Thank you Niko for allowing me to express myself on your site. In this article, I’ll cover the topic of taking action and more specifically, being proactive. Being proactive in your life has many benefits and it often provides access to personal and professional success and growth. For those who don’t know me, my name is Julien and I am passionate about personal development. I am the author of a personal development blog and a book. I share my journey, my discoveries as well as the changes in my life since I took charge .
Now that the introductions are done, let’s get to the heart of the matter and tackle the theme of action.
At the end of this article you will have the keys to take more initiatives and take action. Whatever your current situation, you will be more proactive.
What does it mean to be proactive?
To be proactive means to think and act in order to anticipate the actions to be carried out in view of the results to be obtained . It is therefore not just a matter of taking action and taking initiatives. Indeed, the fact of taking action intervenes in the proactivity but not only. Thus, it is necessary to have a reflection upstream in order to act in a fair manner. Often, we mistakenly think that being proactive means being for action. This is not the primary definition but, in my opinion, it is part of it.
In proactivity, there is a notion of anticipation and appreciation of future actions. Being proactive is therefore often used as a misnomer to define someone who enjoys being active and getting down to business. In this article, we will mix the two concepts. In other words, being proactive will be like taking thoughtful initiatives and putting them into action.
Action and its benefits to be more proactive
Act to succeed
If there is one thing in common among people who excel and achieve their personal goals, it is that they take action. Indeed, these people are proactive and take action. Being proactive allows you to take control of your life and time. Successful people take action in their field. This does not mean that action necessarily leads to success, but personal success comes through action. In any case, very often action is preferable to inaction and movement is preferable to standing still.
Being proactive requires self-discipline
To be proactive and act on your destiny, it requires a certain self-discipline. This self-discipline can be explicit or implicit. So when you take the time to structure your written thinking or plan your projects, you are showing discipline. Conversely, neglect invites inaction and passivity. The self-discipline that we agree is necessary for reflection and for the action to be implemented . Of course, it’s up to everyone to find the right dosage and weighting. However, this requires taking active responsibility for yourself.
If you tend to procrastinate on everything and nothing, it will be difficult for you to achieve your plans and aspirations. Whether it’s your personal life or your professional life, being proactive and taking the lead demands a certain personal demand. Challenging yourself is stimulating , but be careful not to overdo yourself so as not to overwork yourself.
Being proactive requires organization
To move from the stage of reflection to action, you need a minimum of organization. Especially when you take action as a habit and want to succeed in your businesses. Being proactive is a real organized process that leads to specific actions. Moreover, these precise actions are the means to achieve the results that we have visualized and that we want to achieve. Thus, being proactive requires logic in its thinking. “ I want to achieve this result, I have to accomplish this. If I do it this way, then… “.
We all have thoughts of this type, on a daily basis for trivial things or for more serious projects. This logical approach requires an organization in our ideas. Thus, during this work of reflection, getting organized and putting your ideas in order often becomes a necessity. In addition, the greater the complexity or the ambition of the project, the more organization and reflection must be carried out. Being proactive gradually becomes a habit and, through practice, you become a better person capable of accomplishment.
How to take action and become proactive
To take action and act effectively, adopting a positive attitude and being proactive will make it easier for you. Attitude and state of mind are important . Indeed, by being problem-oriented one only sees the problems. On the other hand, by being solution-oriented one manages to find solutions to the difficulties encountered. Easy no? To take action and achieve positive results, I invite you to follow the following steps that I use personally and which allow me to move forward.
To fix objectives
First, at the thinking stage, think about what you want to accomplish and why. Having a strong “why” helps keep motivation and consistency . In this way, you can more easily overcome obstacles and go further towards your aspirations. Setting goals is one way to prepare for action and establish a destination. Being proactive will get you there. To set goals in a simple and effective way, that is to say that one reaches, you can follow certain recommendations. Indeed, the SMART method is known to set goals effectively. ” A well-defined goal is a half-achieved goal, ” said Abraham Lincoln.
Make a plan
If you don’t have a plan you won’t get anywhere. At least, the task will be all the more difficult. Indeed, having defined objectives is a first step, but how do you know which paths to take to reach them? To be proactive is to have this capacity for reflection and anticipation. So, based on your goals and your situation, you need to establish a plan. This action plan will help you achieve your goals. If it is well established, you just have to unroll it and follow it step by step . At some point you will achieve your goals.
Take action
Here we are. The moment so dreaded by some. To be proactive, you need to take action. It is a necessary step. Indeed, there can be no result without action . The good thing is that you know what to do normally since you have your action plan as a guide. Therefore, there is nothing more than to act. Unfortunately, it is often at this stage that some people get stuck. Taking action marks a renewal. An attempt that will make you grow and progress. Whatever the outcome of your action, if you maintain a positive and proactive attitude you will move forward.
The action has a magical character in the sense that everything is linked once you act. Our environment is set in motion, ideas spring up and capacities increase tenfold to gradually erase doubts. However, we must take the plunge and dare to go. In the same way that we must dare to go and approach a person we like if we want to get closer, if we want to get closer to our objectives, we must dare to act.
Advice and recommendations for daring to act
Being proactive is a quality that is gradually being built. The more you act and experience, the better and more efficient you will become . So, in order to help people who are having difficulty taking action and taking action, I have put together some recommendations that can be easily applied and that gradually unleash our minds and behavior.
Here are 5 basic tips to be proactive and move forward more calmly towards your aspirations:
- Believe in yourself A phrase that I love says ” If you think you can’t do it then you’re right.” If you think you can do it, then you are also right ”
- Don’t be afraid to fail The fear of failure is crippling and prevents us from taking action. But what is failure? Isn’t the greatest failure not to try anything? In addition, if you have a positive attitude, you will be able to learn from your failures in order to turn them into lessons. It is also about being proactive.
- Start small The upstream work is very useful because it facilitates the rest of the process. If it is difficult for you to take action, it is because the actions of your plan are too ambitious.
- Study the risks Acting is risk taking. Risk scares us and intimidates us. Thus, the more you demystify the situation, the more you will be confident and decrease the risk. As a result, you will be less afraid to act.
- Don’t listen to negative people Finally, don’t pay attention to pessimists and negative people. Speeches of this type hold us back in our aspirations. However, if people hold us back with their negativity, it can happen that they like us and want us well. Indeed, they are two distinct things: to appreciate someone and to help someone.
To conclude
So, from thought to action, being proactive is a positive attitude geared towards resolution and movement. Getting in motion and taking action requires qualities that lie dormant in us and that are just waiting to be revealed. You now have avenues to achieve your aspirations and become an enterprising and proactive person. Action saves many evils in the sense that it leads to unsuspected results. Having objectives and an action plan allows you to progress step by step and serenely towards a specific destination. Your actions will reward you , break the chains and let what I like to call the magic of action creep into your plans.