Some Exceptions To Consider

Nothing is black and white. We have plenty of decisions to make in the moment. We do not have power over everything. The time-tested Serenity Prayer below illustrates an approach to the world that allows us to identify those things that trouble us that we have control over and decide how to change them. It also tells us to let go of those things we cannot change. This can free us of stress so we can focus on the positive impacts and experiences we have.

Flexibility is often an asset that helps us cope in a rapidly changing environment. There are times when long-term plans must be abandoned in order to meet immediate needs, and there will always be those unavoidable roadblocks that even the most proactive persons in the world would not have been able to foresee or avoid. So sometimes, reactivity is just a fact of life.

Also, being reactive requires an investment of energy. If we are scenario planning or gathering data in the chance our boss needs it at the last minute, we are investing time that could be invested elsewhere.

Thus, it’s critical that we’re being mindful that we’re being proactive in the places that give us the greatest return on our investment.

Being proactive may also enable others. Imagine a co-worker (we’ll call her Amy) who is a real go-getter. She sees colleagues continuously dropping balls and by default, she picks up the slack. This can lead her to burnout while also building resentment towards her colleagues. This degree of proactivity may also lead to increased work pressure and higher stress levels while also actually disempowering her colleagues because they will always say, “It’s okay, Amy will take care of it.”

Being proactive is by and large, a valuable characteristic. With that said, it’s also important to be aware of our proactivity in context and not approach life blindly proactive. You likely wouldn’t want to steal a colleague’s client because you were being proactive, nor would you want to get a more thoughtful birthday gift for your friend’s spouse than your friend gave to her.

Three good guidelines to follow when being proactive are:

• Is this the best context to be proactive or are there other areas that will generate a greater return on my proactivity?
• How will my proactivity affect those around me? Could it build resentment in others?
• By being proactive, am I enabling others to grow a dependency on me?