Living In The Light Of Truth

1. Be Proactive
It means that human beings have responsible for our own lives. Our behaviour is a function of our decisions, not our conditions. We can subordinate feelings to values. We have the initiative and the responsibility to make this happen. Look at the word responsibility - " response-ability" - the ability to choose your response. Proactive people do not blame circumstances, conditions or conditioning for their behaviour. Their behaviour is product of their own conscious choice, based on values, rather than a product of their conditions, based on feelings.

Reactive people are often affected by their physical environment. If weather is good they feel good etc. Proactive people carry their own weather. They have large circle of influence to others in a positive way and their circle of concern is slightly larger however the circle of influence will push outwards rather than vice versa. They focus on their efforts in the circle of influence, work on things they can do something about.

The "Have's" and the "Be's" one way to determine which circle our concern is to distinguish between the have's and be's. The have's would say something like:
"I'll be happy when I have my house paid off"
"If only I had a boss who wasn''t such a dictator"
"If I could just have more time to myself"

The circle of influence is filled with the be's - I can be more patient, be wise, be loving. Its the chracter focus. Anytime we think the problem is "out there", that htought is the problem. We empower whats out there to control us. This is outside-in but the proactive is inside-out to be different, to effect positive change in whats out there- I can be more resourcefulm i can be more diligent, I can be more creative, I can be more cooperative. e.g. The story of Joseph in old testament when he was sold into slavery.


e.g Viktor Frankl Jew captive who chose to be proactive rather than reactive in the death camps of Nazi Germany. He could decide within himself how all this was going to affect him. Between what happened to him, or the stimulus, and his response to it, was his freedom or power to choose that response. He inspired many people even the guards themselves.