In my Capstone to Business Studies course, we are going through the book 7 Habits of Highly Effective People by Stephen Covey. Effective habits are internalized principles and patterns of behavior that align with your knowledge, skills, and desires. Covey’s main message is to find your best self and your best life. Happiness cannot be achieved by chasing the things you want. You must work on internal changes first to become who you want to be.
“We are what we repeatedly do, excellence, then, is not an act, but a habit.”
– Aristotle
The first habit the book talks about is being proactive. It emphasizes that you are responsible for your life and you get to choose your responses. A reactive person has a victim-mentality and blames everyone and everything for their problems. They are very out of control and in a circle of concern. A proactive person, on the other hand, chooses how to react and works on what they can control. They are in a circle of influence and are mindful in the moment. One way to start being more proactive is to be mindful of your language. By thinking before you speak, you can change your thoughts and words to be proactive.