Proactive people: 12 traits and habits in common

We all know creative people, those who are continuously active and who work hard to achieve their goals. Being proactive is going out to find what you want and not waiting for it to arrive by magic, because opportunities do not come alone and luck must be sought.

• Related article: "How to attract luck, in 9 psychological keys"

How are proactive people?

Proactive people create their own destiny and pursue their ambitions.. In the following lines you can find a list with the characteristics of an ambitious person who pursues his goals with perseverance and determination.

1. Connect with your needs and desires

proactive people They are people who are always on the move, and that is because they are motivated by something.. They are individuals who seek their own self-realization and, therefore, connect with their needs and wants. When a person is in tune with himself, he enters into flow state and knows which way to go. That is why it is easy for it to be in continuous movement.

2. They know their strengths, but also their weaknesses.

But these people not only know your needs and your desires, they know what your strengths and weaknesses are. weaknesses, which is positive as long as you accept your own weaknesses and focus on your strengths to be able to advance. This is key because it helps to trace the path and not get stuck in those weaknesses that one possesses..

3. They have long-term goals

Knowing oneself in all senses is the first step to know what are the goals that one wants to pursue and what objectives are have in life, and visualizing a future that a person wants is essential to be motivated and to know the direction in which one wants throw. Proactive people have long-term goals.

4. But also in the short term: they live in the present

However, one cannot only have long-term goals, because to achieve big goals you have to go step by step. This can only be achieved if, in addition to long-term goals, you have short- and medium-term goals.. Living in the present is necessary to avoid feeling frustrated and to advance on the path that one sets for oneself.

5. high self-confidence

Self-confidence is a concept about which Albert Bandura theorized, a psychologist who proposed the Social Learning Theory. According to it, the beliefs of self-confidence or self-efficacy largely determine our success and our motivation, since they are the assessments that we make of our capacities or abilities with respect to a task or activity in concrete. Proactive people have high self-confidence, which helps them overcome the obstacles that arise on a daily basis.

• Related article: "Albert Bandura's Self-efficacy: do you believe in yourself?"

6. planning capacity

Proactive people are those who do not wait for things to happen, but rather go looking for them. To do this, they have objectives and plan the steps to follow to achieve them. Good planning avoids frustration and helps give feedback, which allows you to be motivated throughout the goal acquisition process.

7. They self-motivate

And it is that proactivity has a lot to do with motivation. Being a person who knows how to motivate himself is key to not giving in to difficult situations. Self-motivation is one of the components of emotional intelligence, and it is a capacity that some people have to provide self-interest and the necessary push even in difficult situations and in the face of adversity.

• Related article: “8 keys to maintain motivation and achieve your goals”

8. They do not fear uncertainty or change

The fear of uncertainty is one of the main fears that human beings can experience.. This fear can be really disabling and interferes with the personal growth of a subject. In fact, it is considered a limiting belief and can prevent a person from taking action despite wanting something with all their might.

• If you want to know more about what fear of uncertainty is, you can read our article: “Fear of uncertainty: 8 keys to overcome it”

9. They live outside their comfort zone

The fear of uncertainty can lead a person to live in the comfort zone. A psychological space in which an individual feels more comfortable and safe, since uncertainty can often produce anxiety about the unknown. Proactive people are not afraid of living far from their comfort zone and also like to experiment with new things.

10. They assess different alternatives and solve problems

Some individuals tend to avoid facing problems, because in this way they believe they avoid discomfort.. Proactive people, on the other hand, look difficult situations in the face and look for solutions to the problems that occur in their day to day. In fact, they have a great capacity to propose different alternatives when it comes to providing solutions.

11. They learn from mistakes

Proactive people learn from mistakes, because they think that they are opportunities to grow.. Life has good moments and bad moments, but it is useless to stay anchored in the past and regret the situations that do not turn out as we wanted. In order to move on, you need to accept and treat yourself with compassion.

12. they are persistent

Persistent people are those who overcome the obstacles that are in the way, who continue at the foot of the canyon despite the adversities. They work hard until they achieve success, that is, they are always on the go and do not stop. Persistence is one of the keys to success. Without a doubt, there is a close relationship between being persistent and being proactive.