Habit 1: Be Proactive Part 2

 

Habit 1: Be Proactive Part 2

    In the second section of "Be Proactive," author Stephen Covey focuses on the power of actions and words, control, commitment, and influence. Covey begins with analyzing initiative, and how taking the initiative makes you an effective person. Being aware of a concern is different from doing something about it. Covey explores proactivity through a real-life example of the economy. Additionally, Covey examines the importance of language. Phrases like "I can't" and "I have to, are typically used by reactive people, and "I can" and " I will", typically used by proactive people, can inflict high messages into our minds.  Covey ends the first habit by reflecting back to Proactive vs. Reactive. Proactive people will take the initiative, admit to mistakes, and take responsibility, while reactive people will analyze the negativity of it all, blaming others around them. From the examination of Proactive vs. Reactive, Covey introduces the Circle of Concern. 



      Here is my circle of concern. On the outer edge, holds my circle of influence, things I have control over. Things like what movie I'm going to watch next or when I'm going to do my homework are things I have full control over. However, things like the weather and politics are considered concerns, things I don't have control over (inner circle). I enjoyed this mini-activity, particularly because it got me thinking about the things I devote my time. One of the first things that came to my mind when I was making this list was politics. I hadn't realized how much time I was actually devoting to thinking about politics, granted, it may have been because of the increased coverage on the media with the upcoming election, but it was still surprising as it's not something I have full control over.

    I thoroughly enjoyed reading this section. One section that really stood out to me was, "Listening To Our Language". I am someone who doesn't exactly have the best history with handling emotions, and as hard as it was to read, this section opened my eyes up to owning up to my emotions.  Covey states, "A serious problem with reactive language is that it becomes a self-fulfilling prophecy" (p. 118).  I often blame my situation and dismiss my own faults, which is exactly what Covey targets with this quote.

    Going forward on my journey of becoming a more effective person I want to heavily focus on becoming a proactive person, starting with learning how to own up to my own responsibilities and emotions.

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