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