#2 What is Proactivity? What is Reactivity?

What comes to mind when you hear the word 'proactivity'?

My boss also often tells me to approach my work with proactivity.

Honestly, I'm sure the boss, the young employees listening, and the mid-level staff are all using it without knowing its true meaning.

This boss is
surely using it to mean 'please take initiative and act on your own'
In short, it means 'think for yourself and do your work before the boss tells you to.'

However, what is defined in The 7 Habits, in addition to the meaning above, is
that it also means 'taking responsibility for your own life.'
In short, it means taking responsibility for your own actions and choices.

Honestly, it's just one word, but the weight is different, isn't it?

After all, the contrast is between work and life; the scale of the discussion is different.

By taking responsibility for your own actions and choices, you stop blaming the environment or circumstances.

We are inherently proactive beings.
Therefore, even if you currently have an unpleasant boss at work or are worried about poor working conditions, the fact that you haven't quit your job is the result of you choosing that pain.

What is reactivity?

A reactive person is someone who is influenced by their surrounding environment and circumstances.

For example,
if it rains when you go on a trip, your mood drops, or
you are concerned about how others around you feel and cannot be your true self.

In this way, you are swayed by the surrounding situation.

Proactive people are not completely unaffected by their surroundings, but they can control themselves based on their own values.

Past experiences

I was playing soccer when I was in junior high school, and I got injured.
And it happened one month before the final tournament.

I managed to do rehab and compete in the tournament, but we were eliminated in the regional qualifiers.
It was a pretty strong team that had won the regional championship every year until then.

Besides that, I truly loved soccer; I would run every day, practice until late at night, and even practice in the garage after getting home.

Despite that, I felt dissatisfied and resentful toward the situation and the coach, wondering why we lost and why I got injured.
I held onto those feelings of frustration and resentment toward the situation and the coach.

Because of that, I distanced myself from soccer a little,
and hanging out with friends became fun.

Even though I had received multiple recommendations,
even though I really wanted to keep playing seriously,
I thought it was useless to try hard, so I turned down the recommendations.

I truly regret this, and I realize now that I became reactive at that time.

The injury was my own fault, and the team's loss was not the coach's fault or anyone else's.

I should have just used that as a starting point to try and become better.

Based on this experience, what am I doing now?

I have a side business where I buy old houses, renovate them myself, and rent them out.

When I first started this method, I was almost overwhelmed by the fear that it was taking too long and would never end.

But at that moment, the memory of that soccer experience came back to me.

Even if it takes time, I will definitely finish it to the end.
I made that resolution to myself and tackled it.

In conclusion,

When you think something is unpleasant or impossible, saying proactive words to yourself makes you feel much more at ease.

If you have time to complain or post on the internet, write your goals in a notebook and reflect on your life.

Let's live our lives proactively.

Habit 1: Be Proactive