Proactivity in psychology: what is it in simple words

Events are constantly happening around us that require our response. And you've probably noticed that all people react differently to new circumstances, demonstrating different degrees of readiness. The ability to always keep the situation under control, to readily perceive any surprises and respond adequately to them is called proactivity. Today we will analyze in detail what proactivity is, how it manifests itself, what benefits it gives and how to develop it.

What is proactivity?

Proactivity is a special proactive style of behavior and decision-making, in which a person does not obey external circumstances, but takes an active position and chooses what to do now. Such a person performs every action on his own initiative, ahead of external circumstances and making important decisions as quickly as possible.

A proactive person is not afraid to take full responsibility for his life. If something doesn't go according to plan, he doesn't need to come up with explanations or blame the circumstances. He himself formulates the conditions he needs and himself creates the circumstances that are optimal for him.

Proactivity is usually compared with reactivity - another style of behavior in which a person also behaves quite actively, readily accepts challenges and quickly responds to new circumstances. This is also a strong-willed type of character, and it is difficult to blame such a person for laziness or lack of organization. The difference between them is that a reactive person readily reacts to external circumstances, while a proactive person himself creates and directs the course of events.

The author of the term “proactivity” is considered to be the Austrian psychologist Viktor Frankl. It was he who first used the word “proactive” to describe a person who does not look for reasons in circumstances and people around him, but takes full responsibility for his own life.

He used this word in his book “Man’s Search for Meaning,” which he wrote while in a Nazi camp. While imprisoned, Frankl secretly provided psychotherapeutic assistance to newly arriving prisoners, secretly from his jailers. We can say that he had a unique opportunity to observe how different the behavior of people who find themselves in a critical situation can be. And it is in such circumstances that proactivity manifests itself most clearly.

Principles and Examples of Psychology

Every person can become proactive. The development of this skill is based on a clear understanding of its basic principles:

1. Freedom of choice as a response to a stimulus without an emotional reaction.
2. A thorough analysis of the implementation of the upcoming task and the prevention of possible problems.
3. Conscious responsibility for every step taken towards achieving the goal.
4. Make quick decisions in any situation thanks to flexible thinking.
5. Constant analysis and improvement of your own behavior.
6. The correct formulation of questions that allows you to make predictions, that is, “what if...?”, and possible answers.

Proactivity and equanimity should not be confused. The latter implies the absence of a reaction, while the former also implies successful avoidance of the stimulus. You can understand the difference using a simple example: “in 15 minutes you need to walk 1 kilometer from the intended point A to point B, but it started to rain and the road was practically washed away.”

An unperturbed person will walk calmly, even knowing that he will be late. Jet, seeing the slush, simply won’t go and will say that the rain is to blame. A proactive person will check the weather forecast in advance, wear appropriate shoes, plot a route on a map, meet the designated time, or finish the journey earlier.

Proactivity in life and work

In psychology, there are many tests and exercises that allow you to quickly check the presence of this skill. The simplest one is the question “Who is to blame for the boy tripping over the bench?” Children from three to four years old blame the bench, and those older than six blame the child who did not notice it on the way. It seems, what does this have to do with children? Adults who blame circumstances and others essentially remain immature and not proactive.

Setting goals or objectives and achieving them

It's even easier to understand what we're talking about using the example of a fish seeing bait on a hook. She can swallow it and swim on. This is the freedom of choice to be proactive. The decision is always yours. The less emotion there is, the easier it is to decide what to do. Their absence as an irritant allows you to completely ignore problems, moving further towards your goal.

5 Proactive Thinking Habits

How does proactivity manifest itself?

The main principle of proactivity is that a person always has the opportunity to freely choose how to react to current events. In this case, three main types of reaction are possible:

1. If a person meekly accepts new circumstances without trying to improve them, this can be considered a passive life position. Such people do not strive to improve their lives and simply live in circumstances “sent to them by fate.”
2. If a person reacts quickly, but at the same time gives in to circumstances instead of trying to change them, this is a reactive position. Being quite active, such a person still shifts responsibility for his life to certain external factors.
3. A proactive person always strives to influence circumstances. Using the natural right of free choice, he follows his line and changes the world around him in accordance with his needs. He firmly knows that all the circumstances of his life are the result of his actions.

Proactive or reactive: test

Proactive/reactive attitude is easily assessed using a simple test. In it you need to select phrases that a person uses in different situations.

You need to try on both options and choose your preferred one. And evaluate the results.

You should not strive to choose those combinations that never flash in your head or sound out loud. This is not true. And it won’t help to give a true definition of the type of behavior.

What if there are “reactive” phrases in the list?

Work with it.

There is a simple algorithm for increasing proactivity, and if you follow it, you can achieve a lot.

The Benefits of Proactive Thinking

Truly proactive thinking is quite rare. Fortunately, with effort in the right direction, it can be developed. To understand how important this is, let’s consider the main benefits of proactivity:

1. Ability to set goals and achieve them. Most of us spend our whole lives pursuing the goals that our parents, mentors and society set for us. A proactive person sets his own goals for the coming months, years and for life.
2. The ability to always see additional opportunities.
   The tendency to find many opportunities for advancement or development in any life situation is a hallmark of proactive people.
3. Complete control over your life.
   Circumstances rarely influence the plans of a proactive person. He decides for himself in which direction he will move, thanks to which his whole life depends only on him.
4. Understanding that there is always a choice.
   A passive (and even reactive) attitude towards life teaches a person to submit to circumstances. Those who are used to making all decisions on their own firmly know that there is always a choice.
5. Development of creative thinking.
   Proactive thinking is regularly in a state of brainstorming. And this, as you know, is the best way to develop creativity.

A proactive person can easily be recognized by having his own opinion (do not confuse having your own opinion with the habit of arguing about any issue). It is difficult to impose any beliefs on him; since childhood, the mode of passive acceptance of other people's opinions has simply been turned off. Such people know how to say “no” when it goes against their interests. Such features are well felt by others and inevitably evoke respect.

Instead of output

The essence of a proactive and reactive approach to life is clear.

Some act.

The second ones groan.

There is no need to comment on who achieves the goal.

All that remains is to decide which path is yours. And give examples of your own proactive and reactive behavior, if you manage to catch them in current affairs. Simple analysis, but will it work? Write in the comments.

Interesting read:

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Proactivity in the works of Stephen Covey

Stephen Covey (1932 – 2012) is a successful consultant in the field of business management and personal life management. He was a very energetic man who traveled all over the world and continued to work until he was very old. The book “The Seven Habits of Highly Effective People,” which every person interested in self-improvement knows, brought him the greatest fame.

Proactivity in this book ranks first among all 7 skills that the author considers the most important for an active person.

Explaining to readers what proactivity is and what it depends on, he argued that all people are naturally proactive. But already in early childhood they are faced with responsibility for their actions, which they do not want to accept. Accustomed to avoiding responsibility, such children grow up to be reactive or even passive people, inclined to shift the blame to circumstances and others, and look for reasons and explanations.

A proactive person readily accepts responsibility and makes efforts to find the best way out of any current situation. When making decisions, he prefers to be guided by established life values, rather than by momentary feelings and emotions. When choosing how to act, a proactive person tries to anticipate how events will develop.

According to Covey, the most famous proactive person in history was Mahatma Gandhi, an Indian public and political figure who is revered as a saint in India. Despite the lack of political status and material opportunities, he was able to become a very influential person and an incredibly large-scale historical figure.

Every time we encounter a problem, we must understand the reason for its occurrence. The thought that we are the problem is unpleasant. This forces us to look for external reasons - it’s much easier. At the same time, you often want to relax and wait until external circumstances become more favorable. But it is important to consider that people who tend to wait for favorable circumstances usually wait for them all their lives.

To become practical, you need to understand that the most suitable circumstances are now. The reason is obvious: today we have much more time left than we will have tomorrow. And favorable things that should happen tomorrow will not go away and will still happen, even if you start acting today.

Proactive person: behavioral characteristics

A proactive person, possessing some important personal qualities, becomes more successful than many other people.

There are different areas in which a person can be proactive:

• work and professional activities,
• family,
• children,
• hobby,
• sport.

You can manage everything at the same time, or you can devote only one area to proactivity, for example, work.

Of course, the employer will positively evaluate the person’s determination, dedication, and initiative. Then the question arises: how are things going in the family, do you have time for yourself, your favorite hobby and sports? Sometimes there is a gap in other areas of activity.

Therefore, it is important to keep a balance and respond to incoming external requests in a timely manner.

There is a good example of how a proactive person can behave.

Imagine the situation:

An economic crisis has broken out, money is depreciating, inflation is rising, prices for food and other goods are rising. Ordinary people become poor, criticize the authorities and the government, accumulate anger and complain.

A proactive person at this time analyzes the situation for the possibility of obtaining additional income in order to cover his own needs and the needs of his family. He has no time or desire for empty talk and expression of dissatisfaction; he finds a way out and begins to act.

From a practical point of view, it is precisely this approach to solving the problem that is effective, shifting the emphasis from blaming the government to productive and effective one’s own actions. The emotional reaction to a problem that has arisen in a proactive person is repressed when making an internal choice in favor of other values.

How to develop proactivity?

Having figured out how a proactive person differs from a reactive one, we clearly understand which strategies of thinking and behavior are winning. But in order to become more effective, it is not enough just to know what proactivity is. It will take some time to master this skill. Let's look at the basic rules and exercises that will help with this.

Analyze

Imagine yourself as a scientist studying a problem before starting to solve it. To do this, follow these steps:

1. Write down the steps required to solve the problem.
2. Gather all the necessary information.
3. After analyzing, determine which actions are not effective.

Now you can remove unnecessary actions and leave only those that will lead to solving the problem with minimal effort. By the way, one of the most convenient tools for setting priorities in life is the Eisenhower Matrix.

Focus on what you can influence

We tend to keep in our thoughts all existing circumstances, including those that are impossible to influence. This is an unproductive approach, since mental resources are spent extremely irrationally. Throw away grievances, disappointments and other meaningless experiences. Think only about how to influence the situation. This is a key rule that must be followed in all life situations.

Ask yourself the right questions

A reactive person usually asks himself the question “Why did this happen?”, A passive person usually asks himself “When will this end?” Both of these types tend to look for external reasons and blame others. The main question of a proactive person is “What should I do right now?”

Prevent problems

An important feature of the thinking of proactive people is the ability to anticipate consequences. When making decisions and taking actions, they are always aware of what this will lead to. Start developing this ability in yourself. The following steps will help with this:

• make a list of the most important areas of your life;
• think carefully about what problems exist in each area;
• Now think about what actions will help solve them.

There are many simple actions, avoiding which we accumulate problems. This approach will help you identify all the important little things and learn to take them into account in order to solve your problems in the long term. This opportunity should not be neglected, because proactivity is the ability to act now in order to solve problems in the future (including the distant future).

Example: a reactive person, faced with health problems for the first time, reviews his diet and begins to exercise. A proactive person does all this today, even if he is in excellent health. He just likes to be healthy, and he knows what needs to be done to maintain this health.

Start exercising, eating right and sleeping at least 7 hours a day. Plan a budget, create a “financial cushion” for yourself, regularly allocate time to communicate with loved ones, friends and acquaintances. Many people neglect these actions, considering them of little use. But they are an indicator that a person is thinking about his future and is able to behave proactively to avoid typical problems.

Watch yourself

Reactive people usually react only to events that cannot be ignored. A proactive person is more attentive to himself, thanks to which he promptly notices emerging difficulties. To learn this, regularly ask yourself the following questions:

• What challenges am I facing?
• How do I react to them?
• What thoughts come to my mind first?

This simple exercise helps to develop self-observation and learn to respond to important events in a timely manner.

Rethink your observations

You probably have an idea of ​​the typical problems that arise in your life, as well as ways to solve them. In such cases, our brain tries to save energy and perceives ready-made solutions as something unchangeable. But it is likely that you will be able to find a much more effective solution to some common problem. Just take the time to understand it and be observant.

Start making proactive decisions

To do this, you can use a simple action plan:

• define and formulate the problem;
• understand and consider its reason;
• make a list of possible solutions;
• Consider each option, its advantages and disadvantages.

After carefully analyzing the solution options, you can choose the best or several best (if they are not mutually exclusive).

How Reactive Thinking Can Harm You

There are no people who always think proactively. We all think and behave differently depending on our state and context. The key is how often we are in reactive thinking. If we are not in a state of proactivity, it can cause harm.

What it will look like externally : if you adhere to reactive thinking, you can end up among events that we did not choose. There is no guarantee that we will like these events. If they happen by themselves, they may not suit us.

The decisions that are made, the tasks that are proposed, the people who appear in our lives and their choices - we will live not what we ourselves chose, but what someone else planned, implemented, and we just happened to be nearby. A significant part of events may not be close to us.

How it will feel from the inside : a state of helplessness, depression, the feeling “I don’t understand why I go to work,” “I don’t understand what these people are doing next to me,” “I don’t influence anything.” This is a very low quality of life - when there is no feeling of joy, there is only a feeling of emptiness. This is a pretty significant flaw in reactive thinking.

We can be very lucky: we didn’t choose anything ourselves, all events fell upon us, and they are all pleasant. Such a scenario may exist, but it is not very realistic.

In the next post we will tell you how you can develop proactive thinking.

Why does an employer need a proactive employee?

The goal of every team is maximum productivity. Proactivity is an important trait for interacting with colleagues. At the same time, it is important to distinguish a simply active employee from a proactive one. An active employee takes his duties responsibly and completes work on time. Proactive – strives to do his work well and is always ready to help if a colleague is slowing down the work process.

By assigning a task to a productive employee, the manager can be confident in the high quality of its solution. If a proactive employee takes on the job, he strives for the optimal result, because the task is his own choice. A proactive team solves problems with great enthusiasm. Such employees bring interesting solutions to the project.

Proactivity is ineffective due to interference within the team

As already noted, entire teams can act proactively – in creativity, politics, business, and sports. Accordingly, the success of implementing planned actions and the very quality of goal setting depend on the coherence of the entire team. And if at one stage or another there are discrepancies or direct sabotage, then the entire project risks failure. But even for this kind of threat, there are methods of insurance and preventive work throughout the entire work cycle. This set of measures includes means of increasing motivation and strengthening team spirit. In addition, the very models for implementing such projects are initially endowed with the properties of flexibility and adaptation with protection from various types of threats.

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How to create a proactive team?

It is unlikely that you will be able to quickly and radically change the mood of the entire team, but you are able to influence it. First of all, pay attention to the candidate’s initiative during the interview. This way, you can monitor the team’s proactivity at the very beginning stages.

When we talk about proactive, that is, self-managing employees, it is important to understand that total control on the part of the leader can ruin everything. It is important to give proactive employees freedom of action. Otherwise, you will either turn your proactive employees into reactive ones, or they will simply leave. Both outcomes are not in your interests.

From this we conclude that a proactive team needs a flexible leader . Listen to your employees, trust them, and give them a voice on issues that concern them.

To encourage team proactivity, be open , ask your colleagues for their opinions on various issues, conduct regular brainstorming sessions and motivate employees to be active.

But do not forget that in any matter it is important not to go too far.