition

Make it a December to remember…Merry Christmas everyone! It is a time of hopeful thoughts and deep reflections. Remember the wise and life-changing words from Stephen R. Covey. The following excerpt is taken from his book, The 7 Habits of Highly Effective People, pages 105-107.

We’ve all been through difficult things–and if you haven’t yet experienced adversity, believe me, you will. Our ability to put the past behind us, learn from it, and move forward is one of the greatest ways we show PROACTIVITY. The very essence of being proactive stops the negative tendencies, habits and patterns of the past (such as abuse, harmful addictions, and neglect) in their generation, and instead passes on to their family, friends and associates more positive habits, patterns, and tendencies. We can stop these intergenerational destructive patterns from being passed on by using our four human endowments: self-awareness (our ability to stand apart from ourselves and observe what we like or don’t like), conscience (our ability to discern right from wrong), imagination (our ability to envision new possibilities), and independent will (our ability to act outside of all other influences.)

Remember, being proactive is the first habit for a reason. You cannot practice any of the other habits until you first decide THAT YOU ARE IN CHARGE. Each day, you and I make hundreds of decisions as to whether to be reactive or proactive. On any given day, the weather is bad, you receive a mean text or your friend talks behind your back. So, what are going to do about it? Reactive people make choices based on impulse. They’re like a can of soda–when life shakes them up, the pressure builds, and they suddenly explode. Proactive people make choices based on values. They think before they act. They recognize they cannot control everything that happens to them, but they can control what they do about it. Unlike reactive people who are full of carbonation, proactive people are like water.  Shake them up all you want and they stay calm, cool, and in control.

After all that’s been said and written, being proactive comes down to two things. First, take responsibility for your life and second, take initiative. It’s that simple. Be an agent, not a victim. Don’t wait for life to happen to you; happen to it. Be the driver of your life, not just a passenger. Live out of your imagination, not your past.

- Stephen R. Covey