Own your course by being proactive

The difference between people who are regularly proactive and those who are not is literally the difference between having a fulfilling career and working for the weekend. We’re not talking about a small change here. Developing your proactive muscles increases your effectiveness 100-fold.

To quote author Stephen Covey, “Many people wait for something to happen or someone to take care of them. But people who end up with the good jobs are the proactive ones who are solutions to problems, not problems themselves, who seize the initiative to do whatever is necessary, consistent with correct principles, to get the job done.”

Taking initiative means recognizing your responsibility to make things happen. It means staying engaged within your Circle of Influence. You always have the power to change your attitude and do something to affect your current circumstance.

Initiative looks different depending on the person and situation. But you probably don’t have to look too hard to find an opportunity.

Taking initiative could mean reading a book to learn more about the problems facing your industry. It could mean taking the Strengths Finders assessment to identify avenues for personal growth. Someone who has initiative might go digging for problems and then present possible solutions to their manager without waiting to be handed their next assignment. The proactive job-seeker might use their creativity to demonstrate their value to a potential employer instead of simply filling out the online application.

Whatever the situation, people with initiative take extreme ownership for their results and for the results of the people they lead. They are the very definition of “Managers of One.” Proactive people seize opportunities and solve problems in an increasingly self-reliant way.

You can adopt one of two attitudes when things don’t go your way. Either sit back and throw up your hands or stand up and make inroads that might move the needle.

All seven habits of highly effective people depend on the development of your proactive muscles. Act or be acted upon is the name of the game. Growth and opportunity consequences attend either path.