Habit 1 -- Be Proactive

Proactivity

As human beings we are responsible for our own lives

Problems fall in one of three areas

Direct, Indirect, and No Control

Between Stimulus and Response

Frankl, a psychologist in the Freudian tradition, recognized that "between stimulus and response, man has the freedom to choose."

Three widely accepted theories of determinism:

Genetic determinism holds that you inherit your personal tendencies and character. Psychic determinism holds that your upbringing and childhood experiences mold you. Environmental determinism holds that environmental factors are responsible.

Principles of Personal Vision

Self-awareness enables us to stand apart and examine the way we see ourselves. It is our map of the basic nature of mankind.

The Social Mirror

There are three widely accepted theories of determinism:

Circle of Concern/Circle of Influence

Where do you focus your time and energy?

Conscience

an inner awareness of right and wrong

The ability to make and keep commitments and promises is

at the heart of our Circle of Influence

Proactive people are driven by

carefully considered, selected and internalized values

Understand

consequences and mistakes

Taking the initiative

does not mean being pushy, obnoxious, or aggressive. It does mean recognizing our responsibility to make things happen.

Reactive people are driven by

feelings, circumstances, conditions, the environment

Distinguish between

have's and be's

Environmental determinism

holds that environmental factors are responsible.

Genetic determinism

holds that you inherit your personal tendencies and character

Psychic determinism

holds that your upbringing and childhood experiences mold you

Changing our habits, changing our methods of influence and changing the way we see our no control problems are all within

our Circle of Influence.

Direct control

problems involving our own behavior.

Indirect control

problems involving the behavior of others

No control

problems we can do nothing about, e.g., our past

Self-awareness enables us to

stand apart and examine the way we see ourselves. It is our map of the basic nature of mankind.

Proactive people focus their efforts in

the Circle of Concern.

Proactive people focus their efforts in

the Circle of Influence

Independent will

the ability to act based on self-awareness

Imagination

the ability to create in our minds beyond our present reality