Find the answer below … and learn what to do about it. Experience and observation teach us to distinguish, both in ourselves and in others, two fairly common and repetitive profiles and behavioral types: the reactive personality type and the proactive personality type.
As life coach Baldi Figueras says, knowing the main characteristics of these profiles can help us understand ourselves better and come up with specific steps to be more proactive in life.
Characteristics of reactive people
- They break down emotionally in the face of adverse external situations
- 100 percent of their well-being or inner discomfort depends on whether their environment is right or wrong.
- They waste a lot of energy judging and criticizing others.
- They perceive changes as threats and so end up sabotaging them.
- They are immersed in their worries.
- They do not look for possible solutions.
- They complain.
- They do not take action to solve problems.
- They have a tendency to be pessimists
- They almost always blame others for everything that happens.
- They have no initiative to improve the environment in which they live.
Characteristics of proactive people
- Responsible: They consciously take co-responsibility for their behavior.
- Positive: They try to be very positive when faced with tough situations, to avoid falling into victim mode.
- Creative: They use their creativity to constantly come up with alternatives.
- Goal setters: They have clear objectives and take action to achieve them. Their eyes are set on medium-term steps, but also on their long-term goal.
- They have self-confidence: They know what their strengths and weaknesses are and trust in their capacity and potential to be able to overcome adverse situations.
- They make decisions and take the initiative: They anticipate problems and they do not let them drag on. Instead, they make quick and pragmatic decisions. They act by handling unforeseen events according to the goals they had set. They are aware of their freedom to be able to choose an internal and external response to their circumstances.
- Assertive: They communicate appropriately how they feel, what they think, and what they need.
- Constant: They consistently stay focused in their efforts and actions. They get tangible results, since they are always goal oriented.
Four steps to develop proactivity in our lives
- Set your goals so you never lose direction.
- Identify current circumstances that are preventing you from achieving the objectives set.
- Identify the situations you can influence.
- Take action only in areas where you can have an influence, without losing sight of your objective. Look for new opportunities with a constant vision of the short and long term.
When we understand the importance of developing our area of influence, we realize that we can more easily get the results we want.
It’s very important to be aware of whether we are reactive or proactive in our day-to-day activities and to be intentional in our attitudes and actions. Let’s focus on developing our proactivity and discover all the potential that is within each one of us.
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